On August 30 each year, the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is observed by organizations such as the UN and Amnesty International who play an active role in raising awareness that enforced disappearance is a crime and should not be used as a tool to deal with situations of conflict. Would "enforced disappearance" be another name for legalised murder? These people go missing and are rarely seen again.

Personal Stories

Many activists openly share personal stories, via the media or public event, about victims of have just disappeared. Many may be victims of human trafficking others are “disappeared” by governments and other legal and illegal organisations for one reason or another. Often for speaking out about things others in powerful positions, don’t want the world to know about.

Enforced disappearance is used as a strategy to spread terror within the society. It occurs when people are arrested, detained or abducted against their will and when governments refuse to disclose the whereabouts of these people. Enforced disappearance is a global problem and is not restricted to a specific region of the world. There are many governments that I am sure responsible for “enforced disappearances” and I am sure there are also many other “cartels” as well.

image Credit: OHCHR