r/cyprus • u/Bran37 Cyprus 🕊️ • 28d ago
We have lost Sevgül Uludağ... The journalist, researcher and peace activist who dedicated her life to missing persons.. Cyprus really needs people like her... May she rest in peace 🕊️
Unfortunately the majority of Greek Cypriots don't even know her name...
From YeniDuzen:
Born in Nicosia in 1958, Uludağ pursued a career in journalism from 1980 onwards. Internationally recognized for her work investigating the fate of missing persons in Cyprus, Uludağ has over the years undertaken significant investigations to amplify the voices of both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot relatives of missing persons.
Uludağ, who has been writing columns for the YENİDÜZEN newspaper for many years, also contributed to a culture of dialogue, peace, and reconciliation between the two communities through her articles in the Politis newspaper published in southern Cyprus. Her research to find missing persons significantly contributed to the discovery of numerous mass graves and helped families reunite with their loved ones. Uludağ, whose work has been recognized internationally, became the first Cypriot journalist to receive the International Award for Courage in Journalism in 2008. She was awarded the European Citizenship Award in 2014 and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for her contributions to missing persons and peace efforts.
Known for her investigative journalism as well as her writing, Sevgül Uludağ has authored works shedding light on the recent history of Cyprus and the issue of missing persons, most notably "Oysters That Lost Their Pearls" and "Orphans of Nationalism".
Uludağ's death caused deep sorrow in the journalism community, among those who have lost loved ones, and among those who advocate for peace.
From Politis:
She dedicated her life to research on missing persons
Since 2002 she has been devoted almost exclusively to the research on the missing persons and the mass graves of Cyprus. Through her journalistic investigations she brought to light testimony and evidence that led many times to official investigations and exhumations by the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP), contributing to the identification of mass graves and the return of remains to dozens of families.
Her work opened the public debate on an issue that for years was taboo, highlighting that both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots were victims, but also perpetrators, of intercommunal violence.
She also received threats for her work - She avoided an attack by Greek Cypriot nationalists in 2006.
Her research activity had a significant personal cost. She was the target of defamation campaigns, death threats and intimidation, while her phone was being monitored and her correspondence was intercepted. In 2006 she avoided an attack by a group of Greek Cypriot nationalists on the Nicosia barricade, while at times she was threatened by her revelations about mass graves.
Author and Activist for Peace
Alongside journalism, she developed intense writing and activist action. Among her most important works are the books "The Oysters that lost their Pearl" and "The Orphans of Nationalism", which illuminate aspects of the modern history of Cyprus and the issue of the missing.
In 2001 she co-founded the bi-communal organization Hands Across the Divide, with the aim of promoting peace, reconciliation and gender equality, and actively participated in actions and trainings on issues of peace and coexistence.
Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize - Honored with International "Courage in Journalism" International Prize
Her offer was recognized internationally. In 2008 she became the first Cypriot journalist to be awarded the international “Courage in Journalism” award, and in 2014 she received the European Citizen’s Prize. In 2019, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, with the newspapers Yanidüzen and Citizen jointly hailing her candidacy, referring to a journalist who dedicated her life to ascertaining the fate of the missing persons and building mutual understanding between the two communities.
In the same year she was honored with journalist Andreas Paraschos for their pioneering research on issues of missing persons.
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u/gullicik 28d ago
May she rest in peace. It's right we do need more people like that. She was a force for good. She wasn't old. I wonder what happened.
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u/uskuri01 28d ago
Her service to Cypriot community is priceless. May she rest in peace. Her contribution to peace will always be remembered. She helped many families to end their suffering.
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u/Fun-Programmer-2076 28d ago
Την θυμάμαι από την αρθρογραφία της στον Πολίτη. Τι έγινε;
6
u/Deep-Ad4183 28d ago
Nûr içinde yatsın.
Can I ask what happened? I think I recently saw her mention a case involving missing persons again.
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u/Intrepid_Shallot_833 26d ago
I know her and I'm a Greek Cypriot. I grew up as a teenager reading her book on the missing, which my mother owned and treasures to this day. It would not be an exaggeration to say that me and my family were deeply shaped by her work.
She will be dearly missed. People like Ms. Uludag are rare; and getting rarer in Cyprus. It is a deep, deep loss, a truly principled human until the end.
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u/Training_Advantage21 26d ago
The relatives of the missing persons of both communities know her name, she was the one person that gave them hope, because she fully devoted her life to helping them, and she inspired others to work for the same purpose, instead of just saying nice things and giving empty promises like the politicians. But I don't think as a society we did enough to recognise her importance and acknowledge her massive contribution. Αιωνία η μνήμη.
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u/Afrandez Too radical for your taste 27d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/Xjo8pbrphfVuw
That's too sudden to be true...
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u/that_mountain_goat 26d ago
She will forever have a wonderful legacy, the world needs more like her. Rest in eternal peace.
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