The 1960-1996 internal armed conflict in Guatemala left tens of thousands of people dead and missing. The authorities, victims’ relatives, and various organizations are still searching for the remains of many of these people. Once found, they must be identified. The ICRC offers technical advice and material assistance to the Guatemalan organizations that are pursuing these efforts, and supports the families through the legal proceedings.

According to the report published by the Historical Clarification Commission, around 5,000 children became separated from their families during the internal armed conflict in Guatemala. Sebastián Max was one of them. After 28 long years, he has finally learned his true identity.

In January 2008, the head of the ICRC’s regional delegation in Buenos Aires, Michel Minnig, addressed the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Organization of American States on the subject of internal violence. In this interview, he reviews the main points of his statement.