Positions taken by international organizations on the issue of the missing Greek-Cypriots.

The XXIVth International Conference of the Red Cross
The XXIVth International Conference of the Red Cross,

alarmed at the phenomenon of forced or involuntary disappearances, perpetrated, connived at or consented to by governments,

deeply moved by the great suffering such disappearances cause not only to the missing persons themselves and their families but also to society,

considering that such disappearances imply violations of fundamental human rights such as the right to life, freedom and personal safety, the right not to be submitted to torture or cruel inhuman or degrading treatment, the right not to be arbitrarily arrested or detained, and the right to a just and public trial,

pointing out that families have a right to be informed of the whereabouts, health and welfare of their members, a right which is laid down in various resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly,

commending the efforts of the ICRC, the Working Group established by the UN Commission on Human Rights to investigate the phenomenon of forced or involuntary disappearances and various impartial humanitarian organizations for the benefit of missing persons and their families,

1. condemns any action resulting in forced or involuntary disappearances, conducted or perpetrated by governments or with their connivance or consent,

2. recommends that the ICRC take any appropriate action which might reveal the fate of missing persons or bring their families relief and urges that the ICRC Central Tracing Agency and any other impartial humanitarian organization be granted the facilities necessary to take effective action in this matter,

3. urges governments to endeavor to prevent forced or involuntary disappearances and to undertake and complete thorough inquiries into every case of disappearance occurring in their territory,

4. urges governments to cooperate with humanitarian organizations, and with the relevant bodies of the United Nations and of Intergovernmental organizations, in particular those which investigate forced or involuntary disappearances, with a view to putting an end to that phenomenon.