US embassy cable - 05ADANA70

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000070 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 1, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 01, 
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 
 
TERCUMAN / TURKIYE / VAKIT:     After the resignation of five CHP 
(Republican People's Party) deputies last Monday, Diyarbakir CHP 
deputy Muhsin Kocyigit resigned from his party, as well. 
 
HURRIYET / EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: The "human shields" 
traveling in southeast Turkey made a press announcement and 
declared that they will change their initial route and head 
toward the Gabar Mountain, since operations in the Cudi 
Mountains have allegedly ended. Seventy-seven human shields 
coming from Germany, Istanbul and Batman, and 23 human shields 
coming from Adana, Antep and Hatay were allegedly briefly 
detained after their press statement. Osman Gunes, Sirnak 
Governor, announced that the human shield initiative would 
present security concerns and would disrupt peace among people. 
 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    The policies of Kaya Mutlu, the former 
Mersin Mayor who served Mersin for three terms in office, are 
now under criticism.  He reportedly had been too permissive in 
response to the influx of people migrating from southeastern 
Turkey to Mersin, which some believe shaped the roots and causes 
of the "flag crisis." 
 
EKSPRES / BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY):        Mersin Municipality made 
available 5,000 free Turkish flags to citizens, who formed long 
queues in front of the Municipality to get one. Before the flag 
delivery began, Macit Ozcan, Mersin Mayor, said, "Not only in 
Mersin, but all throughout Turkey, people showed their concern 
about the attempt to burn the flag...As the Municipality of 
Mersin, we have been the ones to feel the deepest disappointment 
regarding the event." 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The Mersin Prosecutor allegedly violated the 
new Turkish Penal Code by arresting an 11-year-old child, who is 
accused of attacking the (Turkish) flag in Mersin. The new penal 
code (note: originally due to come into force April 1, but the 
implementation of which has been postponed until June 1) 
stipulates that children under 12 do not have criminal liability 
and cannot be arrested. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / EKSPRES:        The Adana Branch of the 
Turkish Journalists Union and Cukurova Journalists Association 
initiated a campaign to press for an amendment to the new 
Turkish Penal Code (TPC).  The say the new code will hinder the 
way the journalists do their jobs in Turkey. During the 
campaign, people will be invited to sign a petition against the 
limitations in the TPC and wear a black ribbon as a sign of 
protest. 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:        Irfan Ucar, Publishing Director of 
Ozgur Gundem, said that there were 273 ongoing lawsuits against 
the paper. Ozgur Gundem, demanding that the restrictions against 
press in the new TPC be done away with, cites a legal complaint 
against them by Namik Dursun (Tunceli Jandarma Commander) as the 
latest instance (Note: Though the news report does not 
elaborate, this latter instance is likely related to the case 
highlighted in Adana 0029). 
 
EVRENSEL:       A man in Adana filed a complaint with the Adana 
Prosecutor against Himi zkk,theChef f Staff, and Mehmet 
Ekinci MH (atina Movement Party) Deputy National 
Chairperson, accusing Ozkok of provoking hostility among Kurds 
and Turks, and Ekinci of making insulting remarks (about Kurds) 
on a TV program. 
 
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL:      A 55-year-old female, Sultan 
Erkus, was killed by the blast of a land mine when she stepped 
on the mine as she was grazing her farm animals in the Hazro 
district of Diyarbakir. 
 
BOLGE:  Kemal Sag, Adana MP from CHP (Republican People's 
Party), extended support to TEKEL (State Tobacco Company) 
workers and said that he would participate in the mass rally 
against privatization to be held on April 3 in Adana. 
 
BOLGE / ZAMAN / EKSPRES:        Abdullah Dogru, AKP (Justice and 
Development Party) Provincial Chairperson, evaluated AKP Mayors' 
activities at their one-year mark in office and said that people 
in Adana praised the services rendered by the Yuregir, Seyhan 
and Adana mayors. Dogru criticized Adana AKP Mayor Aytac Durak, 
however, for mentioning the name of a specific bidding company 
when criticizing the cleaning services tender of the Seyhan 
Municipality. Later in his remarks, Dogru solicited support from 
the media against people who seek personal profit by abusing the 
names of people in the administrative ranks of AKP - himself 
included - and AKP deputies: "Spit on the faces of such people 
and send them all the way back", said Dogru. 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
1.      ZAMAN / EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE:        Moldovan 
Ambassador to Ankara, Victor Tvircun, paid a visit to Cahit 
Kirac, Adana Governor; Aytac Durak, Mayor of Adana; and Umit 
Ozgumus, Chairperson of the Adana Chamber of Industry (ACI). 
Tvircun drew attention to the trade and investment potential 
both of Adana and Moldova during his visit. 
 
2.      BOLGE:  ISDEMIR (Iskenderun Iron and Steel factory) in 
Hatay, whose profits and export volume reached record-breaking 
figures last year, continued to fare well in the first quarter 
of 2005, with the export volume reaching $77 million. 
 
REID