US embassy cable - 03ADANA76

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, IZ, TU, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
MARCH 14, 2003 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for 
March 14, 2003.  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 
 
 
Cumhuriyet/Tercuman/Ekspres/Dunya/Radikal/Mil liye 
t/Sabah/Turkiye: Charged with having provided 
assistance and support to the PKK and being a 
center for actions undertaken in contradiction to 
"the indivisibility of the state", the political 
party HADEP was ordered definitively closed by a 
unanimous vote by the Constitutional Court good 
per articles 68 and 69 of the Constitution under 
articles 101 and 103 of the Political Parties 
Law. HADEP's property will be turned over to the 
Treasury Department. 46 HADEP officials, 
including its national chair, Murat Bozlak, have 
been banned from politics for five years. HADEP 
will appeal against the decision to the European 
Court of Human Rights.  At the same time, the 
Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of 
Cassation, Sabih Kanadoglu, also filed a petition 
at the Constitutional Court against DEHAP, 
founded as the substitute for HADEP, and demanded 
DEHAP's closure for good. 
 
 
Hurriyet: Turkey gave support to clearing of land 
mines, which killed 668 citizens during intensive 
PKK terrorism. According to the proposal, Turkey 
will clear all these land mines in 7 years. CHP 
deputy, Onur Oymen, pointed that despite the 
halting of PKK terror, some 16 persons, including 
children, were killed by land mines in 2001. 
Oymen said dismantling of the land mines would 
cost Turkey USD 300-400 million. 
 
 
Cumhuriyet/Bolge: The US Land Forces Vice 
Commander, Gen. Michael Dotson, who was 
accompanied by high ranking American officials 
from Incirlik AB, met with Lt. Gen. Yalcin 
Kavukcuoglu, the Commander of Turkish Navy 
Command in Iskenderun. After the talks at the 
Navy Command, Gen. Dotson visited the Iskenderun 
port and was briefed about the military 
shipments. After Gen. Dotson's visit to 
Iskenderun, the Turkish Land Forces Commander, 
Gen. Aytac Yalman, also inspected Turkish 
military units in Adana and Iskenderun. Gen. 
Yalman said the Turkish units were in excellent 
condition and were ready to fulfill any mission 
the Turkish people would give them. 
 
 
Radikal: In order to rescue the historical 
monuments in the Southeast from becoming a target 
in a war on Iraq, the Cultural Ministry will hang 
white and blue posters on them. The posters will 
be visible to pilots.  It is reported that 
objects in regional museums will be transferred 
to Kayseri when the war breaks out.  According to 
Hurriyet, Mardin's Provincial Director of 
Culture, Mustafa Kemal, said  warning flags would 
be hoisted at the Mardin museum, the Deyrul 
Zafaran Monastery, the Mardin castle, the Grand 
Mosque, the Kasimiye Medrese, and the Kirklar 
Church, while artefacts in the Mardin museum 
would be moved to Ankara. 
 
 
 
 
Cumhuriyet/Sabah: It is required of Turkish 
journalists working in the region to carry a 
yellow press card, and foreign journalists must 
get credentials from the Prime Ministry's Press 
and Information General Directorate. In addition 
to the press center at the Dedeman Hotel in 
Diyarbakir, it has been decided that press 
centers should be established in Silopi and Cizre 
as well. The number of the reporters, most of 
whom are foreigners, has reached to 400.  Another 
press center has been established at Iskenderun 
Navy Base Command. 
 
 
Evrensel: The Sirnak Governorate distributed 
handbooks on "Chemical and Biological War" sent 
by the Civil Defense Directorate. The pamphlets 
contain information about "Biological & Chemical 
War and Countermeasures" and "First Aid." A civil 
defense meeting to which the public will be 
invited will be held at the Municipal Wedding 
Hall. 
 
 
Evrensel: The Americans are parading in 
Diyarbakir's streets in foreign plated cars. One 
can see them in all luxurious restaurants, 
hotels, shopping centers, and places of 
entertainment. It is also claimed that they have 
rented luxurious houses in Hamravat and 
Demetevleri complexes. In Birecik, some 
unidentified persons stoned the convoy carrying 
US military equipment while passing the bridge 
over the Euphrates. 
 
 
 
 
Cumhuriyet: CHP's Provincial Chairman of Siirt, 
Mervan Dilek, resigned from his position. He had 
been CHP's provincial chairman for a decade. 
Mervan Dilek's brother- in-law, Dr. Ekrem Bilek, 
was elected to the parliament on CHP's ticket on 
November 3, 2002, but was not reelected on March 
9, 2003. 
 
 
Bolge: A group of anti-war lawyers in Adana, 
announcing a press statement in front of the 
Court Hall, said Turkey was literally being 
occupied by US soldiers and insisted on peace. 
 
 
Bolge: The hearing of Adana Mayor, Aytac Durak, 
who was accused of false tax statements, started 
at the Court of First Instance in Adana. During 
the closed hearing, Mayor Durak denied the 
allegations. Mayor Durak said all the real estate 
that belonged to him and his wife had been 
reported correctly. He said he owned a 
construction company with his brother before he 
was elected, and had built houses for more than 
2,000 families. The court decided to wait for 
written answers from the Interior Ministry and 
the Trade Registry Office concerning the case, 
and adjourned the hearing until May 14. 
HOLTZ