US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6857

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 006857 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, INR 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, PHUM, PINR, KNNP, TU 
SUBJECT: THE VIEW FROM SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY:  PART ONE 
 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 6163 
     B. ANKARA 6140 
     C. ANKARA 5566 
 
 
 CLASSIFIED BY W.S. REID III, PO AMCON ADANA, E.O. 12958, 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE MESSAGES ABOUT 
THE AMCON ADANA REPORTING TEAM VISIT TO SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY 
FROM SEPTEMBER 14-26. REFTELS REPORT SOME ASPECTS OF THIS 
TRIP.  THE REGION'S KURDISH POPULATION WAS DISTRUSTFUL OF 
STATE 
INITIATIVES; SAW THE "RETURN TO HOME" LAW AS 
INDISTINGUISHABLE 
FROM SIMILAR FAILED EFFORTS IN THE PAST AND EMPHASIZED THAT 
IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW REFORMS FELL FAR SHORT OF ENACTED 
LEGISLATION.  THEY ALSO HOPED THAT THE U.S. WOULD SUPPORT 
THE KURDISH CAUSE: GENERAL AMNESTY FOR PKK/KADEK; 
IMPLEMENTATION 
OF THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA; AND TURKISH AND EU ECONOMIC AND 
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION.  MANY 
CONTACTS 
OPPOSED SENDING TURKISH TROOPS IRAQ, WERE SKEPTICAL OF 
TURKEY'S 
IRAQ AGENDA, AND PROBED TEAM FOR U.S. INTENTIONS VIS-A-VIS 
PKK/KADEK IN NORTHERN IRAQ.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
ELAZIG - CALM BEFORE THE STORM? 
 
 
2. (SBU) ELAZIG WAS QUIET, FOCUSING ON MINING,QUARRIES AND 
TOURISM 
AT HARPUT AND NEARBY NEMRUT DAG.  HOWEVER, LOCAL BUSINESS 
LEADERS 
WORRIED THE PKK/KADEK WOULD GO ON OFFENSIVE AFTER THE END OF 
ITS UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE.  HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIALS CRITICIZED 
THE 
U.S. FOR "OCCUPYING IRAQ" AND CLAIMED THAT LOCAL JANDARMA 
WERE BEATING 
AND ARRESTING FAMILIES FROM ELAZIG WHO ATTENDED THE BURIALS 
OF 
DHKP-C MEMBERS IN NEIGHBORING BINGOL.  THE HRA SAID THAT 
ATTORNEY 
ACCESS TO DETAINEES WAS NOT A PROBLEM IN ELAZIG.  THE 
BUSTLING 
CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WAS VERY INTERESTED IN DOING 
RECONSTRUCTION 
BUSINESS IN IRAQ, EXPORTING MARBLE TO THE EU AND U.S., AND 
SEEKING 
FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN LOCAL MINING FOR CHROME, GOLD, 
COPPER,MARBLE 
AND PLATINUM. 
 
 
3. (C) A LOCAL TRIBAL CHIEFTAIN, WHO HAS BEEN LAUDED BY THE 
POPE 
FOR HIS LOCAL PEACE-BUILDING AND TRIBAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION, 
SAID 
THAT HE WAS ENCOURAGING THE SEVEN TRIBES THAT FOLLOW HIM TO 
SUPPORT 
THE TRUE PATH PARTY (DYP), NOT DEHAP, IN A BID TO "TURN AWAY 
FROM 
SUPPORTING VIOLENCE AND CHOOSING PEACE," BUT COMMENTED THAT 
"THE 
STATE IS LEAVING NO ROOM FOR A MIDDLE PEACEFUL WAY IN THE 
REGION." 
"IT'S FORCEFUL ATTITUDE," HE EXPLAINED, "PUSHES PEOPLE TOWARD 
THE 
GUERRILLAS  AND DEHAP OR PRESSURES THEM INTO FORCED 
COMPLIANCE 
WHICH THEY RESENT.  THEY FEEL POWERLESS AND DESPERATE ,AND 
THIS IS 
ALIENATING THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE REGION." 
 
