UNCLAS ADANA 000055

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MARCH 17, 2005


This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for March 17,

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

EVRENSEL: U.S. pressure mounting on Syria has been distressing
the Turkish citizens living in Hatay province. Mehmet Karasu,
Cairperson of Hatay Social Soldarity and Culture Association,
criticizing the Turkish government for siding with the U.S.,
said "U.S. threats against Middle East will gravely affect Hatay
and people will migrate from Syria to Turkey. All the people in
Hatay should come out on to the streets to protest a possible
attack of the U.S. on Syria".

BOLGE: During a lunch PM Erdogan was having with 20 MPs,
Ayhan Zeynep Tekin Boru, an Adana MP from AKP (Justice and
Development Party), complainted to the Premier about Binali
Yildirim, Minister of Transportation, and how Yildirim
disregarded the report Boru has submitted to him on
irregularities in Turk Telekom (Turkish Telecommunications
Co.).

ZAMAN: Jvrg Metger, the German Federal Republic's Deputy
Chief of Mission, payed a visit to Adana's Deputy Governor
Mehmet Demir. Metger stated that he would be having a series of
meetings with several authorities in Adana and Hatay provinces.


OZGUR GUNDEM: The human rights report of DEHAP (Democratic
People's Party) expressed that charges reportedly were brought
and prosecutions started against 177 (DEHAP) party members and
representatives of democratic mass organizations in the last two
months because of demonstrations and activities they carried
out. According to the report, one person was allegedly killed
extra-judicially, five people lost their lives because of
torture, 333 people were taken into custody and 106 people were
sentenced.

OZGUR GUNDEM: Some villagers, who returned to their villages
in the southeastern region of Turkey in 2001 after being
displaced in 1994, reportedly are being forced to enroll as
village guards by military units. The six villagers (allegedly)
had to take up arms forcibly; others were reportedly given
notice and allowed a specified time to do the same. The
villagers conveyed their complaints about the issue to Goc-Der
(Migrators' Solidarity and Culture Association)

SABAH (GUNEY): Gokhan Gundogdu, son of Yunus Gundogdu, a
businessman who founded Gundogdu Private Schools in Adana, came
back to Adana after successfully completing his university
studies at Hartwick College, where he earned a $100,000 worth of
scholarship to study economics and business administration. Upon
his return to Adana, Gundogdu has embarked upon founding a
library in their private schools, giving the library the name
"John Clemens" to honor the founder of Hartwick College in the
U.S.

BOLGE / EKSPRES: Adana Deputy Governor Nevzat Ergun, Adana
Mayor Aytac Durak, and many visitors participated in the opening
of a photographic exhibition of Haluk Uygur which emphasized and
celebrated the simultaneous presence of various religious
beliefs in Turkey, where the majority is comprised of Muslims.
Adana American Consul Walter Scott Reid participated in the
event as well and was quoted as saying "It is not surprising to
see the presence of a variety of religious faiths in Turkey,
since Anatolia has been a cradle for ages for a number of
faiths, many of which originated here".

CUMHURIYET: Walter Russel Mead, one of the prominent minds of
the Council on Foreign Relations, which is an organization
renowned for establishing the guidelines of U.S. foreign policy,
said that the establishment of a Kurdish state would not comply
with the national interests of the U.S.



REID