engleski

Application of multidisciplinary model of war victims in Croatia

We describe the multidisciplinary model for identification of the recovered human remains. The model has been incorporated as the final step in the process of searching for the missing persons, which is still ongoing in Croatia. Military aggression to the Republic of Croatia in 1991 and subsequent armed conflict yieled numerous victims. Immediately after cessation of military operations, organized process of tracing the missing persons has started. This longterm and extensive process comprises series of steps to be performed by different authorities, including the following: creating the lists of missing persons ; collecting the antemortal records ; discovery and localization of the graves ; exhumation of human postmortal remains ; postmortal examination of the material ; preliminary identification ; confirming preliminary identification to establish final conclusion on the identity of the deceased. All those steps should be accomplished using high level of professional standard during both their preparation as well as carrying out. To gain best results, establishing competent team of experts of all required profiles is of outstanding importance. The forensic medicine expert is extensively involved in this sequence of events. His/her presence at the exhumation site is required, followed by work on the analysis of the remains in the autopsy room. Techniques of postmortal examination are supported by anthropological and odontological methods. Laboratory methods (DNA analysis) were performed in each case of doubt or lack of the elements for identification. Matching the antemortal records with findings of workup of the remains allows the conclusion on the identity of the deceased. This conclusion is assumed as preliminary identity. Later on, all relevant findings and conclusions are presented to the family of the deceased, who will finally confirm the identity. The model was established on the basis of practical work in settings of war activities in Croatia 1991-1995. Some of the initial experiences were collected even before the war, in occasion of some previous mass disasters in Zagreb region, including train accident in 1974 (300 victims) and air plane crash in 1976 (200 victims). Improvements and upgrades turned that initial approach to modern and compresensive one. Current results of applying this model comprise 3350 positively identified persons from the total of 4100 bodies exhumed. That makes such approach highly useful, accounting for the efficency of approximately 80%. In the majority of cases (85%), the identity was confirmed using classical methods of postmortal remains examination, while the rest reqired DNA analysis. Based on participation of experts in several fields, this model offers complete forensic approach to any sort of mishap producing large number of victims, including natural disasters and terrorist activities.

human identification; mass disaster; war victims

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