Exhumations halted after refusal to provide samples

EXHUMATIONS to identify the remains of 14 Turkish Cypriots killed during clashes with the National Guard at Alaminos village in 1974 were stopped yesterday after a refusal by the Turkish Cypriot side to allow the victims’ relatives to provide blood samples and information on their loved ones.

According to the Larnaca Press the government yesterday told a Turkish Cypriot representative in the investigative committee about the discovery of the remains and asked that blood samples be taken from the victims’ relatives in order to identify the remains through DNA testing.

However, the Turkish Cypriot side refused to provide the Physicians for Human Rights organisation with the samples, leaving scientists with no other option but to halt the investigation because of the lack of evidence.

The remains were covered and investigations are expected to resume in February, if the samples can be collected from the relatives then.

 

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