The withdrawal of an EU member state from funding the Committee on Missing Persons is a worrying development

Statement by Nikos Kettiros, AKEL MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees, Enclaved Persons, Missing Persons and War-stricken victims

11 July 2023

 

Among the issues we discussed in the Parliamentary Refugee Committee were the developments surrounding efforts to establish the fate of the missing persons. There was some information which we wanted to discuss with the relevant authorities and which, unfortunately, has been confirmed. One of the countries funding the Committee on Missing Person’s (CMP) programme appears to have withdrawn its funding. This is an EU member state, which has so far donated a substantial amount to the CMP. Unfortunately, there are reports that it will not be the only country to withdraw its funding.

There must be immediate mobilisation to avoid such a possibility, which in itself sends out its own political messages. What is questionable is what has mediated for these countries to withdraw their interest in funding the programme.

Our Parliamentary Committee has taken some action and a meeting has already been arranged with the European Parliament Rapporteur on Missing Persons, Mrs. Santos, on 24 July. The issue of the withdrawal of EU member states from funding the programme will definitely be among the issues we will raise with her.

At the same time, the Government itself must proceed to take its own diplomatic action to ensure that the work of the programme is not jeopardized.

As far as the CMP’s work is concerned, six excavations are under way in the occupied Famagusta Styles, in Palikythro, in Choulou in Paphos, in Strovolos and also in Lapithos. The biggest effort, which is the one that employs the most crews, is at the Agios Loukas Lake in occupied Famagusta. There, according to information, there was an execution and the subsequent mass burial of a number of missing persons. Work is being carried out to stop the flow of water to the lake and from there onwards to drain the particular section where information suggests that the burial took place. Information on the number of missing persons at this site varies from 15 to a much larger number.