On 26-28 October 2016, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will be holding a three-day course in Qurghon Teppa of Khatlon province on the management of dead, focusing on work with human remains in case of large-scale emergencies.
According to ICRC Mission in Tajikistan, over twenty participants from local authorities, including representatives of the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, Border Troops, Ministry of Health (forensic specialists), Ministries of Interior and Defense and Committee on Religious Affairs, as well as representatives of Tajik Red Crescent Society from Khatlon Province of Tajikistan will be attending the course.
This is the 4th training event on the subject in the country, with three previous sessions held in 2014-2015 in Dushanbe and in Khujand, including one that brought together specialists from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Ensuring appropriate management of dead bodies is an integral part of measures linked to better preparedness to emergency situations. While work with human remains is normally well organized in daily functioning of a given society, the process can be easily disrupted in case of large influx of casualties due to an emergency situation. The training focuses on simple coordinated measures that can ensure proper treatment of dead bodies with the thought regarding eventual identification of deceased individuals, respect of person’s dignity and local cultural norms. This course will provide participants with practical guidelines and best practices and will highlight some of the key challenges that commonly impact communications and coordination during management of situations involving large numbers of fatalities.
Identification of dead bodies is not only an integral part of general respect for human dignity, which does not cease with the death of a person, but also helps families cope by providing answers in a timely manner and preventing people from going missing. It is well known that a disappearance is a heavy emotional burden for the family with many psychological, but also practical consequences, families are left in uncertainty as to how to explain the absence to the family or community and fill in the missing link in family functioning, including dealing with property, obtaining state support or addressing other administrative issues. The ICRC recognizes the plight of the missing and their families, working to support them while actively promoting efforts aimed at prevention of disappearances in the future. The mentioned above course is an integral part of such prevention-oriented efforts.
The ICRC is glad to share its experience and provide support to relevant professionals working in emergencies of various kind aimed at decreasing their impact on civilian populations. The ICRC is recognized worldwide for its efforts in the domain of management of human remains and prevention of disappearances, as well as for its work supporting families of missing persons in searching for answers and addressing their needs. Already in 2011 the International Association of Forensic Sciences awarded the ICRC with the special prize in recognition of the organization’s contribution to the development and promotion of applied forensic sciences worldwide.
In Tajikistan the ICRC has been working since 1992, providing humanitarian assistance during the civil war. Today, the ICRC is carrying on with its work in the country, addressing longstanding humanitarian issues inherited from the past – the problems of mine contamination and mine victims; supporting families of missing persons that disappeared due to civil war or labor migration; promoting further development and knowledge of international humanitarian law. For all its programs and especially on emergency preparedness the ICRC works in close partnership with the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan.
