US embassy cable - 03ADANA139

UNCLAS ADANA 0139 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          MAY 20, 2003 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for May 20, 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.  Radikal/Milliyet: The police and jandarma 
have been alerted to arrest seven contractors of 
the buildings that collapsed and killed many 
people during the earthquake in Bingol on May 1. 
Pictures of the wanted contractors have been 
distributed to the security officials, and a 
warrant of arrest has been issued for the 
contractors. Hurriyet reports that under the "Do 
not let our schools collapse" campaign initiated 
by Hurriyet Paper and Channel-D, a delegation of 
eight experts from Middle East Technical 
University started examining the schools in 
Bingol by taking samples of concrete for 
analyzing in their labs in Ankara. 
 
 
3.  Milli Gazete: The earthquake victims in 
Bingol are afraid to go into their damaged 
houses. Three families are staying in one tent in 
Bingol's Asagikoy village with 81 houses, 500 
inhabitants. The villagers were afraid to go into 
their houses because of aftershocks, and only 25 
tents have been issued to their village with 81 
houses. The village headman, Abdulkerim Boztimur, 
said 20 persons were staying in one tent and 
asked for more tents rather than any relief 
material or foodstuff. Bingol Governor, Huseyin 
Avni Cos, announced that they delivered 13 
thousand tents and 400 tons of foodstuffs in 
Bingol to date. 
 
 
4.  Milliyet: According to the State Statistic 
Institute (SSI), there is 9 percent unemployment 
rate throughout Turkey, but 17 percent in Batman, 
and 15 percent in Osmaniye and Sanliurfa. While 8 
percent in Istanbul and 16 percent in Ankara of 
the employed population are engaged in 
agricultural sector, this ratio is 83 percent in 
Mus and 78 in Ardahan. While 64 percent of 
employees work in service sectors in Ankara, only 
13 percent are employed in this sector in Mus. 
While 32 percent of the employed persons are 
hired in the industrial sectors in Istanbul, this 
ratio is only one percent in Ardahan, Hakkari, 
Bingol and Agri provinces. 
 
 
5.  Evrensel: The 3rd Cultural and Art Festival 
sponsored by Diyarbakir Municipality will be held 
between May 23- June 01 with a concert by 
Borusan's Philharmonic Orchestra at the 
historical walls of Diyarbakir. Many Turkish and 
Kurdish singers are expected to attend the 
festival. 
HOLTZ