SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 25, 2005

UNCLAS ADANA 000018

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 25, 2005



1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January
25, 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


2. CUMHURIYET / HURRIYET / RADIKAL / VAKIT / TERCUMAN: A
group of 1000 people protested yesterday in Siirt when security
forces did not allow the group to bury two (alleged)
PKK/KONGRA-GEL members --killed during an operation conducted at
the Gabar Mountain of Sirnak on January 20 -- at a cemetery in
the city center. During yesterday's turmoil, the group shouted
slogans, burned two cars and threw stones that shattered the
windows of many buildings. Nearly a hundred people were detained
during the events and some of them were released later. Murat
Yildirim, the Governor of Siirt, announced that the bodies of
the alleged terrorists were buried in Eruh. According to
Yildirim, some politicians were maliciously exploiting people's
feelings and inciting disturbances, and that's why the families
of the dead people did not show up during the burial procedures,
Yildirim said.


3. OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: According to the reports of
Ozgur Gundem and Evrensel, the bodies of the alleged terrorists,
which were brought to Siirt the day before from Sirnak, were
seized by the security forces at the entrance of Siirt. Fourteen
hours later, the bodies were buried, without the approval of
their families and without conducting religious rites, into
(allegedly) a single pit in the ground in Eruh (the hometown of
the deceased in Siirt). The families of the alleged terrorists
will file complaints about the local authorities.



4. CUMHURIYET: Selahattin Durmus (sic),attorney and
Chairperson of the Human Rights Association's Diyarbakir Branch,
was acquitted during a hearing yesterday of charges that he had
praised the PKK/KONGRA-GEL in statements he had given to a
newspaper a while ago, in response to the EU's decision to
include the organization on its list of terrorist organizations.
(Note: Last name should be Demirtas. End note.)


5. ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM: Wolves, trying to survive heavy
winter conditions, are continuing to disturb settlements in
Turkey's southeastern region. Villagers say that groups of
villagers on horses are chasing wolves, not to kill them, but to
draw them out of the settlement areas. The villagers add that
never before have wolves approached human settlements so closely
and in such large numbers.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS


1. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): ADTM (Adana Foreign Trade Club),
established in large part through efforts of the Adana Chamber
of Commerce and UK's Sheffield Chamber of Commerce in 2002,
today has turned into an organization that encompasses a larger
regional effort. Antakya, Mersin, Kayseri and Gaziantep
provinces will also be opening Foreign Trade Clubs on February
23 and 24. A presentation will be held to provide information
about the East Mediterranean Foreign Trade Center on the same
day.