UNMIK/PR/1106
PRISTINA - The Office on Missing Persons and Forensics (OMPF) understands and shares the concerns of the Council of Family Associations, whose members are on hunger strike in their endeavour to draw attention to the issues faced by families of missing persons.
OMPF has been left with a difficult legacy since its formation in June 2002. However, the Division has been making steady progress in securing the return of mortal remains from Serbia proper. On six occasions, OMPF coordinated the transfer of multiple remains from Serbia proper to Kosovo and to date, a total of 195 mortal remains have been handed over to the affected families.
In order to further accelerate the missing persons’ process, UNMIK signed a joint MoU with ICMP on 26th November 2003.
OMPF shares the concerns of the families that better cooperation is needed from the authorities in Belgrade. Approximately 700 bodies exhumed in Serbia proper are awaiting return to the affected families. OMPF has the operational capacity to handle the return of these remains and shares the wishes of the families that the immediate return of approximately 246 positively identified mortal remains awaiting transfer to Kosovo is agreed by the Serbian authorities.
