TIP IN TURKEY: MEDIA ATTENTION, SEPTEMBER 1-15,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 005205

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF TU TIP IN TURKEY
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: MEDIA ATTENTION, SEPTEMBER 1-15,
2004



1. (U) In response to G/TIP inquiries about anti-TIP public
information campaigns, post provides as examples the
following TIP press reports. Text of articles originally
published in Turkish is provided through unofficial local
FSN translation.


2. (U) Published September 10, 2004 by Turkish language
Yeniden Ozgur Gundem; also published on Turkish Women's
Advocacy Group Flying Broom website
http://www.ucansupurge.org/newhtml/130804/130 804turkiyeden.p
hp: (Note: Emboff confirmed that this article incorrectly
references IOM as the source of the report. The correct
source is the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, not/not IOM. END
NOTE.)

TITLE: IOM: Turkey is a Center for Prostitution
BEGIN TEXT: The IOM reported that Turkey has become a
central base for women trafficking and prostitution.
According to a study by the IOM, around 3000-4000 women
from eastern European countries and mostly from the
Moldova, Georgia and the Ukraine, were deported each
year. The report stressed that irregular migration
movements increased with globalization and that this
created a suitable atmosphere for human trafficking,
mainly women trafficking.

The report noted that migration from eastern European
countries, which faced severe economic crisis, high
inflation and mass unemployment at the end of 1980s,
has increased toward Turkey. Unemployed but well-
educated women were on the top of the list.

The report went on saying that Turkey has been putting
emphasis on tourism in order to increase its foreign
exchange reserves since 1960s and pursuing a liberal
border policy. Thus it became a lucrative center for
those who migrated. The report said, "Increasing
number of immigrants with different characteristics as
been entering Turkey as tourists."

The percentage of the Russian women who were deported
for carrying VD is lowest among the others.

The IOM noted that those foreign women who were forced
into prostitution in Turkey were either divorced or
single coming from negative family backgrounds in
villages or rural areas. END TEXT.


3. (U) Published September 10, 2004 in the Pakistan Daily
Times:

TITLE: Two Pakistani immigrants arrested
BEGIN TEXT: ZAGREB: The Croatian police arrested two
illegal Pakistani immigrants, suspected of human
trafficking near the Croatian border with Slovenia, on
Wednesday.

The police arrested a total of 18 immigrants. Two of
them belonged to Pakistan while 14 were from Turkey and
two from China. The Chinese immigrants were caught near
Varazdin in the north of the country, said the police.
They were trying to enter Slovenia when the Croatian
police arrested them. A 41-year-old immigrant was
injured when he tried to resist. A police officer was
also injured in the encounter. The illegal immigrants
were going to Germany, Austria and Italy via Slovenia.
END TEXT.


4. (U) Published September 10, 2004 in the Pakistan Daily
Times:

TITLE: 58 arrested on border with Iran
BEGIN TEXT: CHAGHAI: Chagai Levies have arrested 58
people for crossing the Pakistani border with Iran at
Zero Point Taftan illegally, local administration in
Taftan said on Wednesday. They were trying to enter
Iran to proceed further to Europe via Turkey and Greece
in search of jobs. END TEXT.


5. (U) Published September 7, 2004 by the International
Office for Migration:

TITLE: GEORGIA - IOM Assists Uzbek Victims of
Trafficking to Return Home -

BEGIN TEXT: This past weekend the IOM offices in
Azerbaijan and Georgia assisted the last two persons of
a group of 14 victims of trafficking to return to their
homes in Uzbekistan.

In May and June seven women, residents of Uzbekistan
were taken on various flights from Tashkent to Tbilisi
with the promise of attractive employment in Georgia.
Upon arrival in Georgia's capital, they were locked up
in an apartment and told that instead of working in
Georgia they would be taken to Dubai to work there as
prostitutes.
The women were kept in the apartment until 22 June when
two managed to escape and informed the police who
rescued the rest of the women and arrested the
traffickers.

IOM's involvement began after the women's release from
captivity, first by referring them to the shelter,
establishing the profile of the women, providing
support to the shelter, providing medical assistance to
the victims, and finally assistance to return and
reintegrate in the countries of origin.

Whilst most women returned to their homes soon after
they were released, the two women who returned home
last weekend were kept two and a half months in the
police shelter because they did not have proper travel
documentation.

Without prospective to be returned soon and tired of
waiting they escaped from the shelter to face the risks
of irregular migration again. They slipped through the
border of Azerbaijan using forged passports and turned
to their diplomatic representation in Baku. On the
request of the Embassy of Uzbekistan, IOM Baku ensured
the secure stay and final return home of the victims,
in coordination with IOM Tbilisi and IOM partners in
Tashkent.

Research conducted by IOM in the Southern Caucasian
countries confirmed that Azerbaijan and Georgia are
primarily source countries of victims of trafficking,
who are lured with attractive promises to work in
countries such as Turkey, Greece, the United Arab
Emirates, Russia, the United States and a number of
Western European countries, only to end up being
exploited there by traffickers. Azerbaijan and Georgia
are also used by traffickers for transit of women,
mainly from Central Asian countries, to serve in the
United Arab Emirates and other destination countries.

