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EXCAVATIONS FOR MISSING PERSONS…
The Autonomous Missing
Persons Committee, which has been carrying out studies in order to identify
the identities of the persons listed as missing during the inter-communal
conflicts, yesterday (13 August) has began excavations in Atalasa Forest in
South Lefkosa to find the bones of the Turkish Cypriot missing persons.
On 23 August, the program,
which will continue for two months with the joining of the group of experts
from Argentina, will start.
According to the information
received by the Turkish Cypriot News Agency (TAK) from the Turkish Cypriot
Member of the Autonomous Missing Persons Committee Gulden Plumer Kucuk, the
excavations, which began yesterday, were the preliminary work for the
excavations to begin on 23 August.
Gulden Plumer Kucuk pointed
out that it was hard to prophesy a period of time for the excavations, because
some problems could be experienced as a result of the missing persons whom
they were looking for being lost for 30-40 years, the people who pointed the
places getting old and the environmental changes in the described places, thus
everyone should be patient.
Kucuk, stated that the
excavations, which began yesterday in Atalasa Forest was being carried out at
three points, 6 Turkish Cypriots and 6 Greek Cypriots were working in the
excavations and they were looking for the Turkish Cypriot missing persons.
Noting that within the
framework of the program to start on 23 August, 4 experts from Argentinean
EAAF group would come to Cyprus, Kucuk said these people would also work as
advisors in the Anthropology Laboratory in the buffer zone.
Kucuk also stating that the
Anthropology Laboratory will be able to fully function with its technical
equipment within a week said the bones found would be taken to the laboratory
at the end of August.
Kucuk explained that 2
Turkish Cypriot and 4 Greek Cypriot experts from the Cyprus Neurology and
Genetics Institute would work for the DNA tests and the institute was headed
by Dr. Erol Baysal and Dr. Cariolou.
Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot
Daily Politis reported on 11 August, that during the excavations of the
Autonomous Missing Persons Committee in Gazimagusa, bones, which were thought
to belong to 5 Greek Cypriots, were found.
According to Politis, the
bones found were thought to belong to the Greek Cypriots in their thirties who
died in 1974, but this would be certain following the examinations, which
would be made at the Anthropology Laboratory. | 
