US embassy cable - 03ADANA122

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          APRIL 26-27, 2003 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for April 26-27, 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 
 
 
2.  Hurriyet: As a result of ensuing clashes 
between the security forces on patrol in Yeniyazi 
village of Genc (Bingol) and the PKK/KADEK 
militants who disobeyed a "halt" warning, 2 
soldiers were killed and 2 others were wounded 
yesterday. Additional soldiers and helicopters 
were dispatched from Bingol to the scene.  Two 
more soldiers were wounded during the ongoing 
clashes. 
 
 
3.  Radikal/Tercuman: Kizilay's -Turkish Red 
Crescent- relief convoy to Northern Iraq departed 
Ankara. The humanitarian relief convoy is en 
route to Mosul and Kirkuk and consists of five 
trucks of food, water, medicine and medical 
items, four ambulances, and two communication 
devices.  The President of Kizilay announced the 
value of the relief goods to Northern Iraq 
amounted to USD 4 million. It is reported 
donations from the Anatolian Development 
Foundation, the Industrialist and Businessmen 
Association of Marmara, the Turkish Pharmacists 
Union, and Americares contributed to the relief 
packages. 
 
 
4.  Radikal/Milli Gazete: Mersin-based Contigment 
company, operating for the UN, rented 8,000 
square meters of indoor space at the Free Zone of 
Mardin. Mardin and Gaziantep will be used as 
logistical centers for UN's humanitarian relief 
and food assistance during the rebuilding of 
Iraq. Ahmet Caliskan, the President of Free Zone 
in Mardin, stated the 8,000 square meters of the 
covered area in the zone had already been leased 
for USD 13,000 per month. 
 
 
5.  Milliyet: The Chief Public Prosecutor of the 
Turkish Supreme Court brought charges against 
Salih Sarman, the former governor of Batman, for 
"awarding contracts in exchange for Mercedes 
cars." It is also claimed Salih Sarman founded 
special security units affiliated with him, and 
purchased weapons through illegal ways with a nod 
from then Prime Minister, Tansu Ciller. The 
indictment demands 18 years of imprisonment and 
prohibition from public services for Sarman. 
 
 
6.  Milliyet: "The US Consulate [in Istanbul] 
causes shopkeepers to go bankrupt. Because of 
tight security measures, the US Consulate General 
does not let even birds fly in the Tepebasi 
quarter. The shopkeepers, who have been 
complaining that their customers are treated like 
terrorists, are in big distress."  The security 
circle around the US ConGen in Istanbul brought 
the shopkeepers in Tepebasi to the verge of 
bankruptcy. The shopkeepers said the increased 
security measures due to the war in Iraq hurt 
them very badly and added "We are living the 
prisoners' life in our own town. Our customers 
have been driven out. We have no power left to 
endure any longer. They had better go sooner." 
Anyone entering a nearby hotel with his luggage, 
anyone wanting to take a photograph, and tourists 
and passersby watching the Consulate building are 
thoroughly searched by the security guards. Hotel 
and restaurant operators in the vicinity gave the 
following account of the problems they have faced 
for the past one and a half years: Director of 
Monopol and Bristol Hotels, Adnan Guzelderen 
stated, "One hotel was closed down. One 
restaurant is at the verge of going bankrupt 
because busses are not allowed to bring groups." 
Elan Hotel's Director, Fethi Yalcin said "beam 
lights are held to the eyes of our clients 
looking down on the streets from their windows." 
Info Hotel Owner, Osman Bilgi stated, "We told 
the Consulate that we were `sufferers', but they 
responded there was nothing to do, and they were 
also taking these security measures for our own 
good."  Hotel Bale Reception Director, Umut Sarko 
said "They tried to catch a cat in the street on 
the grounds that there might be a bomb tied to 
its strap. They interrogated the family of a 
student staying at our hotel for having taken a 
photograph." Hitit Gift Shop Owner, Ismail 
Akdemir said, "It is as though this is the 
American soil, and we are terrorists." 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
7.  Bolge/Turkiye: Opposing to the privatization 
of Tekel -Monoploy- nationwide, Tek-Gida-Is - 
Monopoly and Food Industry Workers Union- members 
marched in Adana and held a press conference in 
front of the AKP building. Around 3,000 workers 
attended the press release, and shouted slogans 
"We are not going to allow Tekel to be sold;" "We 
are right, we will win;" "America's dogs, we will 
not allow the KITs -Public Enterprises- to be 
sold." Evrensel reported 1,500 workers in Malatya 
and 500 in Diyarbakir attended the anti- 
privatization meetings. 
HOLTZ