Needs of Families of Missing Persons in Cyprus

Over the last four to five decades(44 – 55 years), relatives of missing personsin Cyprus have been profoundly
affected while they wait to learn what has happened to their loved ones. The emotional toll this uncertainty
takes has significantly affected entire families’lives as they have waged a constant struggle, not only to find
their missing relative but to also stave off the possibility of their loved one disappearing completely should
they not find them.

While the families of missing persons undergo much the same experiences asthe rest of a population affected
by armed conflict and violence, the uncertainty caused by a lack of answers about the fate and whereabouts
of missing relatives can have specific consequences as a result of long-term distress and anxiety. As a result,
many Cypriot families have a range of specific needs, which are often overlooked but which require a
multifaceted response.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus
(CMP) undertook a joint Family Needs Assessment in Cyprus between October 2018 – April 2019, with 170
Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot family members (out of a total combined number of 934 families) who
have not yet received answers about the fate and whereabouts of their missing relatives in relation to the
events of 1963-1964 and 1974, in order to better understand these needs. This public report is a summary of
the combined results of the assessment.