US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2594

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
DEPT. FOR NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, MOPS, MARR, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKISH OFFICIAL, PARLIAMENTARY AND NGO 
REACTIONS TO ABU GHRAIB ABUSE 
 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) While Turkish officials have not complained to us 
about the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners, the Turkish 
press, Parliament and NGO community are vocally expressing 
their disgust with the news.  Several groups have peacefully 
demonstrated in front of the US and UK Embassies in Ankara. 
A Turkish NGO has called for the immediate and unconditional 
withdrawal from Iraq of occupation forces.  The Deputy 
Chairman of the Constitutional Court has decided not to 
attend this year's US Independence Day celebration (on May 
26), citing "the latest disgusting developments that happened 
in Iraq." One AK Party deputy has called for President Bush 
and PM Blair to be tried as war criminals, and the Chairman 
of the Turkish Parliamentarians' Union called the "violent 
policy of the US...one of the biggest threats facing 
humanity."  Despite being nearly one week old, the story has 
not yet shown signs of fading here in Turkey.  End Summary. 
 
 
2. (SBU) In the only official conversation we have had on the 
torture and abuse at Abu Ghraib, the Ambassador on May 6 told 
Ali Bardakoglu, President of the Religious Affairs 
Directorate, that this was a stain on our nation's honor. 
Bardakoglu replied that he had been at a conference in Cairo 
last week on tolerance in Islamic civilization and had wanted 
to talk about tolerance, but this was difficult because of 
the Iraq incidents, which he said had, along with the 
situation in Iraq in general, "opened a wound" in the Arab 
world, and a split with the West.  FM Gul told the press May 
4, "this is really very shameful.  Without a doubt, this will 
be difficult to forget.  The good thing is that 
investigations were initiated in both countries and that 
those who were responsible will be punished.  this is not 
being hidden.  That is more important.  It is a blessing of 
democracy and freedom that they disclose such things in their 
own country.  We are conveying our concerns and uneasiness at 
every level about these issues." 
 
 
3. (SBU) Despite Turkish officials refraining from directly 
confronting us about the stories of torture and abuse by US 
and UK soldiers in Iraq, the issue has dominated the Turkish 
press every day since the story broke, with papers calling 
the abuse "systematic," saying "there is no end to the 
detestable abuses at Abu Ghraib," and that torture was 
"incredible and inhuman."  The May 7 edition of Milliyet 
reported that the existence of more than 1000 photos of the 
abuse demonstrated that US officials had ordered the 
recording of the abuses.  See SEPTEL for more on Turkish 
press coverage.  There have been several peaceful 
demonstrations in front of the US and UK Embassies over the 
past several days by young Turks protesting the recent 
developments in Iraq. 
 
 
4. (U) The Parliament's Human Rights Commission released a 
statement on May 6 that said, "that we are faced once again 
with such practices by those who label themselves apostles of 
civilization shows us that their real intention is not to 
bring freedom...The invaders who failed to prove the 
existence of weapons of mass destruction...have sowed the 
seeds of hatred in our region that are very hard to 
forget...the perpetrators should face trial at the 
International Criminal Court and the victims should be 
compensated."  Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis called the 
incidents "crimes against humanity."  A separate but similar 
press release was issues by another group of 196 members of 
the Turkish Parliament. 
 
 
5. (U) AK Party deputy Abdullah Caliskan released a written 
statement May 6 asserting that "the inhumane treatment was 
ordered by state officials in an organized way.  Therefore, 
Bush and Blair should face trial together with the 'psycho' 
soldiers."  Turkish Parliamentarians' Union Chairman Zeki 
Celiker described the "violent policy of the United States" 
as "one of the biggest threats facing humanity. 
 
 
6. (U) The Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for 
Oppressed Peoples, a Turkish NGO, issued a statement May 6 
that received wide media coverage.  The text of the statement 
said that, "The torture and maltreatment applied by the US 
and UK forces to Iraqi civilians and POWs has reached a 
disgusting and shameful level...In the last week hundreds of 
Iraqi civilians were killed in Fallujah.  Witnesses stated 
that the streets were full of dead bodies.  Thousands of 
civilians are being detained by force in order for soldiers 
to collect information about the Iraqi resistance...They are 
being subjected to torture.  Occupation forces are violating 
all universal humanitarian norms.  They are committing crimes 
against humanity under Article 13 of the UN Geneva 
Convention...The only party responsible for the inhuman 
actions taking place in Iraq is the occupation force...We 
call on the UN and other international organizations to 
launch an impartial investigation...We seek permission for 
independent human rights experts to visit Iraq in order to 
investigate the ongoing human rights violations.  Finally, we 
want the occupation forces to leave Iraq immediately and 
unconditionally." 
 
 
7. (SBU) The Embassy was contacted May 7 by the office of the 
Constitutional Court's Deputy Chairman to say he would not 
attend this year's US Independence Day celebration (being 
held at the end of May to avoid conflicting with the 
President's visit for the NATO Istanbul Summit) because of 
"the latest disgusting developments in Iraq."  We anticipate 
that other invitees may also decline to attend in protest. 
Despite almost a week having passed since the story first 
broke, the clamor over it in Turkey has not yet begun to fade. 
 
 
8. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
 
 
 
EDELMAN