ABSTRACT
The chapter examines the processes that exist at present to deal with the conflict in Syria, specifically those dealing with enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions, to indicate their inability to impact the situation that exists in the country. The nature of their roles is investigated, in general, and specifically concerning Syria. This is done to continue the argument made earlier that international law and the United Nations (UN) processes, in general, are not equipped to play a protective role. The chapter, therefore, considers the role played by the specific institutions that work on Syria, including the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions (WGAD), which works on arbitrary detentions, and the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), which works on enforced disappearances. The chapter further examines the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), which work on the broader category of the missing.
