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Euroscicon, The Royal College of Pathologists, 2 Carlton House Terrace , London, UK
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Talks include
The Diplomacy of Mass Grave Investigations - Operating in Post Conflict Zones
Roland Wessling, Cranfield University, UK
Mass fatalities, such as genocide, mass murder or other crimes against humanity, always leave a countries or regions in a state of post-conflict devastation and often lead to the existence of mass graves. When a certain level of normality has been established and the crucial three criteria a) security, b) political will and c) funding, is in place, the mass fatality can be investigated. Alongside the criminal investigation, forensic teams can support the legal cases by excavating graves, which also assists the humanitarian effort of repatriating the victims. These forensic investigations are often carried out by international or at least foreign teams. And they have to operate in a country or region, in which most of the reasons for the previous conflict are still present. The absence of war does not mean piece!
Human identification: the judicial and humanitarian pathways
Roxana Ferllini, Coordinator Forensic Archaeological Science programme Institute of Archaeology, University College London
The investigation of human rights abuses is multi-faceted, with a principal objective remaining, among other goals, positive identifications of the victims. Approaches which are selected during the said process may vary, depending upon the nature of the enquiry in question; that is, some being formally arranged in preparation for judicial proceedings, whilst others, due to historical and political contexts, remaining within the context of a more direct humanitarian approach without legal ramifications.
The dead are always here: mass grave victims as social actors
Caroline Bennett, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent
Mass graves are often assumed to be negative spaces and the bodies they contain to be victims in need of individual identification and repatriation or reconciliation of one form or another. However, local concepts of the graves the bodies they contain vary dramatically even within the same country. Drawing on fieldwork from Iraq and Cambodia, this talk will explore local perceptions of mass graves and the bodies they contain, and ultimately ask the question: where does identity lie and who is investigation really for?
Reassociation and Identification of commingles remains from secondary mass graves in Bosnia-Herzegovia
Kerry-Ann Milic, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
Iraqi genocide DNA program activated by ‘SON OF BABYLON’ film pressure
Isabelle Stead, Human film /Iraq's missing campaign
The film ‘Son of Babylon’ raised international awareness of the 1 million + people who remain missing and unidentified in Iraq following 40 years of conflict. Film Producer and Iraq’s Missing Campaign founder Isabelle Stead will discuss how the film and it's associated campaign was the catalyst for a full governmental review of Iraq’s mass graves and paved the way for The Ministry of Human Rights in Iraq and The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) to begin a 3 year DNA-lead identification pilot scheme of Iraq’s missing people.
Systems for Mass Grave Identification: understanding, addressing and resolving complex issues
Mr Ian Hanson, International Commission on Missing Persons, Sarajevo
The complexity of identifying the missing relies on several key elements with interrelated objectives which need to operate in tandem to provide success outcomes: Investigations need political agreement and planning support and financing. Planning requires knowledge and understanding of processes and implications of work. The investigation process requires a legislative framework in which to operate. Legal processes require evidence of events to undertake prosecutions. Physical evidence is required to provide data for identifications. Families wish for their loved ones remains, justice and the opportunity to be fully engaged in determining the fate of the missing. Investigations have been hampered by not addressing some of these elements. ICMP provides support for effective identification systems while addressing social and political issues related to missing persons in the wake of conflict or natural disaster.
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Organized by:
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Euroscicon |
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Invited Speakers:
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Roland Wessling
Director of Operations, Inforce Foundation
www.inforce.org.uk/roland-wessling
Research Fellow in Forensic Archaeology & Anthropology, Cranfield University, UK
www.cranfield.ac.uk/cds/staff/wesslingroland .html Roxana Ferllini, Coordinator Forensic Archaeological Science programme Institute of Archaeology, University College London Isabelle Stead, Human film /Iraq's missing campaign Kerry-Ann Milic, Anglia Ruskin University, UK. Mr Ian Hanson, International Commission on Missing Persons, Sarajevo
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Deadline for Abstracts:
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The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is January 10th 2013
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Registration:
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http://www.regonline.co.uk/grave2013
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E-mail:
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astrid.englezou@euroscicon.com
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