Wafa Mustafa, whose father was forcibly disappeared in Syria in 2013, is campaigning for truth and justice for the country's missing. She co-directed a documentary, 'Maybe Tomorrow,' highlighting the 'violence of waiting' and the struggle to prove victims existed.
The story highlights the ongoing human rights crisis in Syria, focusing on the profound and lasting impact of enforced disappearances on individuals and families. It underscores the importance of truth, accountability, and remembrance in contexts where state-sponsored violence seeks to erase victims' existence.
Wafa Mustafa is leading a fight for truth and justice for the thousands of people forcibly disappeared in Syria, a struggle deeply personal since her own father, Ali, was abducted in 2013. The experience of waiting for information about her father's fate, and the broader phenomenon of enforced disappearances in Syria, is the subject of a new documentary short, 'Maybe Tomorrow,' which Mustafa co-directed with filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab.
The film, premiering at the Sheffield DocFest, delves into the emotional toll of 'the violence of waiting,' following Mustafa's efforts in Berlin and Syria to uncover what happened to her father and others. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, over 177,000 people have been forcibly disappeared in Syria between 2011 and 2025, with many ending up in notorious prisons where they were tortured and often killed.
Mustafa, who has been active in raising international awareness through UN meetings and vigils, views the film as a condensed memoir of her six-year campaign. She hopes it will offer audiences a glimpse into the profound impact of not knowing a loved one's fate, especially when authorities attempt to erase the existence of victims. Al-Kateab emphasized the importance of Mustafa owning her story, encouraging her to find her own way to tell it.
The documentary highlights that the fight is not only for accountability or the possibility of loved ones being alive, but also to prove they existed. Mustafa stresses that enforced disappearances are a global issue, particularly affecting women who often lead the search for missing relatives. She aims to prevent other young women in Syria from enduring similar guilt and responsibility, ensuring her father, whom she calls her 'first comrade,' is remembered.
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