The remains of a missing person from 1974, Charalambos Sarlian from Keramoti, Kavala, a Greek national, have been identified. There are no close living relatives to receive and bury them. This poignant revelation brings to light the enduring pain and unresolved questions that have lingered for nearly half a century.
A Family’s Endless Vigil
We can imagine the story: A mother, a father (perhaps an older brother or sister, too) waiting by the phone for news of their son (brother) who went to Cyprus to fight but never returned. Months passed with them glued to the telephone, hoping for some news. In the early years, they travelled to Cyprus, hoping to learn more, to understand, to visit the graves of their child’s comrades-in-arms, considering them—as cynical as it may sound—the lucky ones: “At least they have a grave. Their relatives can have a connection, a point of reference. They can light a candle, leave some flowers… But what about our child?”
The anxiety turned into a worm, bringing illnesses, and the years passed without any sign. The 30-year-olds of 1974 became 80-year-olds, the 40-year-olds became 90-year-olds, and the cycles of life closed, some completed and others cut short by illness, perhaps, without the questions being answered and the wounds healed.
The Soldier’s Return
And so we arrived at this day, which was always destined to come: The soldier “returned,” but he has no one of his own to “welcome” him. Not because he was forgotten or because they grew tired of waiting, nor because they rushed to leave. But because the years passed, and we—who continue to live with the consequences of the invasion—do not measure the flow of time in its true dimension.
A few days ago, when he was in Cyprus, the famous and highly acclaimed American actor John Malkovich was asked about the Cyprus issue. “There was a time,” he said, “We were trying to develop a film set here about that very time. And it’s a very interesting topic. But it was many, many years ago. And I don’t remember well enough all the source material and everything.” However, he added, that the planet is full of similar unpleasant and complex political situations. “Cyprus is never really talked about anymore. I mean, I remember it (the Cyprus issue) clearly from my childhood. But I don’t think the global powers are very ‘warm’ on it. A number of things in the last few years have caused me to doubt their wisdom. And their honesty.”
It is a fact: Many, many years have passed. So many that one generation after another passes away, while the soldiers have not yet “returned” from the battlefields.
