SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 12, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000138 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 12, 2006 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for June 12, ¶2006. 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 ¶2. RADIKAL / EVRENSEL: RTUK (Higher Board of Radio and Television) has decided that time restrictions it has imposed on broadcasts in different languages and dialects are removed for cultural programs, such as movies and music programs. Radio and TV stations are still to use Turkish subtitles during such programs. (Note: RTUK had initially imposed that radio stations could broadcast maximum one hour a day and a total of five hours a week in different languages, and TV stations could broadcast maximum 45 minutes a day and a total of four hours a week. End Note.) ¶3. EVRENSEL / YENI SAFAK: During the conference held in Diyarbakir on June 11 by the Diyarbakir Initiative for Peace, some speakers including the Diyarbakir Bar Association Chairperson Sezgin Tanrikulu, expressed views demanding that the PKK to lay down arms unilaterally and relinquish using arms for its strategic pursuits. No businessmen reportedly appeared in the conference, which was organized by local businessmen (see press summaries 06/05 and 09). ¶4. OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily reported that businessmen, intelligentsia, representatives of civil society, politicians and academicians attended the conference in Diyarbakir. Chairperson of Diyarbakir chapter of Human Rights Association said that a strong initiative for peace should be established through joining those efforts undertaken for peace. ¶5. OZGUR GUNDEM: A person called Yasar Akikol has been arrested in connection with the killing of Selahattin Aksu and his seven-year-old child in Mardin's Kiziltepe district (see press summaries 06/08 and 09). Kiziltepe Jandarma Command officials reportedly found a gun, a hand grenade and two thousand roots of Cannabis plant, and a cigarette butt stained with blood in the field which belonged to Akikol. The field was next to the area where the father and daughter were killed. ¶6. ZAMAN: The daily claims that for the first time DTP and Human Rights Association (HRA) held different opinions on an issue. Concerning the killing of Aksu and his daughter on June 3 in Kiziltepe, an HRA report said that paramilitary forces engaged in illegal drug business might have committed the crime, whereas the report of DTP said the event might have been an act of (illegal) gangs which embedded themselves in the state structure. ¶7. ZAMAN / SABAH / RADIKAL / HURRIYET / EVRENSEL / YENI SAFAK: Two soldiers were killed in an attack on an armed group targeting a military convoy in Tunceli, said Evrensel daily. The other dailies reported that PKK terrorists attacked a military vehicle carrying two detainees accused of harboring PKK members to the Tunceli Jandarma Command. Two soldiers were killed; two detainees and five soldiers have been wounded. Radikal daily separately noted that, as the military deployments in the border area had continued for two months, Kayseri Commando Brigade and Yuksekova Jandarma Command had recently dispatched a 150-vehicle military convoy, part of which has been sent to Semdinli. The rest of the convoy arrived at the border area with Iraq. ¶8. ZAMAN: Aydin Budak, Mayor of Sirnak's Cizre district, has been sentenced to one year and three months in prison for praising the terrorist organization (PKK) and its leader on January 14 during an event held by the municipality which was also broadcast by Roj TV. (This summary is from 06/10 edition) ¶9. HURRIYET: Ersan Nazlier, who joined the ranks of the PKK in 2004, was reportedly heavily tortured when he attempted to run away from the PKK. Nazlier, who was left unconscious in Sirnak's Idil district, and who has lost his left arm because of gangrene that resulted from alleged torture, was found by security officers and hospitalized. ¶10. SABAH (GUNEY): Siirt Jandarma Command officials searched a car in Siirt's Kurtalan district and seized two undocumented shotguns and 865 grams of hashish. ¶11. EVRENSEL: A group of young people from Diyarbakir's Dicle district stood one night on guard in Batman's Hasankeyf district to protest the Ilisu Dam Project which will submerge part of the ancient Hasankeyf city. ADANA 00000138 002 OF 002 ¶12. SABAH (GUNEY): A ceremony has been held in Bitlis's Tatvan district to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of 13 villagers by PKK members 14 years ago. Goevrnor, Mayor and Security Director of Bitlis and 6th Armored Brigade Commander attended the ceremony. ¶13. OZGUR GUNDEM: Trucks carrying LPG are piling up at the Habur border gate in Sirnak to form a five-kilometer-queue as they wait for procedures to be completed to enter Iraq. This has been creating an environment under high risk of explosion. The weather temperature in Sirnak is currently 45 degrees Celsius. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ¶1. BOLGE / YENI SAFAK: It is envisaged that the Regional Development Agencies will initially be established in Izmir, Adana and Mersin. DPT (State Planning Authority) is planning to establish development agencies in 12 different regions in Turkey. The mission of the agencies will be to decrease the gaps between development rates of different regions. ¶2. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): The ready-to-wear industrialists in Adana, who attended Gaziantep's Iraq Fair, claimed that no Iraqis participated in the fair. 06/10 edition of Sabah's Guney supplement reported that Deputy Chairperson of Iraqi Industrial Federations and Iraqi Commerce Minister separately paid a visit to the chairperson of Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce and stressed the importance of the fair. Yeni Safak daily described the fair as a very successful organization which has been attended by a range of countries from Far East to Africa. 1000 companies from 35 countries have reportedly attended the event. ¶3. SABAH (GUNEY): Gaziantep's Chamber of Commerce (GCC) and Chamber of Commerce in Hama city of Syria have signed a protocol to be sister chambers. GCC chairperson said that Free Trade Agreement that became effective between Turkey and Syria would boost commercial relationships. GCC has also signed protocol agreements with chambers of commerce and trade in Suleymaniyah, Dahuk and Arbil provinces in Iraq. ¶4. SABAH (GUNEY): Yuksekova Subgovernor has reportedly embarked upon efforts to coordinate people in the district in order to revive agricultural production through offering trainings and technical supplies to farmers. ¶5. EVRENSEL: Farmers in Diyarbakir's Lice district started cultivating capers. REID