Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ADANA152
2004-12-02 13:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:  

SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY

Tags:  PREL PHUM PREF ECON ETRD TU ADANA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

021336Z Dec 04
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000152

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF ECON ETRD TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY


This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for November 30,

2004. 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

ZAMAN/YENI SAFAK/CUMHURIYET/EVRENSEL: The Turkish Parliament's
Human Rights Commission, comprising ruling and opposition MPs,
went to Kiziltepe, Mardin yesterday to investigate the shooting
of a father and his 12-year-old son in Kiziltepe, Mardin. The
commission went to Mardin yesterday to investigate the incident.
The Governorship of Mardin declared that the incident, which
took place last week, was a result of a clash with the
'terrorists'. However, the Human Rights Association (HRA)
declared that the incident was an 'extrajudicial killing'. The
HRA report said that Ahmet Kaymaz was a truck driver and his
son, Ugur Kaymaz, was a student at Dicle Primary School. The
report claimed that the father and son were shot from a close
distance by security forces, which, according to the report,
proved that they were killed 'deliberately or by mistake'
(allegedly). The commission members said that they will
investigate the matter in a detailed manner before preparing a
report. Cumhuriyet reports that Republican People's Party (CHP)
decided to send a separate committee to Mardin.

GUNDEM: "Perpetrators still holding their offices,
protesters in jail." Police officers and the Governor of Mardin
who claimed that Ahmet Kaymaz and his son were 'terrorists' are
still holding their offices. However, protesters of the killing
(allegedly),Adil Basaran, Azad Karahan and Ismail Asi were put
in jail when they 'showed resistance to police
officers'(allegedly).

GUNDEM: A 19-year-old shepherd, Fevzi Can, (allegedly) was
shot dead by Jandarma forces in the township of Orencik in
Semdinli, Hakkari. The relatives of Can, who came to take the
dead body, were forced to sign an official document stating that
he was "a terrorist killed because he did not obey the warning
to stop." It is anticipated that the European Parliament will
express sharp warnings to Turkey regarding the event. Gundem
says this event validates political observers who had forecasted

that opponents of EU accession may "start killing people" before
the upcoming EU decision about Turkey in December.

GUNDEM: In Batman, the "Peace Keepers" group from the Batman
Democracy Platform wanted to plant seedlings at the peak of Mawa
Mountain as a symbol of peace and in memory of soldiers and
guerillas who have died in the region's conflicts. However,
soldiers prohibited the group from climbing the mountain.

GUNDEM: 'Penalizing people that paste or hang posters on the
walls is an irrational act!' reports Gundem. Engin Kirmizigul
and some other students have been charged with hanging posters
on the walls of Hacettepe Medical School cafeteria and could
face up to 12 years of imprisonment. The posters were saying
'No to War. War is Murder' and 'Get your Identity Card to Access
Free Medical Service'. They have protested the charges brought
against them.

GUNDEM: The Yezid'is returning to their village in Feqira,
Batman, after 15 years of conflict in the region, are being
oppressed. Peasants and some fanatic people in the neighboring
townships are continuously threatening the four Yezidi families,
whose members are mainly elderly persons, says the Federation of
Yezidi Associations.

GUNDEM: Former U.S. Ambassador Peter Galbraith, who has also
served as an advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
evaluated the current status of the "South Kurdistan" (Note:
This is the formulation used in Gundem newspaper, referring to

N. Iraq. End note.) After stating that the Kurds in northern
Iraq have existed as if in a self-ruling country since 1991,
Galbraith added that the Kurds no longer want to be governed
from Baghdad, reports Gundem.

YENI SAFAK: Approximately 1000 people participated in a "Panel
for Humanity" organized by Ozgur-Der/Tatvan Branch. The main
subject matter of the panel was 'Humanity Exposed to the Threat
of America' and the panel drew great public attention in Tatvan.

MILLIYET: Joost Lagendijk, the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary
Committee's Co-Chair, said that it is high time Turkey solved
the Kurdish issue through the means of establishing dialogue and
implementing sound policies. It is claimed that Lagendijk
invited Turkey to start negotiations with KONGRA GEL, which,
actually is listed by the EU among its (designated) terrorist
organizations.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

11.HURRIYET: Exports from the GAP provinces to free trade zones
within Turkey has increased by 80% in the first 10 months of
2004 as compared to the same time period last year. According to
the data provided by Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union,
from January - October 2004, exports from the provinces in the
region to free trade areas was USD 41.2 million.


12. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.




REID