 
TUNCELI - BEING KURDISH AND ALEVI IS BOTTOM OF THE BARREL 
 
 
4. (C) THE TUNCELI SUB-GOVERNOR REFLECTED ON THE RECENT 
ATTACK ON 
GOVERNOR, WHO HE SAID "IS NOT REGULARLY SEEING VISITORS NOW." 
 HE 
NOTED THAT, OTHER THAN THE ATTACK, "THINGS ARE CALM AND THE 
ELECTRICITY IS FLOWING TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC GRID," 
HIGHLIGHTING 
WHAT HE APPARENTLY CONSIDERED TUNCELI'S CHIEF CONTRIBUTION TO 
NATIONAL PROSPERITY - HYDROELECTRIC POWER. 
5.(C) IN A REMINDER OF THE GOT'S CONTINUING SECURITY CONCERNS 
IN TUNCELI, TWO AH-1 COBRAS AND UH-1 SAT ON A PAD NEXT TO THE 
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON SEPT. 15-16. THE TWO COBRAS WERE LINKED 
TO 
STARTER CARTS AND ARMED WITH ROCKET PODS.  ON BOTH DAYS THE 
UH-1 
FLEW LOW OVER SURROUNDING HILLS.  LOCAL LEADERS, INCLUDING 
THE CHP 
MAYOR, BLAMED THE LACK OF GOT INVESTMENT IN THE REGION ON GOT 
INDIFFERENCE TO THE PROVINCE'S ALEVI POPULATION AND HISTORY 
OF KADEK 
AND DHKP-C OPERATIONS.  THE MAYOR OUTLINED REPEATED FAILED 
EFFORTS 
TO RECEIVE HOUSING AND EDUCATION INVESTMENT, DESPITE THREE 
PLANS 
SUBMITTED TO TWO PRIME MINISTERS AND PRESIDENT SEZER.  LOCAL 
ALEVI 
CONTACTS SAID THEY WERE ALIENATED BY PM ERDOGAN'S COMMENTS 
MARGINALIZING ALEVI PRACTICES AS CULTURE, NOT RELIGION.  THEY 
SAID 
THAT THEIR ALIENATION AND ISOLATION HAD NOT CHANGED THEIR 
POLITICAL 
ORIENTATION (I.E.,SHIFT AWAY FROM CHP VOTING), BUT SAID THAT 
THEY 
WOULD HOPE THAT A FUTURE EU TURKEY WOULD END ITS STATE AID TO 
MOSQUES 
AND ORGANIZED RELIGION, DEVOTING MONEY INSTEAD TO SCHOOLS AND 
INFRASTRUCTURE. 
 
 
6. (SBU) TUNCELI BUSINESS PEOPLE HOPED TO LURE BACK BIG GAME 
HUNTERS FROM THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIA WHO USED TO COME IN THE 
1960-70'S TO HUNT BIGHORN SHEEP AND WILD BOAR, AND FISH FOR 
RENOWNED RED SPECKLED TROUT.  THESE HOPES WERE STILL HAMPERED 
BY THE LACK OF HOTEL INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUESTIONABLE SECURITY 
IN HUNTING AREAS. 
 
