THE VIEW FROM SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY: PART THREE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006861 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2013 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM PINR KNNP TU SUBJECT: THE VIEW FROM SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY: PART THREE REF: A. ANKARA 6163 ¶B. ANKARA 6140 ¶C. ANKARA 5566 CLASSIFIED BY W.S. REID III, PO AMCON ADANA, E.O. 12958, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: THE IS THE THIRD OF THREE MESSAGES ABOUT THE AMCON ADANA REPORTING TEAM VISIT TO SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY FROM SEPTEMBER 14-26. REFTELS REPORT ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS TRIP. END SUMMARY. HAKKARI - VIOLENCE IN THE AIR, TRASH IN THE STREETS ¶2. (C) TRAVELING INTO HAKKARI SAW EVEN GREATER INTIMIDATION EFFORTS WITHOUT ANY OF THE SUBTLETY SEEN IN VAN. AK-47 TOTING POLICE LINED THE STREETS; THREE POLICE DIGITAL CAMERAS TURNED ON CONSULATE VEHICLE UPON ARRIVAL AT SUB-GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IN YUKSEKOVA; SWARMING PLAINCLOTHES POLICE PREVENTED TEAM FROM TALKING TO ANYONE ON THE STREET; POLICE PREVENTED PO ACCESS TO A LOCAL INTERNET CAFE. THE GOVERNOR ABRUPTLY CANCELLED A MEETING AND SHUNTED THE TEAM TO THE SUB-GOVERNOR IN NEARBY YUKSEKOVA. THE 15-KM ROAD BETWEEN HAKKARI AND YUKSEKOVA WAS STREWN WITH REFUSE. IN YUKSEKOVA, THE SUB-GOVERNOR, WHO WAS AWARDED THE SUB-GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR 2002, LECTURED PO ABOUT HOW THE PKK/KADEK WAS "ALIVE ONLY BECAUSE OF FOREIGN INFLUENCES AND THAT IT IS TIME THAT YOU ENDED THOSE FOREIGN INFLUENCES ONCE AND FOR ALL. THE IRANIANS ARE GIVING US RESPECT SINCE YOU PUT THEM ON YOUR LIST AND SYRIA DOES NOT KNOW WHO IS NEXT. NOW CRUSH THE PKK IN IRAQ AND IT IS DONE," HE ASSERTED. HE ADDED THAT THERE ARE "NO LOCAL PROBLEMS HERE" WHEN ASKED WHY THERE WERE 200-300 AK-47-TOTING POLICE IN THE STREETS, ADDED" THEY ARE TO SHOW HOSPITALITY TO YOU AND IT WILL CONTINUE AT YOUR HOTEL TONIGHT" TRUE TO HIS WORD, THE TEAM'S HOTEL WAS SWARMED BY POLICE AND SECURITY, AND ANY LOCALS WHO APPROACHED TEAM MEMBERS WERE STOPPED AND QUESTIONED. ¶3. (C) THE LOCAL DEHAP MAYOR LASHED OUT AT THE SUB-GOVERNOR, DETAILING HOW THE GOVERNOR AND SUB-GOVERNOR REFUSE TO INCLUDE HIM AND OTHER MUNICIPAL FIGURES IN LOCAL CEREMONIES AND EVEN REFUSE TO SHAKE HIS HAND. "YOU HAVE SEEN THE RIVER," HE SAID," WE NEED SCHOOLS AND WASTE TREATMENT. WE ARE STARVING AND DYING SLOWLY HERE AND THEY DENY EVERYTHING," HE CLAIMED. ASKED ABOUT INTEREST IN THE "RETURN TO HOME" LAW, HE DISMISSED THE LEGISLATION AS "JUST THE SAME GOVERNMENT STUFF AS BEFORE. WHY SHOULD WE TRUST ANY OF THEM? SOME FAMILIES ARE EVEN MORE DETERMINED NOW THAN BEFORE TO KEEP THEIR FAMILY IN THE HILLS FIGHTING." HE ADMITTED THAT THIS REACTION WAS NOT UNIVERSAL IN THE LOCAL MOOD, BUT WAS SHARED BY MORE THAN A FEW ISOLATED FAMILIES. ASKED ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE LEARNING ABOUT THE RETURN TO HOME LAW AND EU REFORM PACKAGES, HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM PRO-PKK/KADEK MEDYA TV, OZGUR GUNDEM (A TURKISH-LANGUAGE PRO-KURDISH DAILY NEWSPAPER),AND TURKISH NEWS BROADCASTS. