Progress Report
Collection of blood specimens from relatives of missing persons
The DNA samples from the relatives of the Greek Cypriot missing persons were already collected and DNA typed by the CING Laboratory of Forensic Genetics a few years ago. The collection of blood specimens from the relatives of the Turkish Cypriot missing persons and the extraction of DNA from these specimens to be used for DNA identification purposes has been conducted over the last years by the Turkish Cypriot DNA Laboratory at Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital in Nicosia. The DNA samples have then been transferred to the CING Laboratory of Forensic Genetics where the DNA typing was carried out.
The genetic profiles generated by the typing of the DNA from Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot relatives of missing persons were stored in appropriate electronic databases at the CING Laboratory of Forensic Genetics until July 2012, when the Turkish Cypriot database was transferred to the Turkish Cypriot Member of the CMP.
Exhumations
To date, the remains of 941 individuals have been exhumed from different burial sites located across the island.
Exhumations are carried out on both sides of the buffer zone by bi-communal teams (7 teams in the north and 3 teams in the south) made of over 55 Cypriot archaeologists and anthropologists. Bi-communal teams are now autonomous after having been trained by international experts from the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) during the first 18 months of the project.
CMP Anthropological Laboratory
The CMP anthropological laboratory, located within the United Nations Protected Area (Old Nicosia Airport), has been operational since August 2006. It is operating under the coordination of a bi-communal team of 16 Cypriot anthropologists who have been trained by international forensic experts from the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) during the first two years of the project.
To date, the anthropological laboratory has analyzed the remains of over 617 individuals in an attempt to reach presumptive identifications before bone samples are sent to the The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) for DNA testing.
Genetic testing and matching
The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) became the CMP’s partner in July 2012. It performs the typing of the DNA samples from the relatives of missing persons. Further DNA identification of skeletal elements are carried out by a team consisting of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot geneticists at the CMP anthropological laboratory at the United Nations Protected Area (old Nicosia airport) in Nicosia . Genetic profiles generated by the analysis of DNA extracted from skeletal elements are compared with the genetic profiles of the relatives of missing persons to reveal individualized identifications.
The first skeletal specimens were identified by the CMP at the end of June 2007.
Identification process
The positive and formal identification of the skeletal remains of a missing person is reached by the agreement between all scientists involved in the identification process, i.e. the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot scientists (anthropologists, geneticists and archaeologists) working at the CMP anthropological laboratory. This process is guided by the Identification Coordinator engaged by the CMP in 2012 as per the recommendations of the international external scientific advisor. Typically, identification is reached when the DNA identification process is conclusive and shows no contradiction with or is corroborated by the outcome of the anthropological analysis.
To date, 336 remains of individuals exhumed within the framework of the CMP project have been identified through this process (269 Greek Cypriots and 67 Turkish Cypriots).
Return of Remains of Missing Persons
The first positive identifications were reached at the end of June 2007.
The families concerned were notified of the death of their missing relatives and were offered the possibility to view the remains of their loved one at the CMP Family Viewing Facility. The remains of the identified individuals were then returned to them.
The arrangements for the funeral of identified individuals are made by their family with the financial and, if need be, practical support of the CMP.
A team of psychologists from each community provides psychosocial support to family members should they require or request it.
Table identifying excavations, exhumations, genetic sampling and identifications by year under the CMP Project March 2006 - November 2012
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