Enforced disappearance is a tool used by the government of some countries, especially places ruled by dictators, to create fear in citizens that either challenge its activities or are considered threat to the government.
Terror groups also make use of enforced disappearance to create fear within countries they operate in. The insecurity associated with this practice does not only affect the close relatives or family members of the abducted person, it spreads deep fear in the society.
Today, it has become a global problem. In the past, enforced disappearance was mostly used by military dictators to achieve their aims and rule unchallenged, but presently, it is a complex situation as most governments use it as means of oppressing and repressing political opponents.
Therefore, to remind society that the practice of enforced disappearance is not acceptable in today’s world, the United Nations set out August 30, to serve as annual observance day for victims of enforced disappearances.
International Day for Victims of Enforced Disappearances
In its resolution 65/209, on December 21, 2010, the United Nations General Assembly expressed deep concern regarding the increasing rate of enforced or involuntary disappearances in different parts of the world. With arrests, detention, and abduction playing a big role in enforced disappearances, and the number of reports related to harassment, ill-treatment, and intimidation of witnesses of disappearances or family members of disappeared persons growing rapidly, the UN welcomed the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, also declaring 30 August as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
August 30, 2011 marked the first observation of the day which was established to create awareness of the numerous cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances faced by people in all parts of the globe. Also, the commemoration day seeks to condemn arrest, detention, abduction, and all practices that deprive human beings of their personal liberty by agents of the State or government, and groups authorized and supported by the government to carry out these acts. It is equally a day marked out to show the disapproval and refusal of the United Nations to acknowledge, approve, or give the State a right to unlawfully detain citizens. Terror groups are not left out this resolution as the UN uses August 30 annually to remind governments of countries confronted by terror attacks of the need to combat the problem and protect citizens from being abducted by these groups.
International Day for Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2019
This year marks the 9th commemoration day for victims of enforced disappearances. The United Nations has continually condemned the use of the tool of enforced disappearance to win political gains. This year’s observation is focused on addressing:
- the ongoing harassment of human rights defenders, relatives of victims, witnesses and legal counsel dealing with cases of enforced disappearance
- the use by States of counter-terrorist activities as an excuse for breaching their obligations
- and the still widespread impunity for enforced disappearance.
Sources:
UN
Forbes
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