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS A DEMAND FOR KURDISH LANGUAGE BASIC EDUCATION IN HAKKARI, BUT THE GOVERNMENT STIFLED EVEN STREET CONVERSATION IN KURDISH SOMETIMES AND BROWBEAT THOSE WHO TRIED TO REGISTER CHILDRENS' NAMES IN KURDISH, ALTHOUGH HE CONCEDED THAT SOME FAMILIES IN RECENT MONTHS SUCCESSFULLY HAD REGISTERED NON-POLITICAL KURDISH NAMES "IF YOU KNOW WHICH CLERK TO ASK AND WHEN." ¶4. (SBU) YUKSEKOVA'S BUSINESS WAS A CURIOUS HIGH-LOW MIX. BRAND NEW JAPANESE AND EUROPEAN-BUILT CARS SPORTING ISTANBUL LICENSE PLATES WERE ON SALE AT MAKESHIFT LOTS AND WERE SEEN DRIVING DOWN THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE, WHICH IS GRAVEL AND DIRT, ALONGSIDE THE LOCAL POPULATION'S PONYCARTS AND ANCIENT TRUCKS. MANY STORE FRONTS CATERED TO LOCAL BUDGETS WITH LOCAL DRIED FOODS, LOCAL HONEY AND BREADS AND CHEESE OR, ALTERNATIVELY, SPORTED GLITZY, HIGH-END TURKISH AND EUROPEAN-MANUFACTURED APPLIANCES AND CONSUMER GOODS THAT ONE LOCAL BYSTANDER SIMPLY DESCRIBED SOMEWHAT ENVIOUSLY TO PO AS "THE THINGS THAT ONLY THE POLICE OR IRANIANS CAN AFFORD TO BUY." ¶5. (C) A HAKKARI LAWYER REPORTED CONSIDERABLE GOT CRACKDOWNS ON LOCAL KURDISH ETHNIC ACTIVITY. FOR EXAMPLE, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WHO EXPLAINED BEEKEEPING PRACTICES TO VILLAGERS IN KURDISH AFTER REALIZING THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND TURKISH WAS SANCTIONED, ALTHOUGH HE ULTIMATELY RETAINED HIS JOB. THERE WAS ONE UNCONFIRMED REPORT FROM HAKKARI THAT A YUKSEKOVA-AFFILIATED VILLAGE GUARD WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ALLEGED ASSAULT HAD BEEN PUNISHED BY BEING DRAGGED BEHIND A VEHICLE UP AND DOWN THE MAIN AVENUE. ASKED WHY NO ONE IN YUKSEKOVA WOULD RAISE THIS INCIDENT WITH US, OUR CONTACT HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE ISSUE WAS AN INTERNAL INVOLVING A POWERFUL LOCAL TRIBAL LEADER AND THE GOT WAS "STAYING OUT OF IT." ¶6. (C) THIS CONTACT SAID OTHER AREA LAWYERS URGED HER TO TAKE ON POLITICALLY-SENSITIVE CASES BECAUSE OF GOT INTIMIDATION AGAINST THEM. SHE SAID GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS PREVENTED LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATIONS FROM FORMING IN SMALL TOWNS, AND THE ABSENCE OF A LOCAL BAR GROUP MEANT THAT AUTHORITIES COULD MORE EASILY INTIMIDATE LAWYERS WHO TOOK ON CONTROVERSIAL CASES. ¶7. (C) ALONG THE HAKKARI-YUKSEKOVA ROAD, REPORTING TEAM MET A TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES TEAM ON PATROL. WHEN PO ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION, THEIR SERGEANT HERDED THEM OFF. ALONG THE SAME ROAD THERE WERE NEWLY-BUILT FORTIFICATIONS EVERY FEW KILOMETERS, A SMALL, NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED FORTIFICATION AT THE BRIDGE LEADING INTO HAKKARI PROPER, AND A RECENTLY-CONSTRUCTED HELICOPTER PAD IN AN OPEN FIELD ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE. SIRNAK AND SILOPI, HABUR GATE ¶8. (C) BUSINESS CONTACTS IN CIZRE (SIRNAK PROVINCE),SAID RENEWED BORDER TRADE THROUGH THE HABUR GATE WAS SLOWLY INCREASING. TRADE, HOWEVER, WAS HAMPERED BY LIMITED CAPACITY TO TRANSIT THE GATE, HIGH OR UNAVAILABLE PREMIUMS ON CAPITAL GOODS NECESSARY TO TRANSPORT TO NORTHERN IRAQ TO FULFILL PROPOSED CONTRACTS, AND SECURITY CONCERNS IN CENTRAL IRAQ. LOCAL BUSINESSMEN LOBBIED FOR A QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL ZONE TO BE ESTABLISHED IN SIRNAK PROVINCE NEAR THE HABUR GATE CROSSING AND HOPED THAT OPIC MIGHT INSURE THEIR CAPITAL GOODS AND BUILDING MATERIALS SHOULD THEY INVEST IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL IRAQI CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. ¶9. (C) ONE LONGTIME CONSULATE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS LEADING A GROUP OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS CHOSEN BY THE GOT TO REFURBISH AND MODERNIZE THE HABUR GATE ON A BUILD-OPERATE-TRANSFER (BOT) BASIS. HE SAID THAT CONSTRUCTION WOULD COMMENCE IN OCTOBER 2003 AND WOULD BE COMPLETED BY JUNE 2004. UPON COMPLETION THE GATE WOULD FUNCTION SIMILARLY TO THE TURKISH BORDER GATE WITH BULGARIA AT KAPIKULE, HE SAID. HE PREDICTED THE MODERNIZED GATE WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER CAPACITY UPON REFURBISHMENT, BUT CAUTIONED THAT THERE WILL BE CONSIDERABLE DISRUPTION OF CURRENT GATE OPERATIONS DURING CONSTRUCTION. HE SAID THAT HIS CONSORTIUM HAD OFFERED A BOT BID TO THE GOT FOR THE MUCH-DISCUSSED SECOND GATE NEARBY HABUR, BUT HAD YET TO HEAR ANY RESPONSE TO THE OFFER. HE OPINED THAT ESTABLISHMENT OF A SECOND GATE WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINED TURKISH-IRAQ TRADE AND SUPPLY OF ANY TURKISH CONTRIBUTION TO THE IRAQI SECURITY STABILIZATION EFFORT. HE ALSO SAID THAT, WHILE GOT OFFICIALS SOMETIMES MENTIONED RAIL-BASED TRADE WITH IRAQ, HE CONSIDERED THAT PROSPECT ILL-ADVISED AND UNLIKELY TO INTEREST THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. HE SAID THAT SYRIAN RAILROADS WERE POORLY MAINTAINED, SYRIAN CORRUPTION WAS WIDESPREAD, AND SECURITY WAS TENUOUS. ¶10. (C) MEETINGS WITH THE SIRNAK GOVERNOR AND LOCAL SUB-GOVERNORS, INCLUDING THE HABUR GATE SUB-GOVERNOR AT SILOPI (ALSO ATTENDED BY U.S.ARMY ATTACHE AND KBR OFFICIALS), WERE MILITARY-MONITORED ORCHESTRATED LECTURES. ARMY AND JANDARMA OFFICERS ATTENDED THE MEETINGS AND BROUGHT ADDITIONAL MILITARY NOTETAKERS TO RECORD THE GOVERNOR AND SUB-GOVERNORS' MONOLOGUES ABOUT THE NEED TO "WIPE OUT THE KADEK THREAT DECISIVELY" AND PROTESTATIONS THAT ALL THAT COULD BE DONE TO STREAMLINE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HABUR GATE WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY. A REQUEST TO TOUR THE HABUR GATE WAS REFUSED BY THE SILOPI SUB-GOVERNOR IN CHARGE OF THE CROSSING BECAUSE IT HAD NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY REQUESTED IN ANKARA VIA DIPLOMATIC NOTE. THE SIRNAK GOVERNOR IMPLIED THAT THE CONSULATE'S ACCESS TO INCIRLIK AIR BASE WAS DEPENDENT ON U.S. EFFORTS TO COMBAT PKK/KADEK IN NORTHERN IRAQ. ¶11. (C) DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SIRNAK MUNICIPALITY, AFFILIATED WITH MOTHERLAND PARTY (ANAP) UNTIL IT RECENTLY WENT INDEPENDENT, WERE SHORT-LIVED. THE MAYOR DECIDED THAT HE COULD NOT RISK SEEING THE TEAM AND HIS DEPUTY MAYOR, ACTING AS STAND-IN, BEGGED OFF TALKING WITH US AFTER SAYING THAT UNDER-DEVELOPMENT AND CONCERN ABOUT THE POSSIBLE RETURN "OF THE OLD VIOLENT TIMES" WERE ON THE LOCAL POPULATION'S MIND. "AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE THEY WILL COME QUESTION ME AND MAKE TROUBLE FOR ME," HE SAID, "WE CANNOT BE SEEN TO TALK THAT LONG. I AM SORRY." EDELMAN