On May 13, 1964, 11 Turkish Cypriots boarded a bus to go to Larnaca to their work which was located in the area of the British bases in Dikelya and never returned.

Now the Iskele Municipality, using its own resources, is building a monument in their honour.

The foundation of the Lost Bus Monument to be built by the Iskele Municipality on the Iskele Karpaz highway, was laid with a ceremony on Wednesday.

State, government and local officials attended the event.

Mayor of Iskele Hasan Sadıkoğlu who spoke at the ceremony said they were experiencing both pride and sorrow.

“The events that took place between 1963 and 1964 are the darkest days of Cyprus History, and the inhumane treatment of the Turkish Cypriots left a deep wound and sadness in the hearts of all of us. One of those painful events was undoubtedly the Missing Bus incident in Larnaca in 1964” said Sadıkoğlu.

Acting President and Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre started his speech by saying “if we forget out martyrs, our future will not be secure, we will not forget and will not allow it to be forgotten”.

Stating that South Cyprus is still pursuing Enosis and does not want to share the island with Turkish Cypriots, Töre said that if there had not been a Peace Operation, we would all have ended up like the martyrs of the missing bus.

He said that if there is to be an agreement on the island, it will be without compromising independence and freedom.

After the speeches, the foundation of the “Missing Bus” monument was laid.

The monument, which is aimed to be completed on May 13, 2024, will be handed over to the Larnaca Association and the Association of Missing Bus Families.