 
BINGOL - EARTHQUAKE FAULT LINES, POLITICAL SPLITS 
 
 
7. (SBU) THERE WERE STILL AT LEAST 10,000 PEOPLE IN TENTS AND 
MAKESHIFT DWELLINGS IN BINGOL AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS DUE 
TO 
THE SPRING 2003 EARTHQUAKE.  SHATTERED AND DAMAGED BUILDINGS 
STRETCHED AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE IN BOTH THE CITY AND 
SURROUNDING VILLAGES.  THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WAS STILL 
STANDING, 
BUT CRACKS WERE VISIBLE IN ALMOST EVERY WALL, EVEN IN THE 
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.  THE BUILDING FORMERLY HOUSING THE 
MAYOR'S 
OFFICE WERE BEING DEMOLISHED BECAUSE ITS STRUCTURE WAS SO 
DAMAGED 
BY THE EARTHQUAKE. THE MAYOR STARTED OPERATING FROM A 
PRE-FABRICATED 
BUILDING IN AUGUST AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF OPERATING FROM A 
TENT 
OR FROM THE OPEN.  WINTER COULD BRING MORE SERIOUS SUFFERING 
AS 
ONLY A FEW GOT-FINANCED SHOW HOUSING PROJECTS, USING RIGOROUS 
POST-YALOVA BUILDING STANDARDS, WILL BE FINISHED BY FEBRUARY. 
 
 
MUCH RE-BUILDING IS HAMPERED BY SKYROCKETING BUILDING 
MATERIAL 
PRICES AND CONTRACTOR PRICE-GOUGING. 
 
 
8. (C) THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE WAS AS SHATTERED AND BLEAK AS 
THE 
PHYSICAL ONE.  THE DEHAP MUNICIPALITY AND THE GOVERNOR'S 
OFFICE 
HAVE BEEN AT LOGGERHEADS SINCE THE EARTHQUAKE. STARTING WITH 
THE 
FIRST HOURS FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE, THE GOT DEMONSTRATED 
THAT 
IT WAS DETERMINED TO ASSERT ITS CONTROL OVER THE POLITICAL 
LANDSCAPE.  IN EARLY CRISIS MEETINGS, THE GOVERNOR EXCLUDED 
ALL 
MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS, ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR, AND ORDERED 
VOLUNTARY 
RELIEF SUPPLIES FROM OTHER DEHAP MUNICIPALITIES IN 
SOUTHEASTERN 
TURKEY CONFISCATED.  THE CONFISCATIONS, WHICH WERE CONFIRMED 
BY 
OTHER DEHAP MAYORS AND SUB-MAYORS, EXTENDED THE WOUNDS FELT 
IN 
BINGOL'S POLITICAL CIRCLES TO THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST REGION. 
THE 
GOVERNOR EXPLAINED TO PO THAT THESE STEPS REFLECTED HIS 
ASSESSMENT 
THAT KADEK AND DEHAP WERE SYNONYMOUS,THAT DEHAP WAS PURSUING 
AN 
AGENDA THAT THE LOCAL KURDISH POPULACE DID NOT SUPPORT, AND 
THAT 
HE WAS DETERMINED TO DENY DEHAP/KADEK ANY OPPORTUNITY TO 
EXPLOIT 
THE DISASTER. 
 
 
9. (C) BINGOL POLITICAL CIRCLES WERE DEEPLY ALIENATED, AND 
LOCAL 
BUSINESS LEADERS EXPECTED THAT LOCAL DISENCHANTMENT WITH THE 
BITTER MUNICIPAL-GOVERNORATE STANDOFF WOULD LEAD TO THE 
ELECTION 
OF A NON-DEHAP, INDEPENDENT LOCAL CANDIDATE WHO IS FAVORABLY 
VIEWED IN REGIONAL TRIBAL POLITICS.  THE SAME LEADERS WARNED 
THAT THE POLARIZATION THIS STANDOFF FOSTERED COULD PROVE 
FERTILE 
GROUND FOR PKK/KADEK TO EXPLOIT.  ELAZIG TRIBAL CONTACTS WITH 
BINGOL FAMILY TIES REPORTED INCREASED OPEN KADEK MOVEMENT INTO 
BINGOL'S MOUNTAIN VILLAGES IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. 
 
 
10. (C) ON SEPTEMBER 16 REPORTING TEAM SAW HEAVY JANDARMA 
PATROLLING IN BINGOL PROVINCE, INCLUDING A COMPANY-STRENGTH J 
ANDARMA PATROL BETWEEN BINGOL CITY AND THE PROVINCIAL BORDER 
WITH NEIGHBORING MUS PROVINCE.  THERE ALSO WERE AT LEAST 
THREE 
JANDARMA APCS IN BINGOL CITY AS WELL AS OVER 25 JANDARMA 
ROVERS 
LOADED WITH TROOPS IN FIELD UNIFORMS WITH NON-GARRISON 
EQUIPMENT, 
AND CAMOUFLAGED FACES. 
 
