Yeni Bakış General Director Yusuf Kısa publicly disclosed on December 29 a profound personal testament he carried for years, unveiling a horrific incident from Cyprus’s 1963 intercommunal clashes and Turkish resistance period. Published in Yeni Bakış and republished by Avrupa on December 30, Kısa recounted confidences from a deeply cherished individual – born in 1942, deceased approximately 10 years ago – who witnessed his own uncle orchestrate the beheading of around 80 Greek Cypriots. The victims were allegedly thrown into a village well, with the informant present but unaware of the precise toll.
Kısa first encountered the “Elder” (İhtiyar) in London, where he fled immediately after the massacre, established businesses, and resided for decades before returning to Cyprus post-2003. Frequent weekly meetings ensued, during one dinner the Elder confessed the terror that drove his escape, fearing reprisals for his uncle’s crime.
Earlier publication bids were vetoed by the Elder; upon his death, the mandate rang clear: “This is my will. When I die, document everything in the newspaper and pinpoint the well’s location”; a directive Kısa bore as an “enormous moral weight.”
Committee commits to verification
Greek Cypriot Missing Persons Committee representative Leonidas Pantelidis stated to CNA that 44-45 Greek Cypriots remain missing from 1963-64, 20 located. The committee pledges exhaustive verification, including contacting Kısa for the alleged mass grave site’s details. Notably, 16 identified at Hamit Mandres and four at occupied Nicosia’s Tekke (identification imminent); Pantelidis observed well burials were uncommon then.
Also read: CMP: Identification of 12 missing persons and location of 20 this year
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