Iskandar Zakhria

My name is Iskandar. My family used to call me "Alico". I was 28 years old when I went missing on May 5th 1985. I was an ambitious student pursuing my master's degree in marketing in AUB while working at HSBC Bank. My lifelong dream was to have my own business. In fact, prior to my disappearance. I had just bought a place where i could start one but never had the opportunity to do so.

I was very busy between school, work and my responsibilities at home. Ever since my dad died about 10 years ago I have been the breadwinner of my family. On the weekends. I liked to go out dancing with friends. My little sister Lina would constantly beg to go with me. Occasionally, I would bring her with us, if only to make her smile.

I used to live in Msaytbeh, in an area where a lot of militiamen were positioned. One day, when I was at home with my mother and sister, two armed men came and asked to speak with me. They told me that they would take my whole family if I did not cooperate and go with them. Fearing for the lives of my mom and sister, I went with the men. I have not been seen or heard from ever since.

I asked myself, why me? I was not involved in politics and I was not part of any militia. Perhaps it was because of my job at the bank? In her desperate search to find me, my mother would discover that several other people working in the Banking sector had also been kidnapped.

My name is Iskandar Zakhria. Do not let my story end here.