US embassy cable - 05ADANA155

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000155 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 23, 2005 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for August 23, 
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 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):    Syria's Idlip Governor Atif Ganem El-Neddaf 
and an accompanying delegation paid a courtesy visit to Hatay 
Governor Abdulkadir Sari.  During the visit, Sari pointed out 
that the two countries both have projects to start.  El-Neddaf 
said, "I saw no borders as I was traveling to Hatay.  Yet, there 
never exists a border between brothers." 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Iskenderun district's Security Directorate and 
Jandarma seized 400 Indian hemp roots, which were being grown in 
a cornfield.  Security officers took one person into custody. 
 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The daily reported that, "as the [Turkish] 
state was seeking ways to have the PKK lay down its arms", on 
the other hand, the soldiers in southeastern Turkey have 
allegedly been forcing the civilians to take up arms as village 
guards. Reportedly, 50 families have returned to Donertas 
village in Bitlis.  However, the Tatvan District Jandarma 
Command has been forcing the returnees to enroll as village 
guards. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Reportedly, the soldiers are asking 
"bothersome" questions when villagers attempt to bring food into 
a village in Van's Gurpinar district.  The soldiers reportedly 
demand information from the villagers about the food, such as, 
who will be eating it.  The villagers are reportedly being 
questioned about the number of family members, when they attempt 
to bring in food. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   It is claimed that Turkish soldiers, who are 
deployed in Sirnak's Silopi district, are firing across the 
border at a village in Iraq's Zaxo district. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) has reportedly 
been continuing its military operations in Tunceli.  The paper 
reported that TAF was conducting unsuccessful operations in 
Tunceli's Herekol and Besta districts. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   A person wounded himself when the explosive he 
grabbed went off as he was collecting herbs in Uludere district 
of Sirnak. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Some families in the U.S. want to extend help 
to R.G., a 15-year-old girl, who was reportedly raped and had 
her nose cut off her face by her brother-in-law and 
father-in-law in Diyarbakir in May (see press summary 05/05). 
 
RADIKAL / HURRIYET / CUMHURIYET:        MGK (National Security 
Council) General Secretariat sent a report on terrorism to the 
members of MGK in advance of today's MGK meeting.  The report 
read that the best way to address the terrorism problem was to 
focus on socio-economic dimensions of the issue through paying 
due consideration to EU perspectives. 
 
HURRIYET:       Murat Karayilan, a senior member of the PKK, in 
response to the intelligentsias' call to lay down arms 
unconditionally, said on a Roj TV program that the PKK would 
definitely not cease its activities unconditionally. 
 
ZAMAN / RADIKAL / HURRIYET / CUMHURIYET:        One of three 
terrorists, a Syrian national, was killed when the three clashed 
with security officers in Macka district of Trabzon.  The second 
terrorist was caught alive. Operations have been going on in 
Macka to catch the third terrorist.  Security forces found 2.5 
kilograms of C-4 explosives, two Kalishnakov guns, and three 
hand grenades outside the town. When the angry local people 
attempted to lynch the terrorist, who was caught alive, the 
security forces opened fire in the air, and removed the 
terrorist in an armored vehicle. 
 
RADIKAL / ZAMAN:        50 Kurdish origin authors, artists, and 
thinkers extended support to PM Erdogan who initiated a new 
period in addressing the Kurdish issue. The declaration of the 
group of intelligentsia called for an unconditional end to the 
violence. 
 
ZAMAN:  Restoring the state of emergency rule in the 
southeastern region, an issue that has come onto Turkey's agenda 
nowadays, is reportedly troubling the people of the region. 
NGOs and political party representatives in Diyarbakir issued a 
joint call against the possibility of renewed emergency rule. 
Chairperson of the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
pointed out that the region has suffered serious economic losses 
during the emergency rule.  MHP Diyarbakir Provincial 
Chairperson said that fighting terrorism should not curtail 
people's rights and liberties. 
 
ZAMAN:  Sixty-two women in Southeastern Turkey have 
benefited from a U.S. program, which aims to train woman 
leaders.  23 women received 10 days of training in Ohio state in 
the U.S.  The program drew the Turkish Parliament's attention, 
and a DYP (True Path Party) deputy solicited information about 
the purpose, resources and attendees of the program. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     The Chief prosecutor started scrutinizing statements 
made by Leyla Zana and other DHT (Democratic Society Movement) 
members.  The Prosecutor's office solicited from security 
offices the statements delivered in public addresses and 
meetings. The office has started examining related news articles 
and accounts published on various media. 
 
 
 
 
MANSON