Press release
Mangaluru, May 6: Yenepoyya University and forensic anthropology unit from Argentina – Equipo Argentino de Antropologia Forense (EAAF), signed a memorandum of understanding on May 5 at indoor auditorium of Yenepoyya medical college, in city.
The EAAF is a world renowned organization dedicated to help families of disaster victims to achieve closure, by identifying the dead. By signing the memorandum of understanding, the two organizations committed themselves to a long-term relationship of capacity building and training in forensic anthropology and related fields.
Addressing the occasion, chief guest Georgina Fernandez Destefano, minister, chargé d’affairs (ad interim) of the Argentina embassy in India said, that having a collaboration by signing the memorandum of understanding with two different countries will strengthen the relationship and help to work together effectively towards the cause. She mentioned that forensic anthropology is basically a team work between the police and the forensic anthropologists. Such collaborations will be more helpful in conducting seminars on judiciary, police, disasters and such other issues, she pointed. She appreciated the initiatives taken by EAAF team and said it has a huge recognition from the whole world.
Dr Luis Fondebrider, president of EAAF, delivered a guest lecture on disaster victim identification (DVI). In his lecture he said, the objective of EAAF is to provide forensic alternatives for the relatives of the disappeared. He mentioned about the various aspects during the disaster victim identification which includes investigation, recovery, analysis, prosecution and re-burial. When the disaster occurs coordination between different states is very important and also international co-operation and legal context is equally essential, he stressed. He said the management of the dead should not interfere with the rescue and care of survivors. There is a myth that dead spread diseases, but in reality the survivors are potential source of epidemics, he added. He referred that the media is a channel of communication, it has a great role to play and a good relationship with the media helps ensure respect and support for the work of the first respondent.
Dr M Vijayakumar, vice chancellor of Yenepoyya University, in his presidential remarks said that the manmade disasters are preventable, but unfortunately in this era nobody wants to prevent anything. He said that the prevention of manmade disasters needs deep thinking. He suggested it is time that we need to move forward to share what we learnt. The university should follow what is written in the MoU, he added.
Shantha Kumar, additional superintendent of police, Dakshina Kannada was the guest of honour. Dr Ghulam Jeelani Qadiri, principal and dean of Yenepoyya medical college, was also present at the occasion.