Syria - Jacqueline Vienneau, 33, Hama, 31 March 2007 - Canadian

[Aphra]

I feel for the family so much. What a nightmare to lose a family member in a foreign country, where searching is so much more difficult. From reading more about this case it seems very possible that she met with some sort of accident, since they showed photos of many sites in the area of Syria where she was where somebody could easily fall and get lost (like those wells...yikes). I hope and pray for a swift conclusion to this sad case.

 

[arielilane]

I feel for the family so much. What a nightmare to lose a family member in a foreign country, where searching is so much more difficult. From reading more about this case it seems very possible that she met with some sort of accident, since they showed photos of many sites in the area of Syria where she was where somebody could easily fall and get lost (like those wells...yikes). I hope and pray for a swift conclusion to this sad case.

My exact sentiments...very scary about those wells. I have been thinking more of a fall than foul play.

 

[arielilane]

Where is Nicole Vienneau?

http://www.findnicolevienneau.com/

http://vienneau.livejournal.com/39588.html

 

[Aphra]

I wonder what the new lead is. It must be pretty promising if they want Nicole's mother to go to Syria with 48 hours notice.

 

[arielilane]

Where is Nicole Vienneau?

 

[arielilane]

We are currently very interested in finding Amin Ben Yahia, born in 1984, father's name is Abbas, mother's name is Monica, nationality - Algerian (Mother may be Swiss). Amin visited Qasr Ibn Wardan on the day Nicole disappeared and we'd love to ask if he saw or remembers anything unusual about that day.

There is a selection of hotel guest lists further down the page - please contact us if you know anyone on these lists.

For pictures of Nicole, as well as relevant personal information and summaries of the search so far, please visit:
http://www.findnicolevienneau.com/

 

[arielilane]

Where is Nicole Vienneau?
http://photobucket.com/image/pearls/jinglehelsbels/polymerpearls.jpg?o=11

 

[Aphra]

I was talking about some people (who were not Syrians, admittedly) about Nicole's case last night, and when I told them she'd gone missing from Syria, they both immediately said "ohhh...she must have been kidnapped into a harem" (which is weird, because I don't remember this being brought up as a possibility, but it was an interesting theory--particularly because it means that she may still be alive). Did they ever consider this? Or maybe that she said/did something that was considered improper?

I still think she fell somewhere, but I wonder about the other possibilities too.

 

[arielilane]

I was talking about some people (who were not Syrians, admittedly) about Nicole's case last night, and when I told them she'd gone missing from Syria, they both immediately said "ohhh...she must have been kidnapped into a harem" (which is weird, because I don't remember this being brought up as a possibility, but it was an interesting theory--particularly because it means that she may still be alive). Did they ever consider this? Or maybe that she said/did something that was considered improper?

I still think she fell somewhere, but I wonder about the other possibilities too.

Thank you for talking about Nicole! I'm not sure if Syria has any harems nowadays?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria

 

[Patience]

I am so sorry about this missing woman Jacqueline Nicole Vienneau. I will pray for her safe return. What could of possibly happened to her? Does anyone here know anything about Syria? Please, let's try to sleuth this one in hopes of finding out what the heck happened to this beautiful woman.

Brother of missing woman launches online search

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070508/vienneau_missing_070508?s_name=&no_ads

The brother of a Canadian woman who vanished in Syria over a month ago has launched an online campaign to help find his sister.
Matthew Vienneau last saw his sister in mid-March when the siblings parted ways in Jordan after spending a month travelling together in Egypt.
He has spearheaded a search to find his sister using his online journal, YouTube, and Facebook in an attempt to mobilize fellow travellers in the Middle East and to contact anyone with information on her.
This was the fourth extended backpacking tour for Jacqueline Nicole Vienneau, 32, who learned when she first began travelling, at the age of 17, to keep in constant contact with her family when abroad.

 

[Aphra]

Arielilane, I'm highly skeptical of the harem theory myself, but a little research shows that Syria has a history of sex trafficking:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5050630.stm

Now, the biggest issue seems to be that female Iraqi refugees are coming into Syria and being forced into prostitution...not tourists per se...but still. Syria is not somewhere I'd want to travel alone as a woman, and I wonder if she ran into people who preyed upon the fact that she was a woman traveling alone. Who knows? I still think she fell somewhere.

 

[arielilane]

Arielilane, I'm highly skeptical of the harem theory myself, but a little research shows that Syria has a history of sex trafficking:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5050630.stm

Now, the biggest issue seems to be that female Iraqi refugees are coming into Syria and being forced into prostitution...not tourists per se...but still. Syria is not somewhere I'd want to travel alone as a woman, and I wonder if she ran into people who preyed upon the fact that she was a woman traveling alone. Who knows? I still think she fell somewhere.

I lean towards the falling, too.

From what I have read she was extremely comfortable in Syria and I do not think she would have stayed there had she felt unsafe.

Thank you Aphra for looking at this missing person case!:blowkiss:

ariel

 

[arielilane]

http://vienneau.livejournal.com/39588.html

 

[arielilane]

Scroll down to page 17 for latest update.

http://vienneau.livejournal.com/39588.html?page=17#comments

 

[arielilane]

Someone suggested http://www.texasequusearch.org/
Excellent idea!

 

[arielilane]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=+1]Re: www.texasequusearch.org[/SIZE][/FONT]
vienneau
[SIZE=-1]2008-09-09 12:59 am UTC[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1](link)[/SIZE] Being American is a significant barrier - there's almost nothing Americans can do in or with Syria from what I understand.

In June 2007 we investigated bringing over a search and rescue team with dogs, and the price was prohibitive with an extremely small chance of success, especially given the unfamiliar terrain, climate and culture. Unfortunately, I don't there's a good way around these barriers. [SIZE=-2][/SIZE]

 

[arielilane]

Keeping Nicole Vienneau and her family in my thoughts and prayers.
Hoping for her return home!

 

[arielilane]

Bumping for Nicole.

 

[arielilane]

Where is Nicole?

 

[arielilane]

http://vienneau.livejournal.com/39588.html?page=17#comments

I would be absolutely crazy if I had a family member missing in a far away country.

What happened to Nicole?