US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6861

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006861 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, INR 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, PHUM, PINR, KNNP, TU 
SUBJECT: THE VIEW FROM SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY:  PART THREE 
 
 
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:  THE IS THE THIRD OF THREE MESSAGES ABOUT THE 
AMCON ADANA REPORTING TEAM VISIT TO SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY FROM 
SEPTEMBER 14-26. REFTELS REPORT ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS 
TRIP.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
HAKKARI - VIOLENCE IN THE AIR, TRASH IN THE STREETS 
 
 
2. (C) TRAVELING INTO HAKKARI SAW EVEN GREATER INTIMIDATION 
EFFORTS WITHOUT ANY OF THE SUBTLETY SEEN IN VAN.  AK-47 
TOTING POLICE LINED THE STREETS; THREE POLICE DIGITAL CAMERAS 
TURNED ON CONSULATE VEHICLE UPON ARRIVAL AT SUB-GOVERNOR'S 
OFFICE IN YUKSEKOVA; SWARMING PLAINCLOTHES POLICE PREVENTED 
TEAM FROM TALKING TO ANYONE ON THE STREET; POLICE PREVENTED 
PO ACCESS TO A LOCAL INTERNET CAFE.  THE GOVERNOR ABRUPTLY 
CANCELLED A MEETING AND SHUNTED THE TEAM TO THE SUB-GOVERNOR 
IN NEARBY YUKSEKOVA.  THE 15-KM ROAD BETWEEN HAKKARI AND 
YUKSEKOVA WAS STREWN WITH REFUSE.  IN YUKSEKOVA, THE 
SUB-GOVERNOR, WHO WAS AWARDED THE SUB-GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR 
AWARD FOR 2002, LECTURED PO ABOUT HOW THE PKK/KADEK WAS 
"ALIVE ONLY BECAUSE OF FOREIGN INFLUENCES AND THAT IT IS TIME 
THAT YOU ENDED THOSE FOREIGN INFLUENCES ONCE AND FOR ALL. THE 
IRANIANS ARE GIVING US RESPECT SINCE YOU PUT THEM ON YOUR 
LIST AND SYRIA DOES NOT KNOW WHO IS NEXT. NOW CRUSH THE PKK 
IN IRAQ AND IT IS DONE," HE ASSERTED.  HE ADDED THAT THERE 
ARE "NO LOCAL PROBLEMS HERE" WHEN ASKED WHY THERE WERE 
200-300 AK-47-TOTING POLICE IN THE STREETS, ADDED" THEY ARE 
TO SHOW HOSPITALITY TO YOU AND IT WILL CONTINUE AT YOUR HOTEL 
TONIGHT"  TRUE TO HIS WORD, THE TEAM'S HOTEL WAS SWARMED BY 
POLICE AND SECURITY, AND ANY LOCALS WHO APPROACHED TEAM 
MEMBERS WERE STOPPED AND QUESTIONED. 
 
 
3. (C) THE LOCAL DEHAP MAYOR LASHED OUT AT THE SUB-GOVERNOR, 
DETAILING HOW THE GOVERNOR AND SUB-GOVERNOR REFUSE TO INCLUDE 
HIM AND OTHER MUNICIPAL FIGURES IN LOCAL CEREMONIES AND EVEN 
REFUSE TO SHAKE HIS HAND.  "YOU HAVE SEEN THE RIVER," HE 
SAID," WE NEED SCHOOLS AND WASTE TREATMENT. WE ARE STARVING 
AND DYING SLOWLY HERE AND THEY DENY EVERYTHING," HE CLAIMED. 
ASKED ABOUT INTEREST IN THE "RETURN TO HOME" LAW, HE 
DISMISSED THE LEGISLATION AS "JUST THE SAME GOVERNMENT STUFF 
AS BEFORE. WHY SHOULD WE TRUST ANY OF THEM?  SOME FAMILIES 
ARE EVEN MORE DETERMINED NOW THAN BEFORE TO KEEP THEIR FAMILY 
IN THE HILLS FIGHTING."  HE ADMITTED THAT THIS REACTION WAS 
NOT UNIVERSAL IN THE LOCAL MOOD, BUT WAS SHARED BY MORE THAN 
A FEW ISOLATED FAMILIES.  ASKED ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE 
LEARNING ABOUT THE RETURN TO HOME LAW AND EU REFORM PACKAGES, 
HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM PRO-PKK/KADEK 
MEDYA TV, OZGUR GUNDEM (A TURKISH-LANGUAGE PRO-KURDISH DAILY 
NEWSPAPER), AND TURKISH NEWS BROADCASTS.  HE SAID THAT THERE 
WAS A DEMAND FOR KURDISH LANGUAGE BASIC EDUCATION IN HAKKARI, 
BUT THE GOVERNMENT STIFLED EVEN STREET CONVERSATION IN 
KURDISH SOMETIMES AND BROWBEAT THOSE WHO TRIED TO REGISTER 
CHILDRENS' NAMES IN KURDISH, ALTHOUGH HE CONCEDED THAT SOME 
FAMILIES IN RECENT MONTHS SUCCESSFULLY HAD REGISTERED 
NON-POLITICAL KURDISH NAMES "IF YOU KNOW WHICH CLERK TO ASK 
AND WHEN." 
 
