SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JULY 18, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000171 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JULY 18, 2006 JACQUELINE H. IYIELMAThis is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for July 18, 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 RADIKAL/HURRIYET/BOLGE/EKSPRES/CUMHURIYET/YEN I SAFAK/SABAH: Turkish Government warned Iraq and the United States about PKK issue. After a cabinet meeting, the Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that PKK survived in Northern Iraq and that Iraq and the United States should remove it, otherwise Turkey would exercise its rights stemming from international law, hinting that Turkey would launch a cross border operation. Decisions undertaken at the cabinet meeting were conveyed to the Iraqi and American ambassadors as well. Justice Minister Cicek said that all demands from the military authorities for combating PKK would be fulfilled. RADIKAL/HURRIYET/EVRENSEL/SABAH: The United States has been providing full support to Israel's operations against Hizbullah and Hamas organizations on the ground that "Israel has the right to defend itself." In respond to Turkey's possible operation in Northern Iraq, the U.S ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, said that it would be wise if Turkey did not act unilaterally in this matter. RADIKAL/HURRIYET: As dead bodies of seven soldiers killed in clashes with PKK in Eruh district of Siirt were being buried in their hometowns -Polatli of Ankara, Ankara, Tunceli, Mersin, Tekirdag- people participating IN the funeral ceremonies expressed anger at PKK and asked the AKP government to resign. The wreath sent by Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu to the funeral was destroyed by an ultranationalist group in Ankara. The parliament's speaker, Bulent Arinc, urged Kurkish origin citizens to denounce PKK's terror. RADIKAL/ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer also endorsed the new anti-terror bill that passed from the parliament on June 29, 2006. According to the newly-adopted anti-terror law the following acts will be perceived as terror crimes: -Trafficking of immigrants, encouraging to commit suicide, attack at sexual inviolability, hindering education, hindering freedom of work and to work, qualified thievery, looting, deliberately endangering security, spreading radiation, causing an atomic explosion, illegal possession of hazardous materials, endangering individuals' lives by poisoning water and all sorts of other food items , drug trafficking and counterfeiting, creating panic and fear among people, encouraging people to commit crimes, praising a crime and a criminal, causing people to dislike to do their military service and encouraging soldiers to disobey orders, and all sorts of acts, other than plots to assassinate, against the president. -Those who disclose the names or identification of the officials who have worked in combating terrorism, and those who publish their names, and thus turn them into terrorists organizations' targets, and those who publish handouts and statements by terrorist organizations and disclose the defectors' identifications will be given up to three years of imprisonment in lieu of monetary fine, and their sentences will be increased by one-and-a-half times if they commit this act through press. -Meetings or demonstrations turned into organization's propaganda, covering up faces totally or partially for hiding identification, carrying emblems or signals of the organization in such a way that the carrier would be considered member or supporter of the organization, chanting slogans or broadcasting through sound devices or wearing signs and uniforms that belong to the terrorist organization will be punished up to five years. -Deliberately and willingly allowing to be used as an asset in the terrorist organization's activities will be punished like members of the organization and the license for the operation of an incorporate body will be annulled. -Cases concerning children 15 years AND OLDER will be handled by felony courts designated to rule terror crimes. -Law enforcement shall, without hesitation, use weapons against those who do not yield to "halt" warning in operations and who attempt to fire at security forces. HURRIYET: TAK (Tere Aazadiya Kurdistan) -Freedom Falcons of ADANA 00000171 002 OF 002 Kurdistan- a flank organization of PKK, has been included in Britain's list of terrorist organizations. PKK had been included in this list in 2001. HURRIYET/CUMHURIYET/YENI SAFAK: One policeman was killed as a result of gunfire by PKK militants at a check point in Ozalp township of Van, and a special team member was also killed in clashes in Gercus township of Batman. Two PKK militants, including a female, were killed in the latter clashes. EVRENSEL: The presidents of Bar Associations of Diyarbakir, Tunceli, Van, and Sirnak provinces mentioned that the violence in the region could not be resolved with extraordinary measures and considered statements by Prime Minister Erdogan "unfortunate." The presidents of the Bar Associations urged giving up unlawful and undemocratic approaches but creating a climate that would end the clashes. ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: Mehmet Karakus, the brother of HPG militant Ridvan Karakus who was one of the 7 guerillas killed in Besiri of Batman on August 26, 2005, claimed that his brother had been extra judicially killed after being captured alive, and that he would take the case to the court. ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: The Black Hawk Company, which has established bases in 16 countries in the world to protect strategic interests of the United States has established a base in Silopi township of Sirnak too. A mobile hospital, two helicopters for protection and assault purposes, and 300 vehicles equipped with arms will be deployed, and former MIT -Turkish National Intelligence- CIA, and FBI elements will be hired. It is reported that KBR has been awarded to construct the base from where it is claimed that illegal operations would be carried out against Kurds in opposition to Southern Kurds (Kurds in Norhern Iraq). ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: Hayri Kozakcioglu, one of the former Diyarbakir-based State of Emergency Rule Governors -enforced from 1987 until 2001- confessed that JITEM and secret organizations like it had been used to carry out illegal operations against PKK inside and outside the country. Kozakcioglu said that the parliament had been by-passed in external operations because of red tape. YENI SAFAK: Ground breaking ceremonies for the construction of Ilisu Dam on Tigris river will be held on Augus 5, 2006. Prime Minister Erdogan will attend the ceremonies of the dam that will submerge the historic Hasankeyf township. The hydro-electric plant to be constructed on the dam will have three 200 MW and is expected to be completed in 2013. REID