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.


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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