SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MARCH 3-4, 2005

UNCLAS ADANA 000045 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MARCH 3-4, 2005 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for March 3-4, ¶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 SABAH (GUNEY): After the fake raki incident in Istanbul, observers noted that Adana's Hygiene and Health Institute Directorate does not own the equipment to test the genuineness of raki. Sabah Guney reports this is a "scandal." CUMHURIYET: During the funeral of Hasan Sigva, one of the most influential Naksibendi Sheikhs, thousands of people sang hymns and carried green flags (symbolizing "sharia," according to Cumhuriyet) in the Idil district of Sirnak. Reportedly attending the ceremony were Veli Seyda, Sirnak MP from AKP (Justice and Development Party); Resul Sadak, Idil Mayor; DEHAP (Democratic People's Party) leaders, and many fully veiled women. EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: During raids conducted in seven villages in the Ozalp District of Van, twenty-eight villagers were taken into custody on the grounds that "they aided and abetted the outlawed organization." (Note: this refers to the PKK terrorist group. End note.) Instead of sending detainees to a hospital, medical checks were (allegedly) unlawfully performed at the police station, according to Dincel Aslan, the villagers' attorney. The villagers claimed they had been beaten and treated badly. OZGUR GUNDEM: In Yuksekova, Hakkari province, more than ten thousand people attended the funeral of Yilmaz Buldan, an HPG (People's Protection Forces) member who was allegedly captured wounded, and then (allegedly) killed by security forces in Mardin on February 23, 2005. MILLIYET / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY) / EKSPRES: Abdulkadir Aksu, Minister of Internal Affairs, arrived in Adana to participate in a meeting called "Quality of Life Indicators." During his visit, Mr. Aksu paid visits to the Office of the Governor, Adana Municipality, Jandarma Regional Command, and to Seyhan and Yuregir District Municipalities. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ¶1. RADIKAL: According to Radikal, the BTC (Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline) project agreement stipulated that crude oil should begin to flow into tanks in Ceyhan (in Adana province) on May 10, 2005. Turkey is currently experiencing a delay in the construction of its section of the pipeline, which could postpone the flow into the Ceyhan tanks until late September 2005. ¶2. ZAMAN / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / BOLGE: The "Brand Name is Power" meeting, the eighth in a series of meetings organized by Dogan Publications Co. about EU-related issues, was held yesterday (Wednesday) at Hilton Hotel and hosted by Adana Chamber of Industry. At the end of the meeting, CNN Turk channel broadcasted the problems of the people of Adana on a live TV program of a well-known journalist, Mehmet Ali Birand. ¶3. MILLIYET / TURKIYE / EKSPRES / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY): In the run-up to Chamber elections last week, Aytac Durak, Mayor Of Adana, had openly taken a tough stance against Umit Ozgumus' candidacy for re-election to the office of Chairman of the Adana Chamber of Industry (ACI). Durak gave up his confrontational tone to shake hands with Ozgumus, who was re-elected. Fethi Coskuntuncel was re-elected as Chairman of Adana's Commodity of Exchange. In a competitive race for Chairmanship of the Adana Chamber of Commerce, Saban Bas faces his former Deputy Chair Halil Avci. ¶4. VAKIT / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / MILLIYET / RADIKAL: The shipment of goods from the Mersin Port and the Mersin Free Trade Zone to the Habur Border Gate was temporarily suspended due to the congestion at the Gate. State Minister Kursat Tuzmen stated that the inconvenient experiences at the Gate were caused by the Iraqi side's "inadequate management." Tuzmen added that, if there were no obstructions on the Iraq side of the border, congestion at the Gate would be eliminated within a week and the smooth flow of traffic would be resumed. REID