SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS ADANA 0233 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 04, 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. Hurriyet/Turkiye/Bolge: The two female PKK/KADEK militants who deserted their organization in Iran and surrendered to the security forces were released to their families after the conclusion of their initial interrogation in Yuksekova, Hakkari province. The girls apologized to their families and promised that they would never make such mistakes again. ¶3. Evrensel: Murat Yanarer, from Golagili village of Malazgirt, Mus province, said he migrated to Mersin after his house was set on fire in 1994. He claimed that his house, land, and shops in Malazgirt were confiscated by the village guards. Yanarer said he applied to the authorities to return to his village several times, most recently on August 20, 2003, but received no affirmative responses to his petitions. He said he would take the case to the European Human Rights Court if he did not get his property back from the village guards. EDUCATION ¶4. Cumhuriyet/Turkiye: A joint study by UNICEF and Turkish National education revealed that one- eighth of the girls in Turkey are not sent to schools at all. Many shortcomings have been reported from East and Southeast Turkey before the academic year starts on September 15. It is reported that in Diyarbakir alone at least 200 classrooms and 7500 teachers are needed. The ratio of the girls deprived of any education is even greater in East and Southeast Turkey. Approximately one-third of the girls deprived of education in those regions. The number of girls aged six to fourteen and who have not enjoyed any education in Diyarbakir, Bitlis, Batman, Agri, Hakkari, Mus, Sanliurfa, Siirt, and Sirnak provinces reaches 250,000. A "Hurry up, Girls to School" campaign initiated by UNICEF aims to reduce the ratio of uneducated girls by half. Regarding the issue, UNICEF's Representative for Turkey, Edmond Mcloughney, said all segments of the population, particularly the media, had to take part in that activity. ¶5. Sabah's Guney Supplement: The existing capacity of the schools in Adana do not meet the demand since no new classrooms have been built. The Provincial National Education Director of Adana, Omer Simsek, said they had 57 students per classroom in Yuregir district and 69 students in Seyhan district of Adana. He added that they needed 5,000 more classrooms in order to have thirty students per classroom, which is required for a normal education. The state is expecting assistance from charitable organizations to fill the gap for the schools. REID