SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 28, 2004

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000003

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 28, 2004


This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for December 28,

2004. 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

MILLIYET / SABAH / OZGUR GUNDEM: 120 villagers had to migrate
from their towns due to the alleged oppressive attitude of Zeki
Mujde, the Agha of eight villages in Ercis, Van, (Note. Agha is
a rural landlord in Southeastern Turkey. End Note.) To
investigate the issue, the Ercis Prosecutor launched a judicial
process. It is claimed that the Agha (allegedly) forced the
villagers to migrate from the town because the villagers voted
for another candidate in the local elections on March 28, 2004
(that designates the administrative authority of a village.)
Niyazi Tanilir, the Governor of Van, called the villagers back
to their towns and said that Zeki Mujde will cover all the costs
of the villagers if they return

MILLI GAZETE / TERCUMAN / CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / MILLIYET /
ZAMAN / YENI SAFAK / EVRENSEL: The legal proceedings have
been started against villagers who threw stones and eggs to U.S.
experts that came to take the Tomahawk cruise missiles that
crashed in the field of a small village of Sanliurfa on March

2003. End Note.). The litigation is brought against 13 villagers
on the grounds that they damaged public property and they could
face up to 3 years of imprisonment. (Note. Villagers broke
several windows of the four vehicles carrying the experts. End
Note.) Mustafa Karakus, the administrative authority of the
village, said, "How come a public lawsuit can be brought against
us! It is us that should bring a lawsuit against the U.S.A that
dropped cruise missiles on our land. If that missile hit us
instead of the empty land, the whole village would be gone
forever. We will decide at the end of this legal proceeding
whether to bring a lawsuit against the U.S.A or not."

OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: Ten years ago, the response of
Human Rights Commission of the Turkish Assembly to an
application of one of the relatives of seven people that
disappeared in Mirik in the province of Tunceli was that seven
villagers might have been brought away by the illegal
organization (note: official reference to PKK/Kongra Gel. End
note.) since the seven people had not been involved in the
conflicts between eighteen terrorists and the security forces,
during the military operation conducted on September 21-2, 1994.
The Human Rights Commission of the Turkish Assembly further
stated that the district, where it was known that 8 people
lived, was found empty during the operation, but for the sheep
grazing on the empty land.

CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: The Human Rights Association
demanded that the people accountable for the mass graves in
Kulp, Diyarbakir, where the dead bodies of 11 villagers were
found, be found and an investigation be brought against the Bolu
Commando Brigade that conducted the operations in the region
then.(Note. allegedly in 1994. End Note.). It is (allegedly)
found out that Bolu Commando Brigade is also accountable for the
killing of 14 people during operations conducted at Zengok and
Altinova townships in Mus province and the disappearance of 2
people in Lice, Diyarbakir.


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS


1. BOLGE / TURKIYE / EKSPRES / VAKIT / MILLI GAZETE: As
compared to the figures of the previous year, the exports from
Turkey to the Middle East countries are breaking the records and
the volume of exports has increased by 40.9 percent. Mehmet
Hadra, President of the Turkish-Arab Businessmen Association,
said that it is pleasing that Arab businessmen prefer to import
from Turkey in the first place. Hadra pointed out that the
efforts of the Government (of Turkey) played a substantial role
in establishing the amicable trade relationships with Syria,
especially on the issue of a free trade zone agreement.



2. EKSPRES / BOLGE: Fethi Coskuntuncel, President of the
Adana Chamber of Commerce claimed that expanding the scope of
incentive with the introduction of the new Incentive Law would
negatively affect Adana's economy. Whereas the current incentive
law allowed the granting of subsidy to cities whose per capita
income is less than 1500 USD, the new law also grants subsidy to
cities whose per capita income is 2000 USD. According to
Coskuntuncel, if the new Law takes effect, Adana will fall
behind in the competition with the markets of Hatay,
Kahramanmaras, and Gaziantep, the cities that will also be
eligible for the incentive.


3. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): The businessmen who accompanied
President Erdogan on his visit to Syria brought back three
beneficial outcomes for the economy of Gaziantep. The first one
is the Free Trade Zone Agreement signed by the both countries.
The second one is that Syria is going to open a Consulate in
Gaziantep in the first quarter of 2005. Lastly, Gaziantep will
be included within the scope of the Incentive Law.

4. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Sunay Demircan, General
Coordinator of the EU Program in Turkey for Promoting
Non-Governmental Organizations, held a seminar called "EU
Projects: A General Overview and Basic Principles". The seminar
provided information to managers of NGOs in Adana on how to
benefit from the funds that EU makes available for the projects
of NGOs.










REID