Chile's dark Legacy: 50 years of state-sponsored disappearances

Professor Brad Evans, an authority on Political Violence at the University of Bath, delves into the deep-rooted horrors of state-sponsored disappearances in a report published by The Conversation.

Professor Evans describes the shocking and calculated strategy of disappearance as a technique that rationalises violence, instilling emotional fear within populations, and creating a climate of suspicion and betrayal.

The report traces the origins of the disappearance to the School of the Americas, now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, located at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. This facility, operated by the US Defence Department, played a pivotal role in honing the techniques of disappearance.

Evans details Operation Condor, a covert campaign coordinated by the CIA that propagated the use of disappearance as a normalised practice of state terrorism across South American countries.

The fight for truth and memorialisation of the missing is explored, highlighting the challenges even leftist leaders face when confronting the state's willingness to address this issue.

The report shifts the focus to Mexico, which has seen a surge in disappearances since 2006. State-sponsored disappearance strategies have proven effective in quelling resistance and governing through fear.

The psychological impact of disappearance is investigated, emphasising the unbearable suffering it inflicts on those affected and the guilt it imposes on family members.

The culture of impunity in many countries is identified as a significant obstacle to addressing these crimes, perpetuating cover-ups and reproductions of disappearances.

Notably, the report mentions the groundbreaking conviction of Guatemala's former dictator, Efraín Ríos Montt, for genocide and crimes against humanity in 2013. This marked the first instance of a domestic court in Latin America convicting a former head of state for genocide.

According to Evans, the State of Disappearance project, co-directed by Chantal Meza, a Mexican abstract artist, offers a fresh perspective on disappearance. Meza's 75 artistic works delve into themes of obscurity, mental anguish, and the voiding of existence, using art to confront this dark legacy.