Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA6861
2003-11-04 11:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

THE VIEW FROM SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY: PART THREE

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER PHUM PINR KNNP TU 
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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)


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