US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6941

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006941 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, TU 
SUBJECT: LIFE IN TURKEY'S MOST SOUTHEASTERN PROVINCE 
BETTER, BUT FAR FROM PERFECT 
 
 
Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 
12958, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
This message is from AmConsul Adana. 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  An early November visit to Hakkari province 
yielded a mixed picture  of Turkey,s heavily-Kurdish, most 
Southeastern province, wedged between Iran and Iraq.  The 
once-oppressive security environment has been replaced by 
streets full of pedestrians, a hotel full of Istanbul 
visitors on a philanthropic mission, restaurants full of 
diners.  However, since June, tension has increased with 
anti-PKK operations in the region, alleged intrusive searches 
at checkpoints, and an increased number of detentions for 
supporting terrorists.  Access to detainees is given 
grudgingly but consistently and torture occurs but is no 
longer systematic, according to one human rights lawyer. 
Locals regard with skepticism the new Compensation 
Commissions for displaced villagers, worrying about excess 
documentary requirements and inadequate compensation.  The 
city's pro-Kurdish DEHAP party mayor is focused on the lack 
of infrastructure and the city's 78% unemployment rate, along 
with a recent outbreak of stomach illness in the community. 
A number of village guards and their families have accepted 
government assistance and are building new communities 
outside the city.  End Summary. 
 
Relative "Paradise," Still Far From Perfect 
------------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Attorney Rojbin Tugan, who has been practicing in 
Hakkari since 1996 with a focus on human rights, told poloff 
in early November that the atmosphere in Hakkari was 
unimaginably good compared to previous years.  "Never did I 
think I'd see people out on the streets until midnight," she 
said, adding that, relatively speaking, "it is like a 
paradise in Hakkari now."  Our observations were consistent 
with her remarks.  Commerce is notably livelier and a store 
manager told us that Hakkari residents are out fishing in the 
river at night, like in the old days. 
 
3.  (C) Despite that difference, Tugan added that since June, 
tension had been mounting, with a steady increase in the 
number of detainees being held as supporters of terrorists. 
She is defending some of the suspects.  She noted that the 
"Human Shield Initiative" group, which has been traveling to 
mountainous regions to protest clashes and anti-PKK 
operations, had many members detained in the region.  She 
thinks the group is poorly-organized.  She said that when 
detained, its members are charged with supporting terrorists, 
instead of less serious charges such as trespassing or 
obstructing justice. 
 
4.  (C) Tugan stated that access to detainees had been fairly 
good in Hakkari, and certainly much improved over previous 
years.  Prison personnel are "not very happy about it," she 
said, but when she hears of detentions through family members 
and approaches the Security Directorate, they begrudgingly 
allow her immediate access.  Tugan complained about a recent 
notice sent around by the public prosecutor placing 
restrictions on when attorneys could make jail visits.  Tugan 
said this is illegal and she plans to discuss this with the 
prosecutor.  She stated that while torture still exists, it 
is no longer systematic.  However, Tugan claimed that 
jandarma are still conducting illegal searches and frisks at 
checkpoints in the area.  She asserted that these actions are 
illegal.  As Hakkari's leading human rights lawyer, she has 
experienced government harassment in the past and believes 
that security forces keep her under surveillance.  Her work 
with UNHCR on refugee issues in the area has been especially 
sensitive, and has drawn reaction from JITEM (jandarma 
military intelligence), which in the past warned UNHCR not to 
visit her office. 
 
5.  (C) Tugan has applied to be a member of Hakkari 
Province's Compensation Commission, which is reviewing 
submissions for compensation based on Law 5233 (reftel); the 
Van Bar Association is supporting her.  (Note:  There is no 
Hakkari Bar, as the town only has eight lawyers, two of them 
not even from Hakkari.  One is reportedly the wife of the 
local military commander.  End Note.)  Tugan claimed the 
Hakkari Governor is looking for a lawyer "sympathetic" to the 
state to join the Committee (such as the commander's wife, 
she added).  Although skeptical that many claims will meet 
the government's excessive documentary criteria requirement 
-- specifically proof of ownership of land and property -- 
she wants to be a part of the process. 
 
6.  (C) Tugan also recently launched a new organization to 
educate women and children about land mines and to raise 
awareness about the topic.  According to some anti-land mine 
groups, Hakkari is reportedly one of the most heavily mined 
areas in Turkey, with both the government and the PKK having 
planted them in the 1990s.  Tugan hopes to work with the EU 
on this project. 
 
DEHAP Mayor:  Provide Services to Reward Democratic Views 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
7.  (SBU) Hakkari's pro-Kurdish DEHAP party mayor, elected in 
March 2004, appears energetic, and came across well.  He 
began work for the party straight out of university, and 
stayed there until becoming a candidate in Hakkari in the 
latest local elections.  The mayor and public prosecutor are 
both concerned with Hakkari,s high unemployment rate:  a 
staggering 78%  (Note:  Officially, unemployment is 9.3% 
nationwide.  End Note.), with government providing one of 
very few sources of jobs. 
 
8.  (C) The mayor lamented the lack of investment and 
infrastructure in the city, predicting that years of neglect 
would be difficult to counteract quickly.  He noted that 
Hakkari, in this "almost-EU country," had seen 1000 citizens 
going to the hospital in the past three weeks to cope with 
diarrhea, an illness uncommon in developed countries.  The 
mayor said that that the sewage and potable water 
infrastructure are in disrepair and there could be seepage, 
and citizens' immunity to such illness is low because of poor 
general public health conditions.  Like Tugan, the mayor was 
downbeat on the prospects of the Compensation Law providing 
much in the way of relief to displaced citizens.  The 
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) provides better 
compensation for such claims, he said. 
 
