SICSAL-USA remembers, in a special way, Patrick Rice - survivor of torture and involuntary disappearance in Argentina – whose entire life was devoted to organizing family members and survivors to strengthen international protections against torture and enforced disappearance. Patrick led TASSC International’s first Human Rights Training in June 2010 before his tragic and untimely death a month later. 
Convention against Disappearances Enters into Force – Press Release ICAED
On 23rd December 2010, almost four years after its adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance eventually reached the 20th ratification which was necessary for its entry into force. Iraq was the 20th country that ratified this international treaty.
“This is an historical date”, says Mrs. Mary Aileen D. Bacalso Chair of the Asian Federation Against Disappearances (AFAD) and focal person of the ICAED, which gathers associations of families of the disappeared together with human rights NGOs. “The Convention represents by itself an achievement
of associations of relatives of disappeared people and NGOs from all over the world. Its adoption was first requested by families of victims of disappeared people from Latin America, back in the eighties.
It took more than 30 years to the international community to adopt this legal tool, which fills an immense and intolerable gap: the lack of an international treaty to prevent and suppress enforced disappearance. Contrary to what many people think, enforced disappearance is not a practice of the past nor is it limited to a few regions of the world. All the continents have experienced or are experiencing this criminal practice. People are disappearing in many parts of the world. In such light, the Convention will be an effective tool for the international community in its struggle against this scourge”.
