THE THIRTY-SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE SECOND LEG OF 1974 PEACE OPERATION....

During the thirty-second anniversary of the second leg of 1974 Peace Operation, the anniversary of the liberation of Serdarlı, Gazimagusa and Lefke will be celebrated with various ceremonies.

Martyrs of Murataga, Atlilar and Sandallar, will be remembered with a ceremony today (14 August). Martyrs of Taskent will be remembered with a memorial ceremony in front of the Taskent Martyrs Cemetery, tomorrow (15 August). 

While, Serdarli village will celebrate the anniversary of its liberation with a ceremony today at the Atatürk Monument in Serdarli village, tomorrow the liberation of Gazimagusa will be celebrated with ceremonies. 

The anniversary of the liberation of Lefke will be celebrated within a ten day period with special events taking place and the first ceremony will be held on 16 August, which marks the 32nd anniversary of its liberation.

 

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.