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Mandate

The OMP Act in Section 27 defines a missing person as a person whose fate or whereabouts are reasonably believed to be unknown and such person is reasonably believed to be unaccounted for and missing in connection with the conflict, political unrest or civil disturbances or as a result of an enforced disappearance. The OMP’s mandate is not limited to any particular period, community or region. The OMP Act in Section 10(1) has an explicit mandate to:

Search for missing and disappeared persons

(a) Search for and trace missing persons and identify appropriate mechanisms for the same and to clarify the circumstances in which such persons went missing

Make recommendations to authorities

(b) Make recommendations to the relevant authorities towards addressing the incidence of missing persons

Protect the rights and interests of victims and their families

(c) Protect the rights and interests of missing persons and their relatives as provided for in the Act

Identify avenues of redress

(d) Identify avenues of redress to which missing persons and relatives of missing persons are entitled and to inform the missing person (if found alive) or relative of such missing person of same

Compile a database of the missing and disappeared

(e) Collate data related to missing persons obtained by processes presently being carried out, or which were previously carried out, by other institutions, organizations, Government Departments and Commissions of Inquiry and Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry and centralize all available data within the database established under the Act

Other activities to achieve objectives

(f) Do all such other necessary things that may become necessary to achieve the objectives under the Act