9.  (C) He noted that despite the AK Party's attempt to win 
support in Hakkari, he received almost 70% of the vote. 
Hakkari, he said, a 100% ethnic Kurdish area bordering Iraq 
and Iran in a mountainous setting, had always kept its 
independent spirit.  The government attaches great importance 
to "capturing this area," he claimed, but by using pressure 
rather than provision of services.  "We want to give services 
to reward people for keeping a democratic view," he stated. 
To that end he is trying to cultivate good relationships with 
local government officials.  For eight years, due to 
government suspicion of DEHAP and its predecessor party, the 
governor had not once visited the mayor's office, he said, 
but since he took office the governor had visited twice. 
While the local military commander had not yet visited, the 
mayor had been to pay a courtesy call on him. 
 
Public Prosecutor Investigates Chemical Weapons Rumors 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
10.  (C) In late summer and early fall, Hakkari human rights 
organizations focused on press reports alleging that Turkish 
security forces used "chemical matter" in an operation in 
nearby Bercelan Pastures.  Reports of some livestock deaths 
in the area and the diarrhea outbreak in town were cited as 
ostensible support for these claims.  Tugan was cautious 
about the reports.  "I'm a lawyer," she said, "and I base my 
decisions on evidence and facts."  She could not corroborate 
the press rumors. 
 
11.  (C) Hakkari's public prosecutor said he welcomed the 
opportunity to address the rumors.  Given public concern 
about the incident, he said, the government formed a panel to 
investigate the claims.  When the panel was criticized for 
not including a wide enough cross section of community and 
non-governmental leaders, he claimed a new panel was formed 
and that as of early November, they were awaiting results of 
forensics tests from water and plant life collected in the 
area.  He said that the governor and other public officials 
had organized a visit and picnic in the area where the 
operation in question was undertaken, in order to demonstrate 
to citizens that there was nothing to fear.  (Note:  He, as 
an "investigator that must remain neutral," did not go.  End 
note.)  He did not appear defensive in discussing the 
question, and it appeared that government officials realized 
at least that the reports must be acknowledged and addressed 
rather than ignored.  In press reports we saw subsequent to 
our visit, however, the local HRA representative had 
reportedly been indicted for spreading this "false" story to 
the press. 
 
Istanbul Visitors...in Hakkari?? 
-------------------------------- 
 
12.  (SBU) Not only were the streets of Hakkari bustling, but 
the main hotel in town was booked with a group from the 
Association to Support Contemporary Life.  The group was in 
town to inaugurate three schools constructed in Hakkari 
province with donations from the group.  (Note:  This 
Istanbul-based secular NGO works on a grant basis and focuses 
on education, particularly education for young women.  End 
Note.)  Hakkari's Governor (who, without a diplomatic note, 
declined to meet with us) held a dinner in their honor the 
previous evening.  Yet old images about Hakkari persist.  One 
member of the group said that when she spoke with her mother 
and told her she was in Hakkari, her mother replied, "You 
must be crazy -- get on the first plane out of there!" 
 
Returns Trickling to the Riverbanks 
----------------------------------- 
 
13.  (SBU) Departing Hakkari toward the road that straddles 
Turkey's border with Iraq, there was a significant amount of 
new construction on the riverbanks just outside of town. 
Along the road we spoke with one village guard and his 
extended family who had come to the site three months earlier 
to build.  (Note:  This group of six families had moved from 
their village in 1990, when the government informed them it 
was no longer safe there.)  According to them, all those 
being allowed to build and settle along the road were village 
guards and their families, and they were provided 1500 bricks 
and 30 wood crossbeams by the government.  This particular 
settlement had just six houses, but there were many others 
along the road, and one had a school that appeared to be 
recently constructed.  There was no water or electricity 
available for the community, and one claimed that they had 
been "deceived by the state."  When they agreed to move to 
this area and build, he said, they did not realize they would 
be giving up rights to any compensation under the new 
compensation law.  Still, there was no shortage of families 
who had taken up this offer, and significant settlement was 
happening along the river. 
 
14.  (C) Comment:  Many aspects of the visit to Hakkari were 
encouraging:  the access to detainees at least one lawyer is 
receiving; her comment that torture is no longer systematic; 
attempts by the governor and mayor to strengthen the 
relationship between the two offices; the fact that a 
skeptical public prosecutor actually felt the need to 
investigate and respond to allegations at Bercelan Pasture; 
and the general return to "normalcy."  Yet the checkpoints 
surrounding the city illustrate that the government is still 
nervous about security in the area; the rumors of chemical 
weapons illustrate that the locals still regard the 
government with suspicion.  At four checkpoints between 
Hakkari and neighboring Sirnak province, even diplomats are 
required to stop their vehicle, register with officials and 
wait 5-10 minutes.  More striking than these security 
measures, however, is the 78% unemployment figure. Unless the 
government to provides alternatives for Hakkari,s people, 
the return to relative normalcy will lose its glow and 
discontent will fester into anger.  If Turkey receives a 
positive answer from the EU, the EU is in for an eye-opener 
when it takes a closer look at what will be needed to inject 
life into the poorest regions of Turkey, like Hakkari.  End 
comment. 
EDELMAN