The State’s obligation to continue its efforts to determine the fate of all missing persons, as well as the need to end the occupation and liberate Cyprus, was emphasized by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment, Christos Senekis, at an event held today in Larnaca to commemorate and honor the fallen and missing residents of Agastina. Nine people from the Agastina community remain missing to this day.
The Minister paid tribute to the fallen, the murdered, and the missing residents of Agastina, referring to the tragic consequences of the 1974 Turkish invasion, the violent displacement of residents, and the anguish of families who continue to seek answers about the fate of their loved ones.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As he noted, 23 names are engraved on the Agastina memorial, while, according to the President of the Community Council of Occupied Agastina, Anastasia Gerolemou, nine members of the community remain missing.
Mr. Senekis referred to soldiers who fell during the fighting, to people who were arrested and murdered, as well as to civilians who lost their lives during the invasion.
He made special mention of the two 16-year-olds, Iakovos Ioannis Pitta and Michalis Kostas Nikolaidis, who are among the innocent victims of the invasion.
Among the cases he mentioned was that of Sotiris Michael Frageskou, a reserve artillery soldier who fell on July 23, 1974, in the Sygaris area and remained missing until his remains were identified in 2019.
He also referred to Andreas Demosthenous Hatzigavriil and Michalakis Georgios Charalambous, whose fates remain unclear, as well as to the young student Theocharis Christofis Theocharous, who was arrested in Agastina in August 1974 and whose remains confirmed that he had been executed.
The Minister emphasized that determining the fate of every missing person is a paramount humanitarian duty and an inalienable right of the families.
Indicative of their ongoing ordeal, as he noted, is the case of Andreas Fouskoulis, whose remains were identified and buried in 2014, while, according to the community’s update, another 52 sets of remains are to be added to his grave.
Regarding the Cyprus issue, Mr. Senekis stated that efforts are continuing to resume substantive negotiations, with the personal interest of the United Nations Secretary-General and the active involvement of the European Union in sustaining the effort to create the necessary conditions.
He added that the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, has conveyed the Greek Cypriot side’s readiness for the immediate resumption of substantive negotiations, by putting forward specific proposals within the framework of the UN Secretary-General’s initiative.
As he noted, the goal remains a fair, sustainable, and workable solution, based on the agreed framework, the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and international law, which will safeguard the human rights of all Cypriots and rid Cyprus of occupation troops, anachronistic guarantee systems, and foreign rights of intervention.
The Minister also referred the efforts of the displaced residents of Agastina to keep the history and identity of their community alive, noting that the memorials to the fallen and missing, the “House of Agastina” in Old Nicosia, and the return to the Church of Agia Paraskevi after 45 years, stand as testaments to their ties to their ancestral homeland.
The President of the Community Council of Occupied Agastina, Anastasia Gerolemou, emphasized that determining the fate of the last missing person is a humanitarian duty, a moral obligation, and a matter of justice.
In her speech, she referred to the pain of the families who continue to wait for answers, noting that every name represents a person, a family, and unfulfilled dreams. As she noted, the families have the right to know the truth and to be able to say goodbye to their loved ones with dignity.
Ms. Gerolemou also noted that many residents of Agastina passed away without ever having the chance to return to their homeland, taking with them the longing to return. She emphasized that the Community Council has a duty to keep the history and traditions of Agastina alive and to pass on their ancestry and historical heritage to younger generations.
In closing, he noted that the struggle of the people of Agastina is a struggle for memory, justice, and freedom, with the goal of a reunified Cyprus, where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will live in peace, security, and mutual respect, without occupation forces.
The event took place in the presence of relatives of the fallen and missing, as well as representatives of the State and local government. It was preceded by a memorial service at the Monument to the Fallen and Missing of Agastiniotes and a wreath-laying ceremony.
Source: CNA