 
4. (SBU) YUKSEKOVA'S BUSINESS WAS A CURIOUS HIGH-LOW MIX. 
BRAND NEW JAPANESE AND EUROPEAN-BUILT CARS SPORTING ISTANBUL 
LICENSE PLATES WERE ON SALE AT MAKESHIFT LOTS AND WERE SEEN 
DRIVING DOWN THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE, WHICH IS GRAVEL AND DIRT, 
ALONGSIDE THE LOCAL POPULATION'S PONYCARTS AND ANCIENT 
TRUCKS.  MANY STORE FRONTS CATERED TO LOCAL BUDGETS WITH 
LOCAL DRIED FOODS, LOCAL HONEY AND BREADS AND CHEESE OR, 
ALTERNATIVELY, SPORTED GLITZY, HIGH-END TURKISH AND 
EUROPEAN-MANUFACTURED APPLIANCES AND CONSUMER GOODS THAT ONE 
LOCAL BYSTANDER SIMPLY DESCRIBED SOMEWHAT ENVIOUSLY TO PO AS 
"THE THINGS THAT ONLY THE POLICE OR IRANIANS CAN AFFORD TO 
BUY." 
 
 
5. (C) A HAKKARI LAWYER REPORTED CONSIDERABLE GOT CRACKDOWNS 
ON LOCAL KURDISH ETHNIC ACTIVITY.  FOR EXAMPLE, A LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WHO EXPLAINED BEEKEEPING PRACTICES TO 
VILLAGERS IN KURDISH AFTER REALIZING THEY COULD NOT 
UNDERSTAND TURKISH WAS SANCTIONED, ALTHOUGH HE ULTIMATELY 
RETAINED HIS JOB.  THERE WAS ONE UNCONFIRMED REPORT FROM 
HAKKARI THAT A YUKSEKOVA-AFFILIATED VILLAGE GUARD WHO HAD 
BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ALLEGED ASSAULT HAD BEEN PUNISHED BY 
BEING DRAGGED BEHIND A VEHICLE UP AND DOWN THE MAIN AVENUE. 
ASKED WHY NO ONE IN YUKSEKOVA WOULD RAISE THIS INCIDENT WITH 
US, OUR CONTACT HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE ISSUE WAS AN INTERNAL 
INVOLVING A POWERFUL LOCAL TRIBAL LEADER AND THE GOT WAS 
"STAYING OUT OF IT." 
6. (C) THIS CONTACT SAID OTHER AREA LAWYERS URGED HER TO TAKE 
ON POLITICALLY-SENSITIVE CASES BECAUSE OF GOT INTIMIDATION 
AGAINST THEM.  SHE SAID GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS PREVENTED 
LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATIONS FROM FORMING IN SMALL TOWNS, AND THE 
ABSENCE OF A LOCAL BAR GROUP MEANT THAT AUTHORITIES COULD 
MORE EASILY INTIMIDATE LAWYERS WHO TOOK ON CONTROVERSIAL 
CASES. 
 
 
7. (C) ALONG THE HAKKARI-YUKSEKOVA ROAD, REPORTING TEAM MET A 
TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES TEAM ON PATROL.  WHEN PO ATTEMPTED TO 
ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION, THEIR SERGEANT HERDED THEM OFF. 
ALONG THE SAME ROAD THERE WERE NEWLY-BUILT FORTIFICATIONS 
EVERY FEW KILOMETERS, A SMALL, NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED 
FORTIFICATION AT THE BRIDGE LEADING INTO HAKKARI PROPER, AND 
A RECENTLY-CONSTRUCTED HELICOPTER PAD IN AN OPEN FIELD ON THE 
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE. 
 
 
SIRNAK AND SILOPI, HABUR GATE 
 
 
8. (C) BUSINESS CONTACTS IN CIZRE (SIRNAK PROVINCE), SAID 
RENEWED BORDER TRADE THROUGH THE HABUR GATE WAS SLOWLY 
INCREASING.  TRADE, HOWEVER, WAS HAMPERED BY LIMITED CAPACITY 
TO TRANSIT THE GATE, HIGH OR UNAVAILABLE PREMIUMS ON CAPITAL 
GOODS NECESSARY TO TRANSPORT TO NORTHERN IRAQ TO FULFILL 
PROPOSED CONTRACTS, AND SECURITY CONCERNS IN CENTRAL IRAQ. 
LOCAL BUSINESSMEN LOBBIED FOR A QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL ZONE TO 
BE ESTABLISHED IN SIRNAK PROVINCE NEAR THE HABUR GATE 
CROSSING AND HOPED THAT OPIC MIGHT INSURE THEIR CAPITAL GOODS 
AND BUILDING MATERIALS SHOULD THEY INVEST IN NORTHERN AND 
CENTRAL IRAQI CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. 
 
