US embassy cable - 05ADANA164

UNCLAS ADANA 000164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 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 
 
ZAMAN:  Agricultural experts advise that cultivation through 
irrigation should be stopped for three years in the vast fertile 
plain of Harran in Sanliurfa province because of the salt 
accumulation resulting from the improper irrigation practices of 
the farmers. 
 
ZAMAN:  Farmers in the Amik Plain of Hatay have been 
suffering from the flooding of the Asi River in wintertime and 
from draught in the summertime. The Asi River originates in 
Syria, and Syria reportedly has been releasing water in winter 
and stopping the release in summer. 
 
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / HURRIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL / BOLGE / 
EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY):        In a series of speeches made in 
Van, Diyarbakir, and lastly in Adana, Chief of Turkish General 
Staff Hilmi Ozkok, stressed the themes of solidarity and unity 
against provocations. 
 
ZAMAN:  Celal Dogan, former Gaziantep Mayor from the CHP 
(Republican People's Party), dismissed claims that he would set 
up a "Kurdish Party" together with the DTH (Democratic Society 
Movement).  Dogan said that it would be a gullible act to form a 
party that would take its roots solely from an ethnic base. 
 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Justice Minister Cemil Cicek reportedly said 
that the case of terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan was closed and 
Ocalan would not be allowed to see his attorneys anymore. 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:        Diyarbakir's Human Rights 
Association (HRA) announced a report covering the last three 
months saying that 123 people lost their lives in clashes during 
the report's timeframe.  According to the report 118 people were 
wounded in clashes and 165 people were detained for a variety of 
reasons. Thirteen people died and 40 people were wounded as a 
result of mine explosions in the region. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Leading 120 members of the intelligentsia in 
Europe made a declaration in the Le Monde newspaper demanding a 
democratic and just solution to the Kurdish problem. 
 
BOLGE / EKSPRES:        "From the Streets to the Future", a project of 
the Adana Street Children's Association, which is being 
supported by the EU as well, has been providing vocational 
training in six different professions to 172 children.  Five 
months of the 10-month training, which will last ten months, 
have been completed to date, and six trainees have already found 
jobs. 
 
EKSPRES:        DYP Provincial Chairperson Nevzat Saskin criticized 
Adana Mayor Aytac Durak for taking part in a delegation to 
Ankara to convince the GoT to increase its corn incentives. 
Saskin reportedly advised Durak to deal with more urgent matters 
of Adana, such as the still-unfinished light metro project. 
 
 
EKSPRES / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):  The GoT started to 
distribute fuel oil and fertilizer incentives to farmers. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     The daily reported that the U.S. was using the 
Iskenderun port in the Hatay province to deliver logistic 
support to U.S. forces deployed in Iraq. 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1.      BOLGE:  Farmers in Adana's Ceyhan district will hold a 
big demonstration tomorrow to protest the agricultural policies 
of the GoT (see press summary 09/14). 
 
2.      BOLGE:  Export volumes to Iraq over the last eight 
months have reportedly pleased Southeastern exporters. 
 
 
 
REID