SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0145 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, MAY 27, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 27, 2003. Please note that Turkish press reports often contain errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. POLITICAL, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS ¶2. Evrensel: It is claimed that MKP-HKO (Maoist Communist Party-Peoples Liberation Army) member Aycan Tato, killed in the clashes at Dinar Deresi of Tunceli on May 24, was the victim of an extra- judiciary killing. Eyewitnesses claimed that security forces opened gunfire, without any warning, on Tato as he walked toward the wooded area from the house the security forces were in. It is claimed that no weapons were found on Tato. ¶3. Evrensel: Nine presidents of Bar Associations in Eastern and Southeastern Turkey prepared an alternative Draft Law to the Repent Law. At a press conference, the presidents demanded a "general amnesty." They proposed no action to be taken against people who had not been subjected to any investigation in the past, and that these people should benefit from the law provided they applied within one year of the date the law was enforced. The Bar Association presidents also proposed a five year suspension of sentences for inmates and prisoners with definite sentences. ¶4. Cumhuriyet: The Chief Public Prosecutor of the Diyarbakir State Security Court, Saban Erbas, sent to Ankara a report on the draft Repent Law. The report, which expressed the views of the officials in the region, is deemed as a "road map" for the draft Repent Law which will be handled at the National Security Council's meeting tomorrow. Erbas, whose judiciary jurisdiction covers Batman, Bingol, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Sirnak, and Sanliurfa provinces, said that the armed combat with terrorism should be supported with legal arrangements and psychological operations as well. Saban emphasized that the state did not achieve its objective of persuading the terrorists to come down from the mountains because of the lack of legal arrangements. Saban added that developing technology and diversity in communication devices, and domestic migration made it difficult to follow terrorist organizations; he emphasized that it was important to know the organizational structure of terrorist organizations in combating them. Regarding the most recent Repent Law, declared on August 26, 1999, Saban said it was not successful because of its narrow scope. He added, "In order to bring down the terrorists in the mountains, security forces constantly claimed that the terrorists could benefit from the repent law. The terrorists who surrendered to security forces as a result of this propaganda were disappointed with the fact that the repent law was not applied. They reached the conclusion that the security forces' propaganda did not reflect reality." ¶5. Cumhuriyet: One single house has not been built for the 1966 earthquake victims in Mus. The earthquake victims in Mus warned the Bingol earthquake victims not to be deceived by promises made by politicians, and that they should take care of themselves. Regarding the situation of the 1966 earthquake in Mus, Mayor Abdulbari Han said: "The officials promised houses for 4,400 people. With contributions from the World Red Crescent, the British government built 589 temporary barracks for the victims, and officials promised that permanent houses would be constructed in a very short time. Although 37 years have passed since the earthquake, no houses have been built in Mus, and most of the people qualified for the houses have died." ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS ¶6. Turkiye: Mustafa Caliskan, the President of the Adana Chapter of MUSIAD (Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association),said the sugar price in Turkey was fivefold that of world prices, and added, "the state should end the period of loading its losses on the shoulders of 70 million people." Caliskan said a kilo of granular sugar was sold for approximately one USD while it was only 0.20 USD in the world markets. Caliskan said while sugar is overpriced in the country, the General Directorate of the Sugar Plants was seeking permission to export its excessive sugar stocks for half the price determined for exportation. He said the issue should be investigated. HOLTZ