IOM Missions in the Southern Caucasus are assisting the
local authorities to prevent trafficking in persons,
protect and assist victims of trafficking and prosecute
traffickers. END TEXT.


6. (U) Published September 7, 2004 by Turkey's Anatolian
News Agency:

TITLE: Palestinian Interior Minister Visits Aksu
BEGIN TEXT: ANKARA - Palestinian Interior Minister
Hakam Balawi, currently in Ankara, met Turkish Interior
Minister Abdulkadir Aksu on Tuesday.

After the meeting Aksu said that "there is an urgent
need for international cooperation to fight
international organized crime networks."

Turkish and Palestinian delegations would discuss fight
against international terrorism, drug smuggling, human
trafficking, organized crimes and illegal migration and
cooperation between security organizations of the two
countries, Aksu noted.

On the other hand, Balawi conveyed a message from
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat wishing well to
Turkish prime minister and people.

Stating that Turkey and Palestine would sign a
memorandum of understanding, Balawi noted that they
would do their best to meet its requirements.

Balawi said that there were very good relations between
Turkey and Palestine, recalling that Turkey was the
first country which recognized Palestine.

Stating that there was terrorism organized by Israel in
Palestine, Balawi said that terrorism continued killing
people in his country. Balawi underlined that Turkey,
which knew the situation of Palestine, was supporting
them on this issue. END TEXT.


7. (U) Published September 5, 2004 by Turkey's Anatolian
News Agency:

TITLE: Aksu: Importance Of International Cooperation In
Fight Against Terrorism Is Understood

BEGIN TEXT: ABANT - Turkish Interior Minister
Abdulkadir Aksu said, "the recent terrorist act in
Russia has showed the importance of international
cooperation in fight against terrorism."

Aksu told reporters on Saturday that it is impossible
not to curse terrorist act in Russia. Stressing that
the global dimension of terrorism has emerged one more
time in the recent terrorist act in Russia, Aksu said,
'the importance of international cooperation in fight
against terrorism is understood. We have defended
cooperation in fight against terrorism for years. World
saw the real face of terrorism after September 11
attacks in the United States.'

Aksu said, "we will further focus on the training of
hostage rescue teams which has a special importance in
fight against terrorism and we will send special
operation teams under Security Directorate General to
foreign countries for training if necessary."

Aksu said that Turkey has signed cooperation agreements
with 48 different countries against international
terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and human
smuggling.

Aksu said that Turkey has made important progress
against violation of human rights.

Noting that by the time he started his term in office,
he formed a desk for prevention of torture and
violation of human rights, Aksu said European
countries, which were screening Turkey due to torture
and violation of human rights in the past, now ended
this process. END TEXT.


8. (U) Published September 5, 2004 by Turkey's Anatolian
News Agency:

ANKARA - NATO Parliamentary Assembly will come to
Turkey under its annual working visit.

Turkish Parliament Press Office released a written
statement on Saturday and said that a delegation, which
will be comprised of 23 officials from parliaments of
NATO countries and 10 officials from staff of
Secretariat General of the Assembly, will come to
Turkey on September 6.

The delegation will be headed by NATO Parliamentary
Assembly Turkish Group Chairman Vahit Erdem.

The delegation will be briefed in Interior Ministry,
Foreign Ministry and National Defense Ministry.
Officials will discuss Iraq-Afghanistan and Turkey-
Russia relations, political and military situation,
Turkish defense industry and international cooperation,
terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and human
smuggling.

The delegation will also meet Turkish President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and
National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul.

The delegation which will visit Southeast Anatolian
Project (GAP) region and Nevsehir region will depart
from Turkey on September 12. END TEXT.

9. (U) Published September 1, 2004 by the Southeastern
Eurpoean Times:

TITLE: Economic Plights Drive Prostitution in Turkey
BEGIN TEXT: Increasing jobs and services would reduce
the number of women who are driven to prostitution,
said Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sinan Aygun.
[AFP]
By Fatih Baran for Southeast European Times in Istanbul
- 27/08/04

Though prostitution is legal in Turkey, most of the
women working in the industry are not registered and
many are forced to ply their trade against their will,
according to a new study conducted by the Ankara
Chamber of Commerce (ATO). The research found that
prostitution is spreading in Turkey due to economic
troubles.

The study estimated there are as many as 100,000
prostitutes in Turkey, 30,000 of whom are waiting to
obtain licenses. One out of every 350 women is at risk
of prostitution or sexual abuse. Fifty-six brothels are
in operation, employing 3,000 women; an additional
15,000 prostitutes are registered with the police. Many
are unable to gain employment in a registered brothel
and end up working on the streets, researchers said.

In the southeastern province of Diyakbakir alone, an
estimated 6,000 women are working illegally as
prostitutes, according to the study. Istanbul has at
least 500 underage sex workers, including girls as
young as 12 years old. Furthermore, researchers noted,
there has been an influx of sex workers from Ukraine,
Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.

"There is an annual turnover of around 3 billion euros
in the prostitution sector. And brothel keepers,
barpersons, nightclubs, hotel owners and taxi drivers
all get a slice of the cake. That is to say, hundreds
of thousands of people earn a living by prostitution,"
the report said. END TEXT.

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