SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 18, 2005

UNCLAS ADANA 000014 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 18, 2005 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 18, ¶2005. 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 BOLGE / MILLIYET / EKSPRES / TURKIYE: The Adana Municipality provided bus service (the Municipality provides a free bus transportation service for the families of deceased people) and the Yuregir Municipality provided a funeral car for the burial ceremony of an (alleged) terrorist who was killed during a military operation conducted in Mazgirt, Tunceli, which caused the death of two (Turkish) soldiers on January 15, 2005. CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: Today the European Court of Human Rights will decide a case in which charges were brought against Turkey for (allegedly) burning down Yolcati township of Lice in Diyarbakir and killing 6 villagers on May 13, 1994. According to Ozgur Gundem, the Bolu Commando Brigade and the Kayseri Commando Battalion allegedly conducted those military operations. OZGUR GUNDEM: A delegation from the Human Rights Center of the Bar Association of Van went to Ercis township of Van province on January 11 to investigate the December 27, 2004, migration of 12 families to Kirklareli province due to the alleged oppressive attitude of the Agha in Ercis. The delegation's final report concludes that the state authorities fell short of setting just conditions that would enable the return of these people to Ercis. YENI SAFAK: Because of factors such as contaminated water, lack of decontamination facilities in water supply services of the most municipalities, and the scarcity of potable water, contagious diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, amebic dysentery, and hepatitis A pose considerable threats to the population of some seven million people living in the GAP region. CUMHURIYET: In 2004 legal proceedings were carried out in Diyarbakir against 1914 people who were under eighteen years of age. The high level of offenses committed by children is attributed to the swelling of the population due to constant migration from the neighboring cities. The substandard life conditions of most of these families (migrating to Diyarbakir) mean many children are left unattended to or homeless. VAKIT: "There is a severe shortage of doctors especially in the fields of neurological surgery, surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology and infectious diseases in Siverek", pointed out the Group Chairperson of Medicine in Siverek, a township of Sanliurfa province. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ¶1. CUMHURIYET / TERCUMAN / YENI SAFAK / HURRIYET / VAKIT / TURKIYE: PM Erdogan is expected to announce good news to the farmers before the upcoming religious holiday. During his meeting with farmers and volunteers for agricultural development today, PM is expected to announce ways to relieve the strain of electricity debts farmers have incurred through irrigation, including plans for payment by installments. Another change in the system of delivering direct income incentives may be to calculate it on the basis of the amount of one's production, rather than the area of fields. REID