US embassy cable - 05ADANA137

UNCLAS ADANA 000137 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR 07/06, 2005 
 
1.      This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for 07/06, 
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 
 
2.      HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Berc Kartun, the headmen of 
Vakifli village where Armenians live in Hatay, condemned 
Armenian genocide allegations and said that Armenians have been 
living peacefully and in secure conditions in Turkey since 
Ottoman times. 
 
3.      SABAH (GUNEY):  Hatay commemorated the 67th anniversary 
of Turkish troops' gaining control of the Hatay province. 
 
4.      EKSPRES:        A bomb placed in front of a branch of HSBC 
bank in Adana exploded at around 4 a.m.  There was no loss of 
life, injury or damage to property. The police are currently 
trying to investigate the bomb incident. 
 
5.      BOLGE/EKSPRES:  Following a half-day strike of Turk 
Telekom (State Telecommunications Company) employees in Adana, 
Asaf Guzelce, Chairperson of the Turk Haber-Is (Turkish 
Communication Workers' Union) Chapter in Adana, said that that 
the employees of Turk Telekom are suffering from the 
implementations adopted in the course of the company's 
privatization process.  Guzelce said that the practice of 
subcontractors tendering for the significant services rendered 
by the company would lead to incompatibilities with the Work Act 
and would undermine unionist efforts. 
 
6.      OZGUR GUNDEM:   Ridvan Kizgin, Chairperson of the Bingol 
Human Rights Association (HRA), alleged that the attack on the 
HRA building during the funeral of five security guards on June 
3 (see press summary 07/05) could have been easily detected and 
prevented because security officials had already heightened 
security measures that day. 
 
7.      OZGUR GUNDEM:   Minister of Interior Affairs Abdulkadir 
Aksu announced that, among nearly 360,00 villagers who left 
their villages due to terror related issues in the southeastern 
region, nearly 125,000 have returned.  Aksu demanded that 
Governors facilitate the return of people to areas where 
security issues are resolved, include NGOs in the meetings to 
achieve transparency, and ease the process of NGOs' 
participation and taking active roles in the project 
implementations. 
 
8.      HTTP://HABER.TNN.NET:   Anthrax was diagnosed in eight 
people in the Cukurca village of Hakkari.  The Cukurca village 
is currently under quarantine and officials are not allowing any 
animal in or out of the village.  Health officials conducting 
medical examinations in the village have not diagnosed anthrax 
in other villagers. 
 
9.      RADIKAL/OZGUR GUNDEM:   N.K., an eighteen-year-old girl, 
who was wounded on June 15 when her brother-in-law attempted to 
kill her in the name of honor in Diyarbakir, was released from 
the hospital and provided lodging in a Women's Shelter House. 
 
10.     HURRIYET:       French Ambassador to Turkey, Paul Paudade, 
paid a visit to the Sanliurfa Governor.  Paudade said that 
Sanliurfa had outstanding tourism potential and great 
achievements in the area have been made in terms of agriculture. 
 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1.      EKSPRES/BOLGE:  Producers of corn are worried that the 
TMO (Turkish Grain Board) may impose a 30-ton-quota on its corn 
purchases from farmers. The TMO had already declared this quota 
for its wheat purchases.