Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0183

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY
JULY 11, 2003

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for July 11, 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 / Gendarme General Command
Secretariat announced that the two private

SIPDIS
bus companies blocked the Tunceli-Pertek
road on July 9, not PKK. It is claimed that
they did it to be able to ask for more
security measures from the Gendarme.
(Editor's Note: More security measures mean
more travelers).

3. Milliyet / All Cukobirlik Textile Factory
Workers (1200) will get their severance pay
in 10 days and they will be hired by a
private company in four weeks time.
Workers are believed to receive less
payment by the new company but they'll have
their jobs.

4. Bolge / Democratic People's Party (DEHAP)
Women's branch in Mersin gathered in a park
and asked for peace and general amnesty.

5. Bolge / Three historical churches in
Hakkari are believed to be used as
woodsheds by the local people. The
conditions of the churches are
deteriorating and it seems difficult to get
information from the government officials.

6. Cumhuriyet / Diyarbakir Human Rights
Organization (HRO) announced the reasons of
the Sirnak villagers walking towards Iraq
in a press conference. The incident
happened on July 5 when the two villagers
were asked to sign a paper that included
some false allegations about their
relatives. When they refused to sign it
they claim that they were tied on an
electric post in the garden of the gendarme
office. About 600 villagers came to watch
and protest against the action. Then they
all walked towards Iraq and wanted to cross
the border. They were stopped by the
security officials at the border and
convinced to return to their village. HRO
claims that these people's lives are under
threat.

7. Evrensel / In a meeting in Van, to protest
against the arrest of twenty-five young
people in Diyarbakir, it is claimed that
police arrested Faysal Yacan, tied him at
the back of an APC (Armored Personnel
Carrier) and pulled him for about 100
meters. (Editor's Note: There is no date
given for when the incident happened)

8. Evrensel / Villagers who returned to their
villages in Sirnak have hope for the
future. One of the women said although
they don't have their animals, which they
need for milk, they could safely collect
herbs on the mountains as before and keep
their spirits high.
HART

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