-92their functions, and also that civil society should participate through nongovernmental organizations that have been engaged in this search or that are
specialized in working with young disappeared persons, such as the Asociación ProBúsqueda.
c)
Creation of a search web page
189. This Court considers that a database should be established by creating a web
page for tracing the disappeared children. The database should be set up with the
given names and surnames, possible physical characteristics and any other existing
information about the Serrano Cruz sisters and their next of kin.
190. The web page should include the addresses and telephone numbers of several
State institutions (such as, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ombudsman’s Office,
the National Civil Police, the Immigration Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Embassies and Consulates of El Salvador, the Chalatenango Trial Court, and State
institutions for the protection of children, youth and the family), the national tracing
commission (supra paras. 183 to 188), and non-governmental organizations such as
Pro-Búsqueda, so that, if the Serrano Cruz sisters are alive and contact this page,
they and anyone who has information about them can find the next of kin, and the
pertinent governmental or non-governmental institutions, or forward information on
Ernestina and Erlinda and their whereabouts.
191. In this regard, the Court considers it essential that, using this web page, the
State should adopt the necessary measures to coordinate national links with the
different governmental and non-governmental authorities and institutions mentioned
above, and also international links with the web pages of other States, national
institutions or associations, and international organizations engaged in trying to trace
children and young people who have disappeared, in order to promote, participate
and collaborate in the establishment and development of an international search
network.60 The State shall comply with the foregoing within six months of notification
of this judgment.
d)
Creation of a genetic information system
192. The Court emphasizes the importance of using science to identify the people
who disappeared and their next of kin, in order to determine the relationships and
establish contacts between those who are seeking someone who disappeared and
those who became separated from their families involuntarily and who are seeking
them. In this regard, the Court has noted that Father Juan Cortina Garaígorta stated
in the public hearing before the Court that the investigative techniques used by ProBúsqueda “to be able to find the children involved in the conflict,” included the
“elaboration […] of a DNA genetic code […].” In this regard, the priest stated that
“more than 1,500 [to] 1,800 DNA tests [were] being carried out.” However, the
Courts notes that the State has not collaborated in developing this investigative
technique; rather Pro-Búsqueda has received help from abroad.
60
In this regard, there are web pages aimed at tracing disappeared persons in which El Salvador
could participate. They include the one developed by the project coordinated and financed by the Swedish
Save the Children within the framework of the Regional Program for Latin American and the Caribbean.
The address of this project’s site is as follows: www.latinoamericanosdesaparecidos.org.