Greek Cypriot side slammed over ‘Missing Persons in Cyprus’ date

THE TRNC Foreign Ministry has accused the Greek Cypriot side of exploiting the issue of missing persons for political purposes after it declared October 29 as the “Day of Missing Persons in Cyprus” – the same date as the anniversary of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic.

A statement said the choice of the date – which the Greek Cypriot administration claims was selected because October was “the last month in 1974 when prisoners of war were released by Turkey” – is an “insult” to Turkish Cypriots.

The date also differs from the United Nations International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, which is marked every year on August 30.

“We strongly condemn the Greek Cypriot administration for continuing to exploit the issue of missing persons as a political tool,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

“The Greek Cypriot side totally disregards the losses of the Turkish Cypriot people whose agony started in 1963 [and continued] way into 1974, ending only with the timely intervention of Motherland Türkiye [Turkey] . . . The Greek Cypriot side, which claims that it is against the politicisation of the issue of missing persons in Cyprus, is indeed exploiting the issue as a propaganda tool.

“Coinciding this commemoration with the date of the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye is also disrespectful and is an insult to the Turkish Cypriot people.

“The Greek Cypriot side, at every opportunity, resorts to the futile effort of ignoring the Turkish Cypriot people, its only counterpart on the Cyprus issue, and treating Türkiye as its counterpart. We invite the Greek Cypriot

side . . . to act with prudence and to refrain from taking steps that will jeopardise the work of the Committee on Missing Persons.”

The statement added that the TRNC has “always done its part to prevent the exploitation of the issue of missing persons as a political tool” and continues to support the work of the Committee of Missing Persons, the “only mechanism authorised to handle the issue of missing persons”.