I was born in December 1951, in northern Lebanon. I lived in the town of Batroun, raising a family of four children with my wife, and leading a quiet, peaceful life, Qozhayya Chehwan writes for The Daily Star:
I have one son and three daughters. My 2-year-old (at the time), Micheline, would only fall asleep in my arms. We managed to put some money aside and buy a plot of land. We had started building the foundations for our new home, and one of my greatest pleasures was to visit the land with my wife. As much as I enjoy my family and my friends, I also enjoy my solitude. Living by the sea is an added blessing. I love hearing the waves break on the shore and watch the water glistening under the sun.
I was at work when I got a call from the Syrian intelligence services. They took me away and I never came back home. My wife Naheel looked for me everywhere and was able to see me only for few minutes in a Syrian prison.
And that was that, no more news.
My name is Qozhayya Chehwan. Do not let my story end here.
To know more about the story of Qozhayya and the other persons who disappeared during the war visit Fushat ‘Amal. If you are a relative of a missing person share his/her story on Fushat ‘Amal, or contact ACT for the Disappeared (01-443-104/76-933-306).
This is the third of a series of articles that will be published by The Daily Star every week as part of a campaign launched by the Act for the Disappeared NGO [above] and other civil society organizations. The initiative aims to shed light on the individual stories of a few of the thousands of Lebanese who went missing during the Civil War and to keep their cause alive in the collective memory of the Lebanese. This project is funded by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the European Union, the National Endowment for Democracy and Robert Bosch Stiftung.
