Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for September 27-28, 2005
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ADANA 000171
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September
27-28, 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
OZGUR GUNDEM: Reportedly, fragments of a flare fired by
soldiers at night killed a 15-year-old child sitting on the
balcony of his house in Van's Bostanici district.
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: Relatives of the inmates of Adana's
Kurkculer Jail claimed that the inmates, especially women,
serving prison sentences for being members of a terrorist
organization, have been subjected to more torture in recent
days.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Diyarbakir Bar Association's Chairperson
Sezgin Tanrikulu said that the newly drafted anti-terror law
envisaged stricter restrictions than the current law. According
to Tanrikulu, the law should be completely abolished rather than
trying to extend its restrictions.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily reported that the PKK called for
village guards not to participate in military operations.
Reportedly, military operations have been continuing in Tunceli,
Agri, Diyarbakir and Sirnak provinces.
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): The Hatay Airport construction project,
which has continued without completion for 14 years, will get a
shot in the arm following transfer of responsibility for the
project from the Provincial Administration Authority to Ministry
of Transportation, said the Hatay Governor.
BOLGE: The members of Mersin Liman-Is (Port Workers' Union)
temporarily ended their 76-day strike. The strike was initiated
against the privatization of the port. A recent ruling by a
local administrative court to stop the privatization process
brought about the decision to end the strike.
RADIKAL / SABAH: According to figures provided by the Ministry
of Interior, one out of every fifteen village guards is involved
in criminal acts. The village guard system was introduced in
late 1980s to counter terrorism activities in Southeastern
Turkey.
MILLIYET ONLINE VERSION
: Walter
Scott Reid's (U.S. Consul in Adana) attempt to greet with a kiss
even the AKP's women's branch chairperson reportedly came as bit
of shock to her and to party members, who were welcoming him at
the entrance of the party building in Diyarbakir as Mr. Reid was
paying a visit to the party administration in the city.
Reportedly the lady refrained from the kiss, and only shook
hands with the Consul. (Note: Despite the lady's position in a
line of people greeting the Consul, the paper reported that the
lady was actually not greeting him. End Note.)
OZGUR GUNDEM: A bus, which started touring Turkey to draw
attention to the campaign to end violence against women, will
finish its travel when it arrives in Diyarbakir on October 1.
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: A new investigation has been filed
against DEHAP National Chairperson on grounds that he incited
unlawful acts with speeches he made following the flaring up of
tension in Bilecik's Bozuyuk district early in September.
RADIKAL: The relatives of Gunay Soyer, a person from Adana
who was working in Mosul in Iraq as a gas pumper, claimed that
U.S. soldiers arrested Soyer on the charges that he was an
"agent".
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
1. BOLGE: A delegation of Turkish origin businessmen
from Iraq, in order to foster commercial relationships, will
come to Gaziantep on September 29 to visit their counterparts
there.
2. BOLGE / EKSPRES: Fethi Coskuntuncel, Chairperson of Adan
Chamber of Commodity Exchange, said that this year's cotton
harvest would reach up to 3,930,000 tons. According to
Coskuntuncel, this year's cotton harvest will be 600,000 tons
short of expectations. Coskuntuncel urged Cukobirlik
(Cooperative for Agricultural Sales) to announce its cotton
prices.
REID