Paper short abstract:

This paper explores how the Greek Cypriot Diaspora in Australia has been affected by the Missing Persons of Cyprus from the 1974 Turkish invasion. This research gives a voice to the relatives and explores their personal experiences of being a victim of warfare and challenging governments for answers decades later.

Paper long abstract:

Ethnographic interviewing is used to explore relatives’ personal experience concerning their missing relatives from the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. The research also has an intensely personal dimension, reflecting upon the author’s family member’s own experiences and following their personal journeys of wanting to find their loved ones by lobbying governments and NGOs to provide answers. Historical research also gives input into people’s experiences and circumstances so as to serve as a basis for recommending practical applications to somehow make improvements to lobbying in the global community. This Cyprus humanitarian issue involves up to 1,464 Greek Cypriot and 502 cases of Turkish Cypriot Missing Persons — both military personnel and civilians, including women and children. This is still a current and ongoing international humanitarian problem. The paper explores issues such as experiences with authorities, psychological impact, opinions on how decision makers should have / could have resolved the issue decades earlier, and how things could be improved in today’s society in the 21st Century. One question raised is whether the relatives of Greek Cypriot Missing Persons had adequate government support to cope with being victims of warfare and conflict, both from homeland Cyprus and new homeland Australia. How can international humanitarian issues from warfare be handled better by governments in future?