The Portuguese supervisor of the project for the restoration of a landfill in the occupied village of Dikomo, where missing persons from Ashia village are believed to have been buried, visited Cyprus this week and had meetings on this issue.

CNA has learned that Pedro Louro had meetings with the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) and other institutions, visited the site in Dikomo to be updated on the situation, collected information and data and will prepare a report on the basis of which the next steps on this issue will be decided.

According to information which the CMP has, the remains of approximately 70 persons from Assia village who went missing during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and were thrown into two wells in Ornithi village were relocated in the mid 90’s and were buried at the landfill in Dikomo.

The project for the restoration of the landfill has been financed by the EU, in the framework of the financial support for the Turkish Cypriot community.

Representative of the Greek Cypriot side in CMP Nestoras Nestoros had told CNA some months ago that this is perhaps one of the most difficult cases which the Committee has to face, adding that it is CMP’s duty to address any difficulties. Moreover, he noted that to this end the Committee has the full support of the government of the Republic of Cyprus and the European Commission fully understands that this is a very serious case.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning the remains of missing persons to their relatives.