International Day of the Victims of Forced Disappearence

Without a Trace

Tens of thousands of individuals are made to disappear every year around the world. To increase awareness of this perpetual violation of basic human rights, August 30 is set aside to increase awareness of the plight facing millions every day.

According to the UN proclamation, "Enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within the society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and society as a whole."

I was always aware this was happening, but it was always back burner. That changed. A music video from Playing for Change brought home the impact of forced disappearances and focused my attention on the issue. The links is above. Stalin, Hitler and Mao purged millions of people. Stalin summarily scooped people up, never to be heard from again. Most estimates from scholars and historians tend to range from between 20 and 60 million. In his book, “Unnatural Deaths in the U.S.S.R.: 1928-1954,” I.G. Dyadkin estimated that the USSR suffered 56 to 62 million "unnatural deaths" during that period, with 34 to 49 million directly linked to Stalin.

The history of the US is stained with this crime against humanity. The genocide of the indigenous peoples on this continent and slavery separated millions from their families and loved ones. 

In the past decade over 100,000 individuals have disappeared in Mexico.

 A Serious Violation of Human Rights

Having been removed from the protective precinct of the law and "disappeared" from society, victims of enforced disappearance are in fact deprived of all their rights and are at the mercy of their captors. Some of the human rights that enforced disappearances regularly violate are:

• The right to recognition as a person before the law;
• The right to liberty and security of the person;
• The right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
• The right to life, when the disappeared person is killed;
• The right to an identity;
• The right to a fair trial and to judicial guarantees;
• The right to an effective remedy, including reparation and compensation;
• The right to know the truth regarding the circumstances of a disappearance.

Enforced disappearances also generally violate various economic, social and cultural rights for both the victims as well as their families:

• The right to protection and assistance to the family;
• The right to an adequate standard of living;
• The right to health;
• The right to education.

Bring it down to a personal level

The sudden end to a deeply personal relationship leads to grief and sorrow that never goes away. Those left behind are left to wonder with no chance at resolving the pain.