Remains of missing persons laid to rest

THE REMAINS of missing Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots were laid to rest over the weekend, in sombre and emotional ceremonies across the island.

The burials took place after the Committee on Missing Persons identified the remains unearthed in graves on both sides of the divided island through DNA.

Three Greek Cypriots were buried on Sunday, another two were laid to rest on Saturday and yesterday and today will see families say the last farewell to another two relatives.

All of the funerals are of people listed as missing since 1974. Their remains were located in recent exhumations by Cypriot forensic experts, working with foreign scientists at the Anthropological Laboratory of the CMP in the UN controlled area of the now defunct Nicosia airport.

Speaking at one funeral, House President Demetris Christofias stressed the urgent need for a political settlement that would reunite the country.

“Turkey’s accession course to join the European Union could bring about a shift in its intransigent stance towards a Cyprus solution,” he added.

The Permanent Secretary of the Defence Ministry Petros Kareklas, in his eulogy at another funeral, said that the sacrifice of all those killed defending their country will only be vindicated when freedom, peace and security prevail on the island.

Last week Cyprus President, during a visit to the CMP Laboratory, stressed that the issue of missing persons is not merely a question of exhumations and identification of remains, but it is primarily a matter that concerns the dignity of the missing and their next of kin.

He pledged that the government will spare no effort and no expense to help conclude the process of exhumation and identification of remains and referred to the emotions involved in such a sensitive aspect of the question of Cyprus.

The CMP comprises three members, one from each community and a UN appointed official.
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The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.