Missing Palestinian journalist’s wife loses hope for his return

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Kadumi’s wife said she had little hope for the rescue of her husband. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

Arzu Kadumi, the wife of a Palestinian journalist who went missing in Syria over 400 days ago, expressed lack of hope for the rescue of her husband, stating that very little effort was being put forth to secure his return.

Kadumi, wife of Bashar Kadumi, said she would go to Syria herself to track down her husband “street by street,” but her children prevented her from doing so.

“I try to be patient and pray, and I try to keep my hopes up,” Kadumi said.

Palestinian journalist Bashar Kadumi was working for the U.S.-based al-Hurra TV when he was caught up in the fighting in Aleppo on Aug. 20, 2012, that killed Japanese journalist Mika Yamamoto. Cüneyt Ünal, a Turkish journalist covering fighting in Aleppo in August 2012 with Kadumi was handed over to a delegation formed by Republican People’s Party (CHP) members last year, but no information was obtained on Kadumi’s fate.

Bashar’s wife said little effort was being put forth by government officials to secure his way back home.

“It’s been over 14 months since Bashar disappeared. I don’t know if there have been any attempts to save him. No official has given me any information on this,” Arzu added. Arzu expressed doubts over the willingness of Turkish officials, due to the missing journalist not being a Turkish citizen.

“I am a Turkish citizen and my children are Turkish citizens,” Arzu said, adding that it did not make sense to her that the other kidnapped or missing people had been searched for and rescued by the Turkish state.