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