Who is responsible? I was at a funeral this morning. A funeral that was late for 43 years.?

Question

On 11 May, 1964, six Turkish Cypriots were kidnapped from work, home etc., taken to a place called Protaras, near Famagusta in Cyprus. They were shot dead and buried in a well. Their families waited for decades. They had children, little babies, who do not remember their fathers. After 43 years their bones were found. After DNA tests, identified and given to their families. One of those daughters who was 7 months old at the time happens to be my best friend. I was at the funeral this morning.
I believe Tasos Papadopoulos knew all about this and was at least partly responsible for it. Does he feel any pain or guilt?

Tasos Papadopoulos was one of the designers and leaders of the infamous Akritas Plan in 1963-64 which aimed to annihilate all Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus. He is now the President.

Read carefully please Tolia. I did not accuse any nation. I just asked if Tasos was feeling any pain. I acknowledge the pain and suffering of innocent people on both sides.

Answer 1

Let's ask his voters. Well?

Edit: Hey, I was talking about Papadopulos's voters! What with the thumbs downs for god's sakes?

Answer 2

It is really sad. Any human loss. For both sides. But let me give you some more info on this (also for Leonarda): It happens that I have participated in several DNA sequencing projects and tests during the past 15 years (also for the Greek army). Briefly the procedure is to isolate mitochondrial DNA from the bone samples, derive the genetic sequence and subsequently compare it to that found from the blood of the mothers and relatives. Unlike the genomic DNA, the mitochondrial DNA is only inherited from the mother and thus, it is transfered unaltered from generation to generation. I don't want to describe further the details. The procedure is neither "easy" nor straightforward. Yet, my impression on this matter is that both sides (Greeks and Turks) attempt to "massage" the truth and occasionally get biased. In the great majority of the cases, the bone samples given to the families are "symbolic" and have nothing to do with the real victims which rarely get identified (especially for those very old samples you describe, this situation is almost the rule). Subsequently, the military files reports with statements such as : "the genomic profile "XD456" demonstrated ~57% sequence similarity to the blood sample "FG2321" suggesting a genetic association between the two independent samples. What do you call "identification" is actually a probability of 57% and is open to interpretations whether sometimes this is even 20%.... This is not always intentional but often arises from predictions we need to do as the DNA quality of a 40-year old sample is rarely intact. That is: WE -not the DNA samples- draw the line of what is called "similar", or "different". When it comes to science, no reasonable person ever trusts the military reports. Because this is what these are. Ever remember the evidence for the weapons of mass destruction in IRAQ? hmm.. These people were lost. And that is a fact. For the rest of your statements, allow me the benefit of doubt...

Answer 3

Once I reminded of such atrrocities here in Y/A as a response to a Greek..

and then it was YOU anlarm, who'd come up to say
"There's no need to scratch the old wounds..."

You know what...
Although I'm not a Cypriot, I feel & share this pain since 1974...

Now go pose this question to the Greeks

Answer 4

I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE İT SHOULD BE A SHAMED,

I AM VERY SORRY....I TRUELY FEEL THE PAİN..

NO HE DOES NOT FEEL ANYTHİNG, THEY ARE NOT HUMAN SİNCE WHEN HUMAN BEİNGS COULD DO SUCH A THİNG...

P.S. WELL DONE GOOD QUESTİON

Tolia what makes you think I was talking about you, nothings happening to me but this is Turkish section and we should be able to talk about this issues if we want to, regards

Answer 5

May they rest in peace...

Answer 6

I would feel guilty if I were the one who did such a thing. I mean, that's disgusting...throwing dead bodies in a well? It's so sad for the family of these men.

Answer 7

43 years, as you know life is way too short to be concerned about some thing that happened so long ago. Be grateful that the families know now where their loved one are and can now morn them properly, draging up some thing that can never be changed will not benifit anyone.
R.I.P

Answer 8

What a horrible story! I really hope that who ever did this will pay for this atrocity! My sincere condolences to the affected families!

Answer 9

A sample of savagery..Where is our brother's humanrights?Wont blind eyes see that?

Answer 10

the BUTCHERS of past became citizens of EU and teaching us democracy and human rights LOL.I agree with Talat Pasa ''allah rahmet eylesin '' BUT i am the kind of person that thinks payoffs of these crimes shouldn't be postponed to afterlife if there is anything like that.

Answer 11

Hi Mustafa Hocam,

Yesterday evening, there was a program on Kanal 24, I watched that event ...

It was so sad, His father talked about this event ...
Well, I can say 'Basiniz sag olsun' ...

Regards