 
9. (C) ONE LONGTIME CONSULATE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS 
LEADING A GROUP OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS CHOSEN BY THE GOT TO 
REFURBISH AND MODERNIZE THE HABUR GATE ON A 
BUILD-OPERATE-TRANSFER (BOT) BASIS.  HE SAID THAT 
CONSTRUCTION WOULD COMMENCE IN OCTOBER 2003 AND WOULD BE 
COMPLETED BY JUNE 2004.  UPON COMPLETION THE GATE WOULD 
FUNCTION SIMILARLY TO THE TURKISH BORDER GATE WITH BULGARIA 
AT KAPIKULE, HE SAID.  HE PREDICTED THE MODERNIZED GATE WOULD 
HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER CAPACITY UPON REFURBISHMENT, BUT 
CAUTIONED THAT THERE WILL BE CONSIDERABLE DISRUPTION OF 
CURRENT GATE OPERATIONS DURING CONSTRUCTION.  HE SAID THAT 
HIS CONSORTIUM HAD OFFERED A BOT BID TO THE GOT FOR THE 
MUCH-DISCUSSED SECOND GATE NEARBY HABUR, BUT HAD YET TO HEAR 
ANY RESPONSE TO THE OFFER.  HE OPINED THAT ESTABLISHMENT OF A 
SECOND GATE WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINED TURKISH-IRAQ 
TRADE AND SUPPLY OF ANY TURKISH CONTRIBUTION TO THE IRAQI 
SECURITY STABILIZATION EFFORT.  HE ALSO SAID THAT, WHILE GOT 
OFFICIALS SOMETIMES MENTIONED RAIL-BASED TRADE WITH IRAQ, HE 
CONSIDERED THAT PROSPECT ILL-ADVISED AND UNLIKELY TO INTEREST 
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.  HE SAID THAT SYRIAN RAILROADS WERE 
POORLY MAINTAINED, SYRIAN CORRUPTION WAS WIDESPREAD, AND 
SECURITY WAS TENUOUS. 
 
 
10. (C) MEETINGS WITH THE SIRNAK GOVERNOR AND LOCAL 
SUB-GOVERNORS, INCLUDING THE HABUR GATE SUB-GOVERNOR AT 
SILOPI (ALSO ATTENDED BY U.S.ARMY ATTACHE AND KBR OFFICIALS), 
WERE MILITARY-MONITORED ORCHESTRATED LECTURES.  ARMY AND 
JANDARMA OFFICERS ATTENDED THE MEETINGS AND BROUGHT 
ADDITIONAL MILITARY NOTETAKERS TO RECORD THE GOVERNOR AND 
SUB-GOVERNORS' MONOLOGUES ABOUT THE NEED TO "WIPE OUT THE 
KADEK THREAT DECISIVELY" AND PROTESTATIONS THAT ALL THAT 
COULD BE DONE TO STREAMLINE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HABUR GATE 
WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY.  A REQUEST TO TOUR THE HABUR GATE WAS 
REFUSED BY THE SILOPI SUB-GOVERNOR IN CHARGE OF THE CROSSING 
BECAUSE IT HAD NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY REQUESTED IN ANKARA VIA 
DIPLOMATIC NOTE.  THE SIRNAK GOVERNOR IMPLIED THAT THE 
CONSULATE'S ACCESS TO INCIRLIK AIR BASE WAS DEPENDENT ON U.S. 
EFFORTS TO COMBAT PKK/KADEK IN NORTHERN IRAQ. 
11. (C) DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SIRNAK MUNICIPALITY, AFFILIATED 
WITH MOTHERLAND PARTY (ANAP) UNTIL IT RECENTLY WENT 
INDEPENDENT, WERE SHORT-LIVED.  THE MAYOR DECIDED THAT HE 
COULD NOT RISK SEEING THE TEAM AND HIS DEPUTY MAYOR, ACTING 
AS STAND-IN, BEGGED OFF TALKING WITH US AFTER SAYING THAT 
UNDER-DEVELOPMENT AND CONCERN ABOUT THE POSSIBLE RETURN "OF 
THE OLD VIOLENT TIMES" WERE ON THE LOCAL POPULATION'S MIND. 
"AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE THEY WILL COME QUESTION ME AND MAKE 
TROUBLE FOR ME," HE SAID, "WE CANNOT BE SEEN TO TALK THAT 
LONG.  I AM SORRY." 
EDELMAN