US embassy cable - 04ADANA141

UNCLAS ADANA 000141 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, IZ, TU, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,OCTOBER 15, 2004  PART II 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for October 15, 
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 
 
HURRIYET/MILLIYET/TERCUMAN: Osman Ocalan, who split from the PKK 
and founded a party in Northern Iraq, said, "No Kurd could or 
should be so foolish as to engage in anti-American activities." 
Osman Ocalan said that the establishment of his party would be 
completed by the end of October. He said that the U.S. was 
changing dictatorships in the Middle East, and added that his 
party would establish contacts with U.S. authorities. Osman 
Ocalan said that nobody could deprive him and his supporters of 
the right to return to Turkey. He said Turkey was his country 
and it was his right to live there. Osman Ocalan appeared before 
the press for the first time with his ex-PKK-militant, Iranian 
wife Kewe Sucai. 
 
SABAH: DEHAP National Chairman Tuncer Bakirhan announced that he 
would visit Europe from October 25 through November 05 with 
other Kurdish opinion makers, NGO representatives, and mayors, 
with the objective of lobbying in favor of Turkey's candidacy 
for accession to the EU. 
 
SABAH: The Van Public Prosecutor requested permission from the 
Justice Ministry to prosecute Van Provincial Security Director 
Tacettin Kurt for negligence in the case of the former Van 
Deputy Mustafa Bayram and his son, Hecer Bayram.  They had been 
accused of raiding a police station in Van on July 7 and 
assisting in the escape of family member Hamit Bayram, who had 
been allegedly involved in drug trafficking. The Van Criminal 
Peace Court Judge Ismail Gultekin, who had released Mustafa 
Bayram on bail, has been transferred to Trabzon. 
 
EVRENSEL: In Tunceli, the Dayilar village headman Hakki Simsek 
said that he was kidnapped by Jandarma Intelligence Center 
(JITEM) elements on October 12.  He claimed he was threatened 
with death and told to leave Tunceli by October 16. Simsek 
claimed that he was blindfolded and beaten in the testicles. 
 
TURKIYE: In Mus, police found 2.350 kilograms of hashish when 
they searched S.C.'s house. S.C. was detained, and an 
investigation is being conducted. 
 
ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: Twenty-seven Human Shield Initiative (HSI) 
members were arrested in Hakkari by the Provincial Jandarma 
Command yesterday.  They had gone to Hakkari from Adana, and set 
up tents at Kato Mountain to stop ongoing military operations 
and to investigate the alleged use of chemicals. In Van, a group 
made up of the Van HSI, the Migrants Association (GOCDER), DEHAP 
Youth Flank, and the Prisoners' and Inmates' Families Assistance 
Association (TUHAY-DER), announced that they were also getting 
ready to travel to a mountain in the area with the objective of 
stopping military operations. 
 
ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: The Yezidi village of Magara in Idil, 
Sirnak province, that village guards had invaded in 1993, will 
be evacuated and turned over to the actual owners. Guards from 
Deskani village had been settled in Magara village and had been 
cultivating the land they had occupied. The Yezidi's attorney, 
Eren Keskin, documented with deeds from the land registrar that 
the village belonged to her clients. She petitioned the Interior 
Ministry and Idil Sub-Governor to remove the guards from the 
village, but soldiers prevented her from visiting the village on 
September 9. The Sirnak Governor's office instructed the Idil 
Sub-governor's office to remove the guards from the Magara 
village. Although the case concerning the village is still 
pending, the village will be turned over today to the former 
owners with a ceremony. 
 
ULKEDE OZGUR GUNDEM: The Hakkari Public Prosecutor pressed 
charges against Hakkari HRA President Ismail Akbulut for telling 
reporters that chemical materials had been used in a military 
operation in the Bercelan pasture in Hakkari. The public 
prosecutor brought charges against Dogu Ihlas Haber Ajansi 
(DIHA-Eastern Ihlas News Agency) reporter Siddik Guler and the 
Birgun Newspaper reporter Hakan Tas, as well, for reporting the 
case in the press. 
 
 
REID