 
MUS - A NEW MIDDLE EAST BREADBASKET, ANKARA HOPES 
 
 
11. (SBU)  MUS IS LARGE FLAT PLAIN WHICH THE GOT HOPES WILL 
AGAIN BECOME THE BREADBASKET THAT IT WAS AT THE TURN OF THE 
TWENTIETH CENTURY.  NOW THAT TWO NEW DAMS PROMISE 
BETTER-REGULATED 
IRRIGATION AND INCREASED HYDRO-ELECTRIC RESOURCES AND THE 
PROSPECT 
OF RENEWED TRADE WITH IRAQ AND SYRIA IS ON THE HORIZON, THE 
GOT, 
ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, HOPES TO SEE NEW HERDS OF 
MUS-BRED LIVESTOCK AND FEEDCROPS SUPPLYING THE BROADER MIDDLE 
EAST REGION. 
 
 
12. (C) LOCAL POLITICS SEEMED CALM AND NEITHER LOCAL CONTACTS 
NOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT SECURITY 
PROBLEMS 
IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.  THERE SEEMED TO BE AN EASY 
CO-EXISTENCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL TRIBAL LEADERS 
UNDERPINNING THIS RELATIVE CALM AND A MUTUAL INTEREST IN 
BUILDING A BETTER GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MODEL. 
A PRIVATELY-FINANCED, NEW EASTERN ANATOLIA PROGRAM (DAP) 
"BUSINESS HOTEL" AND A RELATIVELY WELL-DEVELOPED REGIONAL 
AIRPORT WERE  EXAMPLES OF THIS NEW EFFORT, BUT THE LOCAL 
MAYOR WARNED TEAM NOT TO READ TOO MUCH INTO THE EFFORTS 
TO DATE.  HE SAID THAT HE HAD FOCUSED ON MARKETING THE 
NATURAL 
TULIPS FROM MUS, REPUTEDLY WHERE THE OTTOMAN TULIP CRAZE 
BEGAN, 
TO INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES, BUT RECEIVED LITTLE GOVERNMENT 
HELP BECAUSE "I DO NOT HAVE A 'MADE IN ANKARA' STAMP ON MY 
PROJECT LIKE THE CATTLE AND CORN PEOPLE." 
13. (C) LOCAL BUSINESSMEN AND LAWYERS SAID THAT THE GOT AND 
SEVERAL BIG FAMILIES WERE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING LIVESTOCK 
AND AGRI-BUSINESS, BUT LITTLE HAD MATERIALIZED, AND 
GOVERNMENT 
KNOWLEDGE OF AGRI-BUSINESS WAS POOR.  ONE CONTACT SAID THAT 
"THEY DECIDED TO BUILD THE DAMS FIRST AND NOW THEY HAVE 
DECIDED 
TO USE THE WATER TO FEED LIVESTOCK. WE'LL SEE; WE HAVE NOT 
SEEN 
THE DEMAND YET," HE CAUTIONED. LAWYERS IN TOWN NONETHELESS 
SAID 
THAT THE MOOD WAS POSITIVE AND EXPECTANT, AND THAT THERE WERE 
FEW DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN LOCAL ETHNIC GROUPS AND THE GOT 
APPARATUS.  THERE WERE NO REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH LAWYER 
ACCESS 
TO DETAINEES, AND SEVERAL LAWYERS SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN 
SUCCESSFUL PETITIONS TO NAME LOCAL CHILDREN WITH TRADITIONAL 
KURDISH NAMES, ALTHOUGH THEY NOTED THAT MOST FAMILIES STILL 
SELF-CENSORED PROPOSALS TO USE POLITICALLY-ORIENTED KURDISH 
NAMES. 
EDELMAN