ICRC photo exhibition raises awareness for missing persons

AMMAN — To express solidarity with the families of missing persons and to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday inaugurated a photo exhibition titled “Because You Are Not There” at the Royal Automobile Museum in Amman.

Commemorated annually on August 30, the International Day of the Disappeared aims to shed light on the issue of missing persons during armed conflicts or disasters whose families do not know their fate or whereabouts, according to an ICRC statement sent to The Jordan Times.

“The suffering of people whose loved ones are missing lingers on as an open wound, and it remains one of the least visible humanitarian problems,” Head of ICRC mission in Jordan, Sarah Avrillaud, said on Tuesday.

Avrillaud expressed strong remarks regarding the uncertainty felt by the families of the missing persons. She said that chief among the various challenges faced by families of missing persons is the lack of closure.

“The right of families to know the fate and whereabouts of their missing relatives is stipulated in international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” she pointed out.

She added that it is of the utmost importance to acknowledge the families’ plight, stand by them and support them by responding to their multifaceted needs.

“The feeling is scary, and the impact is heavy,” she said. Further, she illustrated the space of ambiguity as well as the challenges and emotions faced by the families by reading statements written by family members of missing persons.

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Avrillaud noted that the delegation in Jordan seeks to raise awareness of the issue of missing persons among the general public and the authorities.

“Many of us have the ability to use our talents to raise awareness for important and relevant issues in society and photography is no exception.” she said, pointing out that the “Syria: Missing” file is one of the most tragic humanitarian issues of all time.

“A picture tells a thousand words,” according to Avrillaud, who said that through this exhibition, the ICRC aims to shed light on the suffering of the families of missing persons in Jordan and globally.

The ICRC works with thousands of families in all parts of the world. In Jordan, together with the Jordan Red Crescent, it works with families of persons who have disappeared in relation to the conflict in Syria, according to an ICRC statement.

The ICRC, in addition to its tracing activities, accompanies the families during their search by strengthening their ability to deal with the difficulties related to the disappearance of their relatives, and to recover a healthy social life.

The photo exhibition, which will run until mid-September, contains 20 pictures representing the ICRC’s activities related to missing persons worldwide, as well as a piece of art that represents the Mental Health Psycho-Social Programme provided by the ICRC to the families of missing persons in Jordan.

Additionally, the ICRC painted a graffiti piece on one of the walls of a residential neighbourhood in the Al Hashimi Al Shamali area in Amman.

In Jordan, the ICRC, in cooperation with the Jordan Red Crescent, has collected around 3,400 tracing requests related to the disappearance of individuals in Syria.