US embassy cable - 03ADANA209

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          AUGUST 02-03-04, 2003 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for August 02-03-04, 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. Milliyet / Five teachers who were expelled 
from their state teaching jobs in 
Diyarbakir returned to their positions. 
Teachers were accused of singing Kurdish 
songs as a group in Diyarbakir Festival 
last year. 
 
 
3. Evrensel / Adana Labor Platform Youth 
Branch gathered in Inonu Park at the 
weekend and asked for a safe and secure 
future for the young people in Turkey. 
 
 
4. Evrensel / Ten village guards who were 
accused of killing eight villagers in 
Midyat/Mardin are sentenced to life 
imprisonment. 
 
 
5. Evrensel / Widow women in Sirnak started a 
support group.  The group has about 600 
members who lost their spouses. 
 
 
6. Milli Gazete/ Muhammed Guzelkurtoglu, Head 
of the Health Services in Van announced 
that about 2500 health personnel would be 
appointed to Van which urgently needs 
medical personnel.  These people would be 
working on yearly contracts and with higher 
salaries. 
 
 
7. Sabah Guney / Tarsus Prison scheduled a 
conference for the prisoners.  Professors 
from Mersin University talked about crime 
and the factors that cause crime. 
 
 
8. Turkiye / Kasim Demir, Head of Religious 
Services in Hatay announced that there is a 
big increase in Christian Missionary 
Services in Hatay, Istanbul, Trabzon and 
Sinop.  According to Demir Christian 
Missionaries put American Dollars in the 
bibles they give away to attract people. 
 
 
ECONOMICAL 
 
 
9. Sabah Guney / Mehmet Aslan, Head of 
Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce announced 
that Syrian Prime Minister Mustafa Miro's 
visit to Turkey was very fruitful.  Aslan 
stated that the agreement on the opening of 
a Syrian Consulate in Gaziantep would be 
the start of a new era in Syrian-Turkish 
business relations. 
 
 
10. Bolge / Adana MUSIAD (Independent 
Businessmen Assosiation) announced that 
they support the Harmonization Package and 
the work of the government.  Mustafa 
Caliskan, the Head of the Association 
stated that there would a danger of 
devaluation if privatization projects 
aren't accomplished by next year. 
11. Zaman / Cukurova Electric Distribution 
Company now legally belongs to The State 
after the completion of the Uzan family's 
legal procedures.  Clients are pleased due 
to the %5 decrease in the prices. 
12. Turkiye, Milli Gazete / Salih Alma, a 
farmer from Harran announced that he had 
the first fruits of the banana trees that 
he planted five years ago.  Farmers who 
used to grow just wheat and cotton in the 
area now grow soybeans, corn, almonds and 
different types of fruits. 
 
 
13. Zaman, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Bolge, Express, 
Turkiye, Sabah Guney / Corn farmers in 
Adana visited Governor Kemal Onal and 
wanted the government stop the import of 
corn. 
CULTURE and TOURISM 
 
 
14. Hurriyet / Asim Hacimustafaoglu, Governor 
of Bitlis announced that there is a 
possibility of an explosion in Nemrud 
Mountain area.  Governor stated that Nemrud 
was an active Volcano in the past and there 
are examples of non-active volcanoes being 
active again. 
 
 
15. Turkiye / Diyarbakir Movie Festival is 
starting on August 8. 
HART