NGOs Establish Registry for Missing Persons in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — In a significant move to assist families of the disappeared, several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have launched a registry aimed at documenting individuals who have gone missing during El Salvador's extended state of emergency, which was declared to combat rampant street gang violence. This initiative comes in the wake of authorities releasing approximately 7,000 individuals due to insufficient evidence, highlighting the complexities of the ongoing crackdown. Under President Nayib Bukele's administration, El Salvador has seen a dramatic reduction in its homicide rate, transforming from one of the world's most dangerous countries to the region's safest. However, this success has been marred by reports of human rights abuses, including the deaths of at least 261 individuals in prisons during the two-and-a-half-year anti-gang campaign. Bukele's popularity has allowed him to pursue reelection despite constitutional prohibitions against consecutive terms. The registry, supported by eight NGOs including the Institute of Human Rights of the Catholic University of José Simeón Cañas, aims to standardize data on disappearances, which has been fragmented across various government agencies. Family members can now submit details online, creating a comprehensive record to aid in the search for their loved ones. Recent data indicates a troubling rise in reported missing persons, with a 9.9% increase from January to September 2023 compared to the previous year. Human rights organizations have documented 327 cases of forced disappearances since the crackdown began, raising alarms about potential abuses and the wrongful detention of innocent individuals amidst aggressive law enforcement efforts.