The issue of the missing persons, arbitrary detained, and the enforced disappeared stands out as one of the most important issues reflecting the nature and essence of the conflict in Syria and represents one of the major reasons for enforced displacement to seek asylum. Moreover, it constitutes a significant impediment to safe, voluntary, and dignified returns for Syrians to their homeland. In all conflicts, enforced disappearance is one of the foremost obstacles hindering achieving peace, and thus, presenting one of the greatest challenges to genuine transitional justice in subsequent stages.
The United Nations General Assembly’s announcement of establishing the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIMP) on June 29, 2023, constituted a fundamental turning point in this issue, notably that the IIMP was the outcome of years-lasting joint struggle, led by families and associations of the victims as well as by Syrian civil society organizations.
Derived by the active and extensive role played by Syrian families, associations, and organizations of victims and survivors in the recent years regarding the issue of the detainees, forcibly disappeared and the missing persons in the country, we, Synergy Association for Victims, announce the launching of the Missing Persons’ Families Platform in North and East Syria (MPFP-NES), which will provide an effective space to organize efforts and exchange information, aiming to enhance the active participation of victims and families of the missing and forcibly disappeared in search efforts, truth-revealing, and accomplishing justice, as a foundation for achieving comprehensive and sustainable peace in Syria.
MPFP-NES represents no specific entity in itself, rather, it is considered a space for coordination, information exchange, and sharing experiences. The idea to form such a platform emerged during consultations organized by Synergy Association for Victims with families of the missing and forcibly disappeared in north and east Syria during 2023. The idea was based on the necessity for families of the missing persons to continue leading purposeful efforts to uncover the fate of their loved ones, actively participating in decision-making and guiding the directions of the IIMP and other relevant institutions in order to increase the chances of achieving the required progress in this issue.
MPFP-NES is a completely independent platform that brings together families of missing persons and forcibly disappeared by all parties to the conflict and from various ethnic, religious, racial, and language backgrounds. The MPFP-NES adopts a liable and inclusive approach to support all families of the missing, without discrimination, focusing on the issue of the missing as a deep human concern, free from political influences.
The MPFP-NES has been announced in consultation with families of the missing, as well as victims and survivors’ initiatives in north and east Syria. Synergy Association for Victims will support and facilitate consultations among the platform’s members and its activities. It will also provide counselling and technical support, aimed at developing the platform’s plans and policies, as part of our endeavor to support any meaningful efforts to uncover the fate of the missing and the forcibly disappeared, and to support their families in their pursuit to reveal the truth and achieve justice. This will be accomplished in cooperation with our partners in the “Truth and Justice Charter” and the Syrian civil society.
The vision of MPFP-NES is grounded in achieving truth and justice for the victims and families of the missing and forcibly disappeared, as foundation for a comprehensive sustainable peace in Syria. Its mission is to organize families of the missing and forcibly disappeared in north and east Syria, empower them to represent themselves, and struggle to enhance the active and meaningful participation of victims, survivors and their families in search efforts, truth-revealing, and achieving justice.
For more information about the MPFP-NES, you can visit our website or contact us through:
MPFP-NES Coordinator: Abbas Ali Mousa
- Phone: +963 999 656 125 (via WhatsApp or Signal)
- Email: a.mousa@hevdesti.org