US embassy cable - 05ADANA14

UNCLAS ADANA 000014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 18, 2005 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 18, 
2005.  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 
 
BOLGE / MILLIYET / EKSPRES / TURKIYE:   The Adana Municipality 
provided bus service (the Municipality provides a free bus 
transportation service for the families of deceased people) and 
the Yuregir Municipality provided a funeral car for the burial 
ceremony of an (alleged) terrorist who was killed during a 
military operation conducted in Mazgirt, Tunceli, which caused 
the death of two (Turkish) soldiers on January 15, 2005. 
 
CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM:      Today the European Court of Human 
Rights will decide a case in which charges were brought against 
Turkey for (allegedly) burning down Yolcati township of Lice in 
Diyarbakir and killing 6 villagers on May 13, 1994.  According 
to Ozgur Gundem, the Bolu Commando Brigade and the Kayseri 
Commando Battalion allegedly conducted those military 
operations. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   A delegation from the Human Rights Center of 
the Bar Association of Van went to Ercis township of Van 
province on January 11 to investigate the December 27, 2004, 
migration of 12 families to Kirklareli province due to the 
alleged oppressive attitude of the Agha in Ercis. The 
delegation's final report concludes that the state authorities 
fell short of setting just conditions that would enable the 
return of these people to Ercis. 
 
YENI SAFAK:     Because of factors such as contaminated water, lack 
of decontamination facilities in water supply services of the 
most municipalities, and the scarcity of potable water, 
contagious diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, amebic dysentery, 
and hepatitis A pose considerable threats to the population of 
some seven million people living in the GAP region. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     In 2004 legal proceedings were carried out in 
Diyarbakir against 1914 people who were under eighteen years of 
age. The high level of offenses committed by children is 
attributed to the swelling of the population due to constant 
migration from the neighboring cities. The substandard life 
conditions of most of these families (migrating to Diyarbakir) 
mean many children are left unattended to or homeless. 
 
VAKIT:  "There is a severe shortage of doctors especially in 
the fields of neurological surgery, surgery, dermatology, 
ophthalmology and infectious diseases in Siverek", pointed out 
the Group Chairperson of Medicine in Siverek, a township of 
Sanliurfa province. 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1.      CUMHURIYET / TERCUMAN / YENI SAFAK / HURRIYET / VAKIT / 
TURKIYE:        PM Erdogan is expected to announce good news to the 
farmers before the upcoming religious holiday. During his 
meeting with farmers and volunteers for agricultural development 
today, PM is expected to announce ways to relieve the strain of 
electricity debts farmers have incurred through irrigation, 
including plans for payment by installments.  Another change in 
the system of delivering direct income incentives may be to 
calculate it on the basis of the amount of one's production, 
rather than the area of fields. 
 
 
 
 
REID