US embassy cable - 05ADANA32

UNCLAS ADANA 000032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 15, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 15, 
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 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM    The former Chairperson of the Tunceli Bar 
Association, Huseyin Aygun and many attorneys, in a 2/14 press 
conference, protested the denunciation against Aygun by 
(Jandarma) Regiment Commander Namik Dursun, denouncing his 
alleged threatening attitude towards Huseyin Aygun. The 
representatives of various NGOs and political parties expressed 
their support for Aygun's declarations. (Note: Today's Ozgur 
Gundem, in contrast with yesterday's report, reads that Dursun 
allegedly threatened Aygun's relative with the following 
statement "We will not get rid of his (Aygun's) physical 
existence; but we will defame his name and honor utterly." End 
Note.) 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / BOLGE / ZAMAN / TURKIYE / CUMHURIYET: 
KOZVAK (Social and Cultural Foundation for Kozan and its 
Surroundings) embarks upon a project to conserve "Anit Kapi", a 
structure which comprises of the front gate and portion of the 
fagade of the remnants of a Mother Goddess Roman temple located 
in one of the most important ancient settlements of Turkey 28 
kilometers south of Kozan District in Adana province. Duru 
Ciftci, Chairperson of the Foundation, stated that they 
submitted the project to the Office of the Adana Governor. Duru 
remarked that sponsorship must be provided to save the gate from 
collapsing. 
 
RADIKAL:        A humanitarian aid campaign under the name of 
"Friendly Hands Project" organized in Besiktas Municipality in 
Istanbul was able to gather donations worth one million new 
Turkish liras. The aid will be sent as a relief to the people of 
Hakkari, who were rendered homeless by the earthquake that hit 
the city on January 25, 2005. 
 
SABAH:  An opinion editor, Nurgun Balcioglu, commented in 
the Sabah paper: "I still have not found an answer to the 
question, though I have considered the issue considerably, 'Why 
do some Turks defend anti-Americanism?' I was further lost when 
I read the statements of the former PM Ecevit in yesterday's 
newspaper. Ecevit, who felt glorified to have captured Ocalan 6 
years ago during his service as the Turkish PM, must have 
uttered the statement 'If it weren't for the U.S., we would not 
have caught Ocalan' expressly, only because he must have felt 
spooked with the fear of getting closer to the next world. He is 
undoubtedly talking about that man (Ocalan), who had led an 
organization in a carefree manner in Syrian mountains, whom we 
(Turkey) had declared as the leader of the terrorist 
organization, and because of whom our people, Turks and Kurds, 
killed each other for so many years and suffered 3,000 
casualties. Let's talk about other people as well. All the 
children of PM Erdogan are attending schools in the U.S. and 
living there at the moment, because of the fact that "his 
children are not allowed to attend schools wearing a headscarf 
in Turkey". How on earth can some certain groups in Turkey cast 
votes for Erdogan and be anti-Americans at the same time then? 
Would Erdogan send his beloved children to America, unless he 
regarded the U.S. a friend of Turkey? When we think about the 
most famous leader of a religious sect in Turkey, how come his 
followers defend anti-Americanism while their leader is enjoying 
a luxurious life in a splendid residential place in the U.S.? 
How about the money granted by the U.S. to ameliorate the 
(Turkish) economy? I can understand the outdated stereotype way 
of thinking of the leftists, which have been the legacy of 
1970s. But, what about the other anti-Americans? I feel that I 
should warn you about these people who caught the illness of 
ignorance on the world matters, for they completely lack a sense 
of what is going in Turkey and in the world. Anti-Americanism is 
a way of veiling their ignorance." 
 
 
 
REID