US embassy cable - 04ADANA93

UNCLAS ADANA 000093 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, IZ, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY JULY 1, 2004 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for July 1, 2004. 
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 
 
Cumhuriyet, Zaman: As a result of a Jandarma operation two 
PKK/Kongra-Gel militants were killed in Karabayirlar, (in the 
Engizek Mountains) Kahramanmaras province. The terrorists were 
identified as Zeki Tatar and Ismet Temirci. Kahramanmaras 
Governor Ilhan Atis said three out of a group of six terrorists 
were killed in a June 6 Jandarma operation in Kayaonu village, 
Adiyaman province, while another was captured alive. The 
remaining three militants were killed in the recent operation in 
Kahramanmaras province. 
 
Zaman, Sabah Guney Supplement, Bolge, Evrensel: Protestors will 
picket against PKK/Kongra-Gel tomorrow in meetings to be held in 
Hasankeyf, Gercus, and Sason townships, Batman province, 
tomorrow. Two soldiers who were martyred in clashes with 
PKK/Konrga Gel militants in Gurpinar, Van province, were buried 
in Osmaniye province. 
 
Zaman, Evrensel, Tercuman, Ulkede Ozgur Gundem, Milli Gazete: 
The bill abolishing the State Security Courts and replacing 
those courts with the new Felony Courts was endorsed by the 
President the previous evening. The High Commission of 
Prosecutors and Judges will determine the jurisdiction of the 
newly established courts, which will cover multiple provinces. 
According to the new arrangements, the detention period will be 
48 hours. Increasing the detention period from four days to 
seven days will be possible for persons arrested or detained in 
places where a State of Extraordinary Rule is declared. 
 
Ulkede Ozgur Gundem: The Diyarbakir Governorate's decision 
regarding the "Decision on Where to Make Press Announcements, 
and Place Signature Stands" was published in the Official 
Gazette. According to this decision, which runs contrary to the 
Constitutional amendments regarding expression and assembly 
rights, the number of attendees to a press announcement can not 
be more than five times an association's administrators, and the 
duration of such activities by NGOs cannot exceed one hour. The 
decision said stands could not be opened and press announcements 
could not be made in front of the governorate, courthouse, 
prisons, and police and military buildings, the Grand Mosque, 
and at a distance closer than 500 meters to the Dagkapi Square 
in town. The President of the HRA Chapter in Diyarbakir, 
Selahattin Demirtas, said he would apply to the Administrative 
Court for annulling the Governor's decision. 
 
Ulkede Ozgur Gundem: Jandarma arrested 17 persons from Tasnacak 
village and Geziyurt hamlet in Gurpinar, Van province, where 
three soldiers were killed in a recent PKK/Kongra Gel ambush. It 
is claimed that villagers are being detained at Kirkgecit 
Jandarma Command building. 
 
Ulkede Ozgur Gundem: The National Human Rights Association Vice 
President Reyhan Yalcindag announced at a press conference in 
Diyarbakir that the dead bodies of three PKK/Kongra Gel 
militants who were killed during operations in rural Siirt on 
April 15-16 and May 6, 2004 had not been turned over to their 
families, and inspections by human rights advocates led them to 
suspect that chemical weapons had been used by the security 
forces. Yalcindag said not turning over the dead bodies to their 
families was a violation of the Constitution and the 
international law. 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
Zaman: 32.6 million US Dollars of trade was realized during the 
first five months of 2004 from the Yumurtalik Free Trade Zone 
(FTZ) in Adana province. The total trade volume, from the twenty 
FTZs in Turkey, reached approximately 8.7 billion US Dollars 
during 2004's first five months, a 57 % increase compared to the 
same time period last year. The Tayseb Company, which belongs to 
Tekfen Holding, established the Yumurtalik FTZ in 1998 and the 
same firm operates it. Approximately 37,000 persons are employed 
in the FTZs in Turkey. 
 
 
REID