Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ADANA23
2005-02-03 14:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:  

SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 27, 2005

Tags:  PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA 
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UNCLAS ADANA 000023 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 27, 2005

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 27,

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

VAKIT / OZGUR GUNDEM / MILLIYET / ZAMAN / HURRIYET / MILLI
GAZETE / YENI SAFAK / EVRENSEL / TURKIYE / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET:
After two people died in Hakkari yesterday in an earthquake
measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, people stayed outside all
night in freezing temperatures, fearing a quake with a bigger
magnitude. The Turkish Red Crescent sent 127 tents, 2000
blankets and 100 heaters to the site, established medical care
centers and delivered hot soup to people sheltered in the tents.
Civil defense teams from Van and Hakkari are working in the
region to help people experiencing hardships. With many
villages' roads blocked by heavy snowfall, the Governor of
Hakkari and Commando Brigade Commander flew over all the
villages by helicopter to determine which sites need urgent
help.

OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: Tension mounted in Siirt when
security forces did not allow the burial of two female (alleged)
terrorists in a cemetery in the city center. Without the
families' approval, public officers buried the bodies in the two
women's hometown of Eruh in Siirt province. People continued
their protests and engaged in clashes with police, who blockaded
the streets. Two military aircraft flew low over the city
(allegedly) to intimidate the people. DEHAP (Democratic
People's Party) sent a delegation to Siirt, comprising the
central administrative board members of the Party and mayors of
the region, in order to investigate the matter and generate a
report.

CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: The case of 72 security officers
accused of causing the death of ten prisoners and wounding
another twenty-three in Diyarbakir Prison in 1994 is still in
the courts nine years later. The case's conclusion has
repeatedly been delayed due to the frequent reshuffling of the
judicial board.

CUMHURIYET: The administrative investigation of four (Turkish
National Police) special operations team members involved in the
killing of Ugur and Ahmet Kaymaz has been finalized. The report,
prepared by three civil service inspectors and one police
inspector, was presented to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
It pointed out that since there is still a court case pending in
the matter, the administrative prosecution should wait for the
outcome of that process (the team members are being tried for
"transgressing the rules of necessary self defense and causing
the two killings whose perpetrator cannot be traced or
discovered.") On the question of whether or not the suspended
team members will be returned to their offices, the inspectors
said that it would be left to the sole discretion of the
Security Director's office. The report recommends that, should
the officers be returned to their positions, they be appointed
to a place other than Mardin.

YENI SAFAK: Yusuf Alatas, Chairperson of the Human Rights
Association, claimed that a de facto State of Emergency status
continues in eastern and southeastern Turkey. Alatas said that
the conditions in these regions should be brought by the GoT to
the agenda of the National Security Council, because
extrajudicial killings are (allegedly) being committed in the
region. (Note: The function of the Council is to submit to the
Council of Ministers its views on the implementation of national
security policy. End Note.)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

UNCLAS ADANA 000023

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 27, 2005

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 27,

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

VAKIT / OZGUR GUNDEM / MILLIYET / ZAMAN / HURRIYET / MILLI
GAZETE / YENI SAFAK / EVRENSEL / TURKIYE / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET:
After two people died in Hakkari yesterday in an earthquake
measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, people stayed outside all
night in freezing temperatures, fearing a quake with a bigger
magnitude. The Turkish Red Crescent sent 127 tents, 2000
blankets and 100 heaters to the site, established medical care
centers and delivered hot soup to people sheltered in the tents.
Civil defense teams from Van and Hakkari are working in the
region to help people experiencing hardships. With many
villages' roads blocked by heavy snowfall, the Governor of
Hakkari and Commando Brigade Commander flew over all the
villages by helicopter to determine which sites need urgent
help.

OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: Tension mounted in Siirt when
security forces did not allow the burial of two female (alleged)
terrorists in a cemetery in the city center. Without the
families' approval, public officers buried the bodies in the two
women's hometown of Eruh in Siirt province. People continued
their protests and engaged in clashes with police, who blockaded
the streets. Two military aircraft flew low over the city
(allegedly) to intimidate the people. DEHAP (Democratic
People's Party) sent a delegation to Siirt, comprising the
central administrative board members of the Party and mayors of
the region, in order to investigate the matter and generate a
report.

CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: The case of 72 security officers
accused of causing the death of ten prisoners and wounding
another twenty-three in Diyarbakir Prison in 1994 is still in
the courts nine years later. The case's conclusion has
repeatedly been delayed due to the frequent reshuffling of the
judicial board.

CUMHURIYET: The administrative investigation of four (Turkish
National Police) special operations team members involved in the
killing of Ugur and Ahmet Kaymaz has been finalized. The report,
prepared by three civil service inspectors and one police
inspector, was presented to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
It pointed out that since there is still a court case pending in
the matter, the administrative prosecution should wait for the
outcome of that process (the team members are being tried for
"transgressing the rules of necessary self defense and causing
the two killings whose perpetrator cannot be traced or
discovered.") On the question of whether or not the suspended
team members will be returned to their offices, the inspectors
said that it would be left to the sole discretion of the
Security Director's office. The report recommends that, should
the officers be returned to their positions, they be appointed
to a place other than Mardin.

YENI SAFAK: Yusuf Alatas, Chairperson of the Human Rights
Association, claimed that a de facto State of Emergency status
continues in eastern and southeastern Turkey. Alatas said that
the conditions in these regions should be brought by the GoT to
the agenda of the National Security Council, because
extrajudicial killings are (allegedly) being committed in the
region. (Note: The function of the Council is to submit to the
Council of Ministers its views on the implementation of national
security policy. End Note.)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS


1. ZAMAN: "The customs gate at the port of Iskenderun has been
modernized by means of significant automation project", said
Metin Yucedal, Chief Director of Customs at Iskenderun Customs
Directorate. He spoke during a meeting and awards ceremony
celebrating World Customs Day (January 26). At the meeting,
Abdulkadir Sari, Governor of Hatay, said that Hatay, with its $1
billion worth of exports, plays a substantial role in nourishing
good economic and cultural ties with Syria. The latest example
of this is a plan to build a dam between Hatay and Syria, said
Sari.

REID