In a poignant military ceremony held at the Lefkoşa Ortaköy Martyrs Cemetery, the body of Martyr Fuat Niyazi, one of the 1964 missing persons identified during the excavation by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in the village of Truilli in Larnaca, was laid to rest on Sunday.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar noted the importance of Türkiye’s guarantees to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies, emphasizing that these pains will never be forgotten.
Family members of Fuat Niyazi, along with President Ersin Tatar, Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Zorlu Töre, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu, and military officials were present at the military ceremony held at the Lefkoşa Ortaköy Martyrs Cemetery.
Niyazi’s remains were recently found in an old mine shaft in the Truilli village.
He was 20 years old when he was martyred.
During the ceremony, a relative of the martyr, Avrim Alper Kayıkçı, recounted how her uncle was abducted and murdered by Greek Cypriots while travelling from Larnaca to his village, Tatlısu, on May 12, 1964, and thrown into a well.
Kayıkçı, expressing her family’s enduring pain over the past 60 years, stating that they now have a grave they can visit thanks to the efforts of the Committee on Missing Persons.
President Ersin Tatar pointed out that Martyr Fuat Niyazi was found after 60 years of being missing, saying, “We are in his spiritual peace, may his soul rest in peace, and condolences to his family.”
He also emphasized the importance of security, stating that the pain will never be forgotten, and highlighting the significance of Türkiye’s guarantees to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
Following the speeches, funeral prayers were offered, and then, amidst tears, the body of Martyr Fuat Niyazi was laid to rest accompanied by a salute of respect and prayers.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu shared a tribute for Fuat Niyazi.
In his social media post, Ambassador Feyzioğlu recounted how Fuat Niyazi set out 60 years ago to visit his family in Larnaca, stating, “Niyazi was abducted by the villains who attempted genocide against the Turkish Cypriots with the support of the Greek Cypriot administration.”
Highlighting that Turkish Cypriots are now safe, Feyzioğlu stressed the necessity of knowing history to build a secure future.
In his post, he stated, “Here is the reality of Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots now have an independent state. Motherland Türkiye is strong, always side by side with the TRNC. Although the mentality of the Greek Cypriot administration has not changed, Turkish Cypriots are safe. Peace has prevailed on the island for 50 years.”