US embassy cable - 05ADANA23

UNCLAS ADANA 000023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 27, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for January 27, 
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 
 
VAKIT / OZGUR GUNDEM / MILLIYET / ZAMAN / HURRIYET / MILLI 
GAZETE / YENI SAFAK / EVRENSEL / TURKIYE / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET: 
After two people died in Hakkari yesterday in an earthquake 
measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, people stayed outside all 
night in freezing temperatures, fearing a quake with a bigger 
magnitude. The Turkish Red Crescent sent 127 tents, 2000 
blankets and 100 heaters to the site, established medical care 
centers and delivered hot soup to people sheltered in the tents. 
Civil defense teams from Van and Hakkari are working in the 
region to help people experiencing hardships. With many 
villages' roads blocked by heavy snowfall, the Governor of 
Hakkari and Commando Brigade Commander flew over all the 
villages by helicopter to determine which sites need urgent 
help. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL:        Tension mounted in Siirt when 
security forces did not allow the burial of two female (alleged) 
terrorists in a cemetery in the city center.  Without the 
families' approval, public officers buried the bodies in the two 
women's hometown of Eruh in Siirt province.  People continued 
their protests and engaged in clashes with police, who blockaded 
the streets.  Two military aircraft flew low over the city 
(allegedly) to intimidate the people.  DEHAP (Democratic 
People's Party) sent a delegation to Siirt, comprising the 
central administrative board members of the Party and mayors of 
the region, in order to investigate the matter and generate a 
report. 
 
CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM:      The case of 72 security officers 
accused of causing the death of ten prisoners and wounding 
another twenty-three in Diyarbakir Prison in 1994 is still in 
the courts nine years later.  The case's conclusion has 
repeatedly been delayed due to the frequent reshuffling of the 
judicial board. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     The administrative investigation of four (Turkish 
National Police) special operations team members involved in the 
killing of Ugur and Ahmet Kaymaz has been finalized. The report, 
prepared by three civil service inspectors and one police 
inspector, was presented to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 
It pointed out that since there is still a court case pending in 
the matter, the administrative prosecution should wait for the 
outcome of that process (the team members are being tried for 
"transgressing the rules of necessary self defense and causing 
the two killings whose perpetrator cannot be traced or 
discovered.") On the question of whether or not the suspended 
team members will be returned to their offices, the inspectors 
said that it would be left to the sole discretion of the 
Security Director's office. The report recommends that, should 
the officers be returned to their positions, they be appointed 
to a place other than Mardin. 
 
YENI SAFAK:     Yusuf Alatas, Chairperson of the Human Rights 
Association, claimed that a de facto State of Emergency status 
continues in eastern and southeastern Turkey.  Alatas said that 
the conditions in these regions should be brought by the GoT to 
the agenda of the National Security Council, because 
extrajudicial killings are (allegedly) being committed in the 
region. (Note: The function of the Council is to submit to the 
Council of Ministers its views on the implementation of national 
security policy. End Note.) 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1. ZAMAN:       "The customs gate at the port of Iskenderun has been 
modernized by means of significant automation project", said 
Metin Yucedal, Chief Director of Customs at Iskenderun Customs 
Directorate.  He spoke during a meeting and awards ceremony 
celebrating World Customs Day (January 26).  At the meeting, 
Abdulkadir Sari, Governor of Hatay, said that Hatay, with its $1 
billion worth of exports, plays a substantial role in nourishing 
good economic and cultural ties with Syria. The latest example 
of this is a plan to build a dam between Hatay and Syria, said 
Sari. 
 
REID