‘The cruellest thing’: the relatives of the Missing and wasted suffering

Amid myriad tragedies that plagued Greek Cypriots after the Turkish invasion of 1974, the lies and false hopes that were meted out to the families of the Missing have left scars of betrayal that in many cases lasted until death.

For decades, hundreds of Greek Cypriots were told that their captured relatives were not dead – they were missing.

They were told to hold on to hope. Their loved ones were alive somewhere and might come back. Don’t give up. That was the message, over and over again.