ROXANA FERLLINI  (BSc MA MCSFS) Forensic Anthropologist and Author

 

Roxana Ferllini is a forensic anthropologist who specialises in investigations relating to human rights’ abuses. In 1995-96 she participated in the investigation of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, on behalf of the United Nations and Physicians for Human Rights. In 2000 and 2002 she became involved in the post-war investigations in Kosovo, on behalf of the UN and the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In addition, she had the opportunity to be in-charge of the investigations carried out in Syria relating to the Armenian genocide in 2007; and several seasons spent in Spain searching for the disappeared as a consequence of Franco’s brutality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"In search of the disappeared: Context and challenges in the field"

 

 

The practice of forensic anthropology with reference to the investigation of human rights violations highlights a multitude of circumstances, which must be addressed in order to succeed during the intervention in the field; local cultural and political stances may present the forensic anthropologist with situations which can cause difficulties while gathering information before hand, and while in the field, as geographical setting, type of weapons used, burial type, time elapsed since the original events, and the presence of unexploded ordnances, or any other type of danger present. An additional factor which must be seriously contemplated within international human rights investigations, is the lack of personal influence in relation as to how the data which professionals accrue in the field is eventually utilised or ignored; the individual investigator must formulate his or her own professional and ethical compass as a necessity in order to remain independent and impartial from the social-cultural, political and legal agendas present within the region in which the work is conducted. A clear communication and delivery of solid results from these investigations are of importance to legal teams, as they are prepared for prosecution in domestic as well as international settings.