5cjxburmr

from the Central Information Agency for protected persons, which, upon being notified of thecircumstances, will take the necessary precautions indicated in Article 140 of the GC. 558 Thisrule seeks to protect persons who have fled persecution from their home governments, as well asthe family members of such persons. 55910.31.2.4 Collection of Personal Valuables Left by Protected Persons. EachNational Protected Person Information Bureau shall be responsible for collecting all personalvaluables left by protected persons mentioned in Article 136 of the GC, in particular those whohave been repatriated or released, or who have escaped or died. 560 The National ProtectedPerson Information Bureau shall forward these valuables to those concerned, either directly or, ifnecessary, through the Central Information Agency for protected persons. 561 Personal valuablesmay include wills, articles of sentimental value, or sums of money. 562 Such articles shall be sentby the National Protected Person Information Bureau in sealed packets, which shall beaccompanied by statements giving clear and full identity particulars of the person to whom thearticles belonged, and by a complete list of the contents of the parcel. 563 Detailed records shallbe maintained of the receipt and sending of all such valuables. 564558 GC art. 137 (“Even in such a case, the information may not be withheld from the Central Agency which, uponbeing notified of the circumstances, will take the necessary precautions indicated in Article 140.”).559 GC COMMENTARY 531 (“This paragraph contains a provision not included in the Third Convention. It seeks toprotect civilians in enemy hands and particularly their families in their country of origin, against the authorities ofthat country if they should have any reason for particular animosity towards them. This exceptional provision isbased on the confused situations which occurred during the First World War. Civilians who have fled frompersecution generally have an interest in remaining unknown to the authorities of their former country. They musttherefore judge for themselves the expediency of notification to the authorities, even in the case of the forwarding ofinformation to members of their family.”).560 GC art. 139 (“Each national Information Bureau shall, furthermore, be responsible for collecting all personalvaluables left by protected persons mentioned in Article 136, in particular those who have been repatriated orreleased, or who have escaped or died;”).561 GC art. 139 (“[I]t shall forward the said valuables to those concerned, either direct, or, if necessary, through theCentral Agency.”).562 GC COMMENTARY 538 (“The term ‘personal valuables’ should be understood to mean all the articles whichbelonged to the person who is no longer there--whether he has been repatriated or has died--which are of anycommercial worth or sentimental value. It must always be remembered that an article of absolutely no intrinsicworth may often have very great sentimental value for the next of kin of the deceased person. In practice, therefore,almost all the articles found on the spot will be collected and forwarded. The corresponding provision of the ThirdConvention (Article 122, paragraph 9) adds to the expression ‘personal valuables’ the words ‘including sums incurrencies other than that of the Detaining Power and documents of importance to the next of kin’. This expressionhas not been retained in the Fourth Convention mainIy because it was considered that the term ‘valuables’ coveredsums of money and that since the value of papers could be judged only by the next of kin, they should be forwardedto those persons, particularly if they seemed to be of a legal nature. It will be for the Detaining Power to decidewhat foreign currency may be sent if any. Among the documents which should be carefully kept are wills, whichare particularly important.”).563 GC art. 139 (“Such articles shall be sent by the Bureau in sealed packets which shall be accompanied bystatements giving clear and full identity particulars of the person to whom the articles belonged, and by a completelist of the contents of the parcel.”).564 GC art. 139 (“Detailed records shall be maintained of the receipt and despatch of all such valuables.”).723