Colombian Military Forces honor the memory of the victims of forced disappearance and reaffirm their commitment to the tireless search to find their disappeared men and women.
For decades, organized armed groups have used disappearance as a criminal strategy, leaving approximately 192,440 victims of forced disappearance, according to data provided by the Unit for Comprehensive Assistance and Reparation to Victims. Unfortunately, these victims include 7,443 members of the Military Forces.
Forced disappearance implies the deprivation of liberty of one or more persons through apprehension, detention or kidnapping, without information about their situation or whereabouts. It is a serious violation of Human Rights by striking at freedom, physical condition and personal security, as well as denying the right to have a fair trial, not to suffer torture or cruel treatment; this may hit also life itself in extreme cases. For this reason, it is considered a crime against humanity, violating various aspects of economic, social and cultural rights.
The United Nations General Assembly established August 30th of each year as the International Day of the Victims of Forced Disappearance, with the purpose of paying special recognition and remembrance to those directly or indirectly hit by this heinous crime. In the same way to raise awareness about the importance of preventing its perpetration, and also look for the right of non-repetition.
This unfortunate reality affects many soldiers, men and women who have been disappeared by organized armed groups. This situation causes prolonged suffering, harming not only them, but in the same way their families, leaving indelible social and psychological traces that manifest themselves in a pain that lasts over time.
On this occasion, the General Command of the Colombian Military Forces joins the commemoration of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance. Every soldier of land, sea, air and river is reminded, together with their families, of the commitment to continue tirelessly to conduct the search for our disappeared.
Through the Joint Strategic Transition Command, the Military Forces will continue to coordinate, make visible and promote various operations that contribute to satisfying the rights of the victims, ensuring that their sacrifice is not forgotten and also that their legacy endures in the history of the nation.
Source: Press - Joint Strategic Transition Command
