The Committee on Lacking Individuals in Cyprus (CMP) recognized in 2021 the stays of 37 people, 29 lacking individuals (20 Greek Cypriots and 9 Turkish Cypriots) and eight deceased. Eighteen people have been exhumed throughout 79 excavations. A staff from the College of Wisconsin is at the moment in Cyprus to help the work of the Committee, by conducting analysis utilizing a floor penetrating radar and particular cameras positioned on drones, which spot potential underground anomalies.
“The staff includes 4 individuals, two who’ve come to Cyprus and two who work remotely. They have been invited to return in cooperation with the US embassy and the 2 people are in Cyprus since December 28 for 9 days, they conduct analysis, whereas they’ve additionally educated our personnel,” the consultant of the Greek Cypriot facet within the Committee, Leonidas Pantelides instructed the Cyprus Information Company (CNA).
He famous that six websites within the government-controlled and the Turkish-occupied areas of the island have been indicated to the specialists who performed their analysis there utilizing a floor penetrating radar and particular cameras on drones which take footage and spot potential underground anomalies. As soon as these anomalies are noticed we are going to proceed with the excavations, he added.
Pantelides stated that that is a part of the hassle to boost the CMP analysis by utilizing technological strategies from which the Committee`s work can profit.
Replying to questions, Pantelides expressed the idea that 2022 will probably be extra fruitful as regards the outcomes of the Committee`s work. “There are mass graves with dozens of individuals which haven’t been discovered but, and we hope that we are going to discover them sooner or later. We’ve got some data and we try to fulfil the analysis to have the ability to conduct excavations,” he added.
Pantelides stated that there are 300 websites to be excavated, whereas at the moment, findings which are associated to 150-160 circumstances are being examined. “This doesn’t imply that they’re all associated to lacking individuals,” he famous.
He stated that seven bicommunal crews of the Committee are engaged on either side of the divide, taking all mandatory measures to keep away from the unfold of COVID-19.
Pantelides famous that the crews are working in Voni, Ayia the place stays have been discovered, Spathariko, Templos, Lefkoniko (two crews) the place the stays of three individuals have been found and there could also be extra, and in Omorfita.
Requested in regards to the data given to the Committee, he expressed satisfaction with the truth that individuals nonetheless give data to CMP.
As regards investigation associated to data, Pantelides stated that analysis within the UN peace maintaining drive in Cyprus (UNFICYP) data is sort of concluded, nevertheless, no notably vital data has come up.
CMP statistics
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In response to statistical information revealed on the CMP web site by December 31, 2021 out of 2002 lacking individuals 1183 have been exhumed and 1023 have been recognized.
Out of 1510 Greek Cypriot lacking individuals 732 have been recognized and 778 are nonetheless lacking. Out of 492 Turkish Cypriot lacking individuals 291 have been recognized and 201 are nonetheless lacking.
In 2020 25 lacking individuals have been recognized, in 2019 42, in 2018 71, in 2017 117, in 2016 115 and in 2015 61.
In 2020 4 individuals have been exhumed, in 2019 26, in 2018 10, in 2017 26, in 2016 80 and in 2015 161.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Quite a few UN-backed talks to reunite the island have didn’t yield outcomes.
A Committee on Lacking Individuals has been established, upon settlement between the leaders of the 2 communities, with the scope of exhuming, figuring out and returning to their relations the stays of lacking individuals.