Knowing the Number of Dead and Missing Persons in Armed Conflict, with Particular Emphasis on the Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Oslo, 2 June 2008
Factual propositions on the number of persons killed or missing in armed conflicts can often play an important role in the political rhetoric of war and peace-making. The 'numbers game' was played by several actors in the armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia 1992-95. Numbers were used both to encourage international military intervention in the conflicts and to create an impression that the parties were committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in equal measure. Knowing the number of dead and missing persons became particularly important in Bosnia and Herzegovina where a significant part of the relatives of victims resided; their voice became a factor in Bosnian politics.
This seminar considered different aspects of the problem of the quality of knowledge on the number of dead and missing persons in armed conflicts. What are the limitations in the accuracy and reliability of such knowledge? What are the main problems encountered in constructing such knowledge? How can databases and scientific analysis of the number of dead and missing persons in conflicts assist criminal justice processes? How can the mapping of victimisation caused by armed conflict contribute to transitional justice processes?
