We demand and expect the occupying power to take the political and humanitarian decisions required for to end the agony and suffering of the relatives[/B] of the missing, our Commissioner for the Presidency Fotis Fotiou said in his speech at the funeral of Yakoomi Stylianou, who was executed in cold blood by the Turkish invaders in 1974, which was held at the church of Apostolos Varnavas in the Makarios III settlement of Kamares in Larnaca.
"48 years have passed since the black summer of 74 and more than 750 families of our missing persons are still waiting for answers about the fate of their loved ones," said Mr. Fotiou, who stressed that "it is an unacceptable situation that causes so much pain and anguish every day for almost half a century. Responsible, he said, for the suffering and pain experienced by the families is the occupying power which created and maintains with tactics and obstacles the tragedy of the missing persons at the expense of our compatriots.
"We demand and expect the occupying power to take the political and humanitarian decisions needed to end the agony and pain of the relatives of our missing persons," he said and stressed that, "we together with the relatives will continue our just and honest struggle to clarify the fate of our last missing person. This is our duty and obligation."
Along with our thoughts on the issue of the missing persons is always our national issue, said the Commissioner of the Presidency, who stressed that forty-eight years have passed since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the injustice against our people continues.
"Despite all the difficulties, our side's effort to seek a mutually acceptable and workable solution continues. The President of the Republic has repeatedly expressed our readiness to resume negotiations on the basis of the agreed bicommunal bizonal federation, as defined in the relevant United Nations resolutions, in accordance with the acquis of the European Union."
Our greatest duty, he said, "is not to appear inferior to those who sacrificed and martyred, those who fought for the freedom and territorial integrity of our homeland and those who are still missing, with their loved ones continuing to struggle for their fate, and many leaving this life with bitter regret in their hearts over the disappearance of their loved ones."
For all of them and for the generations to come, we have a duty, Mr. Fotiou said, "to continue united in our struggle adhering to the justice of our positions. Our goal is a solution that abolishes borders and occupation, reunites our country and ensures the rights and freedoms of all legitimate citizens."
Yacoumis Stylianou was executed in cold blood, in a particularly heinous and barbaric manner, in 1974 during the Turkish invasion.
"There are many other cases of our compatriots who witnessed or fell victim to the same barbarity. Even the barbarity of Turkish Cypriot extremists acting under the instructions and cover of Attila's troops. But the case of Yakoomi Stylianou stands out. It stands out because it exceeds all limits of cruelty and inhuman behaviour which is contrary to the basic rules and principles of human rights and the law of war", Mr. Photiou said.
He added that his wife Eleni and their son Andreas must surely still have very vivid images of his brutal cold-blooded execution by a Turkish officer in their minds. In front of their terrified eyes, an Attila officer began to repeatedly beat Yakoomi Stylianou's head with his pistol, only to then shoot him and have him fall bloodless, breathless, lifeless, to the ground.
As if that were not enough, he continued, the Turkish officer immediately sought to do the same to the then 15-year-old Andreas. According to the history of the case, the repetition of the cowardly and barbaric act against Andreas was prevented at the last moment.
Yakoumis Stylianou, who was born in Gypsos on July 1, 1932, was married and the father of four children.
His remains were exhumed from the Gypsos Cemetery during the exhumations of the Missing Persons' Committee
"We bid farewell to Yakoomis Stylianou today and we honour his memory with gratitude. We hope that justice will soon shine on our island and that we will return to Gypsum and our other occupied villages and towns free and safe. This is what Yakoumis Stylianou himself would have wanted very much", Fotis Fotiou concluded his speech.
Source: CNA
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