Paphos: The effort to ascertain the fate of missing persons is among the highest priorities of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, stated Anna Aristotelous, Head of Humanitarian Affairs of Missing and Enclaved Persons. She addressed this matter on Sunday at an event organised by the Philanthropic charity organisation ‘Alkyonides’ during the first screening of the documentary “Where are they?” by Greek journalist Nikos Aslanidis at the Attikon Cultural Center in Paphos.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Aristotelous described this effort as a ‘human commitment and sacred priority.’ She highlighted that specific actions have been undertaken, achieving significant results through the Republic of Cyprus’s programme. Aristotelous emphasized the ongoing efforts to remove obstacles and push for the opening of Turkish military files, which would allow searches, excavations, and exhumations in areas with testimonies and evidence. She reinforced the humanitarian aspect of the issue, stating that “it is every family’s sacred right to know.”
Aristotelous further expressed the government’s support for families bearing the burden of missing relatives. The state offers backing not only institutionally but also practically, through social support policies, psychological empowerment, and institutional participation in procedures. This is part of a broader commitment to address the humanitarian impact of the island’s division.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. The fate of hundreds of individuals remains unknown to this day. A Committee on Missing Persons was established through an agreement between the leaders of the two communities. The committee’s mission is to exhume, identify, and return the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.
According to statistical data published on the CMP website by February 28, 2025, of the 2,002 missing persons, 1,704 have been exhumed and 1,052 identified. Of the 1,510 Greek Cypriot missing persons, 756 have been identified, leaving 754 still missing. Additionally, of the 492 Turkish Cypriot missing persons, 296 have been identified, with 196 still unaccounted for.