SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 1, 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000070

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 1, 2005

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 01,

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

TERCUMAN / TURKIYE / VAKIT: After the resignation of five CHP
(Republican People's Party) deputies last Monday, Diyarbakir CHP
deputy Muhsin Kocyigit resigned from his party, as well.

HURRIYET / EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: The "human shields"
traveling in southeast Turkey made a press announcement and
declared that they will change their initial route and head
toward the Gabar Mountain, since operations in the Cudi
Mountains have allegedly ended. Seventy-seven human shields
coming from Germany, Istanbul and Batman, and 23 human shields
coming from Adana, Antep and Hatay were allegedly briefly
detained after their press statement. Osman Gunes, Sirnak
Governor, announced that the human shield initiative would
present security concerns and would disrupt peace among people.


HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): The policies of Kaya Mutlu, the former
Mersin Mayor who served Mersin for three terms in office, are
now under criticism. He reportedly had been too permissive in
response to the influx of people migrating from southeastern
Turkey to Mersin, which some believe shaped the roots and causes
of the "flag crisis."

EKSPRES / BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY): Mersin Municipality made
available 5,000 free Turkish flags to citizens, who formed long
queues in front of the Municipality to get one. Before the flag
delivery began, Macit Ozcan, Mersin Mayor, said, "Not only in
Mersin, but all throughout Turkey, people showed their concern
about the attempt to burn the flag...As the Municipality of
Mersin, we have been the ones to feel the deepest disappointment
regarding the event."

OZGUR GUNDEM: The Mersin Prosecutor allegedly violated the
new Turkish Penal Code by arresting an 11-year-old child, who is
accused of attacking the (Turkish) flag in Mersin. The new penal
code (note: originally due to come into force April 1, but the
implementation of which has been postponed until June 1)
stipulates that children under 12 do not have criminal liability
and cannot be arrested.

SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / EKSPRES: The Adana Branch of the
Turkish Journalists Union and Cukurova Journalists Association
initiated a campaign to press for an amendment to the new
Turkish Penal Code (TPC). The say the new code will hinder the
way the journalists do their jobs in Turkey. During the
campaign, people will be invited to sign a petition against the
limitations in the TPC and wear a black ribbon as a sign of
protest.

EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: Irfan Ucar, Publishing Director of
Ozgur Gundem, said that there were 273 ongoing lawsuits against
the paper. Ozgur Gundem, demanding that the restrictions against
press in the new TPC be done away with, cites a legal complaint
against them by Namik Dursun (Tunceli Jandarma Commander) as the
latest instance (Note: Though the news report does not
elaborate, this latter instance is likely related to the case
highlighted in Adana 0029).

EVRENSEL: A man in Adana filed a complaint with the Adana
Prosecutor against Himi zkk,theChef f Staff, and Mehmet
Ekinci MH (atina Movement Party) Deputy National
Chairperson, accusing Ozkok of provoking hostility among Kurds
and Turks, and Ekinci of making insulting remarks (about Kurds)
on a TV program.

RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: A 55-year-old female, Sultan
Erkus, was killed by the blast of a land mine when she stepped
on the mine as she was grazing her farm animals in the Hazro
district of Diyarbakir.

BOLGE: Kemal Sag, Adana MP from CHP (Republican People's
Party),extended support to TEKEL (State Tobacco Company)
workers and said that he would participate in the mass rally
against privatization to be held on April 3 in Adana.

BOLGE / ZAMAN / EKSPRES: Abdullah Dogru, AKP (Justice and
Development Party) Provincial Chairperson, evaluated AKP Mayors'
activities at their one-year mark in office and said that people
in Adana praised the services rendered by the Yuregir, Seyhan
and Adana mayors. Dogru criticized Adana AKP Mayor Aytac Durak,
however, for mentioning the name of a specific bidding company
when criticizing the cleaning services tender of the Seyhan
Municipality. Later in his remarks, Dogru solicited support from
the media against people who seek personal profit by abusing the
names of people in the administrative ranks of AKP - himself
included - and AKP deputies: "Spit on the faces of such people
and send them all the way back", said Dogru.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. ZAMAN / EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE: Moldovan
Ambassador to Ankara, Victor Tvircun, paid a visit to Cahit
Kirac, Adana Governor; Aytac Durak, Mayor of Adana; and Umit
Ozgumus, Chairperson of the Adana Chamber of Industry (ACI).
Tvircun drew attention to the trade and investment potential
both of Adana and Moldova during his visit.


2. BOLGE: ISDEMIR (Iskenderun Iron and Steel factory) in
Hatay, whose profits and export volume reached record-breaking
figures last year, continued to fare well in the first quarter
of 2005, with the export volume reaching $77 million.

REID