US embassy cable - 04ADANA167

UNCLAS ADANA 000167 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 20, 2004 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for December 20, 
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 
 
VAKIT / CUMHURIYET / TERCUMAN / SABAH:  Scarcity of prey in 
the mountains for wolves, due to sharply decreasing temperatures 
and heavy snowfall, causes the wolves to approach villages of 
Yuksekova, Hakkari, and attack people. Fifteen villagers have 
been wounded by wolves. A sample taken from one of the wolves 
shot dead is being sent to Ankara for examination regarding 
rabies. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   With the participation of 2000 people, NGOs in 
Kiziltepe made a press announcement in Mardin. The NGOs demanded 
that Minister of Education Huseyin Celik pay more attention and 
get more involved with the Ugur Kaymaz incident, and that the 
Turkish Association of Drivers be more involved in the case of 
Ahmet Kaymaz.  Resat Kaymaz, who is the brother of Ahmet Kaymaz, 
denied the allegations of Mardin Deputy Security Director, (who 
is) saying that the weapons found beside the bodies had been 
used in a raid on a police station. Resat Kaymaz stated that 
Ahmet Kaymaz was in Iraq on the date of the raid on that police 
station. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:    Mehmet Elkatmis, the President of the TBMM 
Human Rights Commission, showed "incompetence" when he received 
the application of families whose relatives, Serdar Tanis and 
Ebubekir Deniz (HADEP Silopi district officials), have 
(allegedly) not been seen after being in Jandarama detention 
(note: in 2001. end note). Mehmet Elkatmis stated that the 
judicial proceedings about the incident are still continuing and 
they cannot interfere while the process is ongoing. Elkatmis 
sent an application form of European Court of Human Rights to 
the family though the family had already applied to the Court. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Twnety village guards from Beytussebap, Sirnak 
were removed from office without explanation. The guards were 
not paid their last month of salary. 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1.      EVRENSEL / CUMHURIYET / MILLIYET / BOLGE / TURKIYE: The 
workers of a factory of CUKOBIRLIK (Cooperative Organisation for 
Agricultural Product Sales in Cukurova), as well as several 
producer members of the same organization, protested against the 
management of CUKOBIRLIK for shutting down a factory and firing 
4000 workers in Adana. The protestors claimed that a big, 
full-fledged, beneficial factory that has the potential to 
operate with 100% capacity and employ 5000 workers was shut down 
simply due to ineffective and unsuccessful management. The 
workers carried banners reading "AKP Government, take your hands 
off CUKOBIRLIK," and they demanded that the factory be reopened. 
 
 
2.      VAKIT / HURRIYET / EKSPRES / MILLI GAZETE / YENI SAFAK: 
Citrus fruit producers gathered to pray for clients to buy their 
produce. This protest was to criticize the government for not 
supporting the purchase of citrus fruit at a price that would 
help the producers cover their costs. The producers said that 
the harvest of citrus fruit increased by 30% as compared to the 
previous year's harvest. If this amount of production is not 
going to be exported, it is impossible to consume it in internal 
markets. 
 
3.      EKSPRES / MILLI GAZETE / BOLGE: Exports are increasing 
thanks to the visit that the Adana Chamber of Commerce paid to 
Greece last year with a delegation of 90 industrialists. A 
furniture company signed an investment and cooperation agreement 
worth $500,000 this year with a Greek firm.  The president of 
the Adana Chamber of Industry stated that the second rapidly 
developing sector in Adana, after the textile industry, is the 
furniture-manufacturing sector. 
 
 
 
 
 
REID