INFORMATION ABOUT MASS GRAVES IN VAROSHI

 Filenews 2 November 2020 - by Frixos Dalitis

Another tragic dimension of the latest developments for the enclosed city of Famagusta is the existence of mass burial sites for Greek Cypriot citizens and soldiers, murdered in cold blood by the Turkish army. As information from the Office of the Commissioner for the Presidency states, this is one aspect that the United Nations should be concerned about.

To date, despite the efforts made through the United Nations, Turkey has refused to grant permits for exhumations as well as to designate landfills, on the grounds that the area is a military zone.

After the latest developments, the myth and narrative of Turkey is being shot down, especially at a time when Erdogan has announced a picnic on his next descent into the region.

According to historical events, the priority of the Turkish troops in August 1974 was to enter the area within the walls where most Turkish Cypriots were located.

After the entry of Turkish troops the majority of Famagusta residents left the city in search of protection in other areas.

In the city remained a number of residents, who did not have the opportunity or did not want to leave their ancestral homes. These included people with disabilities, the elderly and bedridden people who could not move.

After being secured by the Turkish army within the walls of the area, instructions were given and Turkish tanks advanced on the area within the main city of Famagusta. The goal of the Turkish forces was the clearing of the city by its Greek Cypriot inhabitants. As a result, the majority of residents who remained inside the city were killed in cold blood by Turkish troops.

According to United Nations reports, the city's streets were scattered by the bodies of those executed. The United Nations and especially the Swedish contingent responsible for the city of Famagusta proceeded, for health reasons, to some burials of the bodies of Greek Cypriots while other burials were carried out by the Turkish army and turkish Cypriot paramilitary organizations. On a couple of occasions the United Nations informed the families of the dead in 1974.

The massacre in the orchard of Pergiena

After the RIK announced the return of Famagusta residents to their homes, hundreds of residents tried to return to their homes. Outside Famagusta towards Deryneia, in an area called the "Pergiena pervolia", the Turkish army had set up a roadblock to prevent residents from returning to their homes. He proceeded to arrests and mass executions. .

From information published in the Turkish Cypriot press, large mass graves were created in the area, which in 1995 were attacked by the Turkish army and the remains were transferred to other areas.

The United Nations and the Turkish military hold evidence of missing persons burial sites inside the enclosed city of Famagusta, including young children.

Since, for political reasons, Turkey has decided to declassify the region as civilian, both for the United Nations and for the EDA, there is no longer any excuse not to proceed immediately with the identification of burial sites and the exhumations of the remains, in order to put an end to the suffering of the families.

If no immediate exhumations are made, there is a risk that burial sites will be destroyed by various workshops operating in the area and by those that will be active in the future on the basis of Turkish planning.