This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ADANA 000169
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 21, 2004
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for December 21,
2004. 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
TERCUMAN / SABAH / OZGU GUNDEM / EKSPRES / EVRENSEL / RADIKAL /
CUMHURIYET / MILLIYET / ZAMAN / HURRIYET: Having discovered that
one of the wolves that attacked and bit 15 people in Yuksekova,
Hakkari, had rabies virus, all the people exposed were
vaccinated against rabies. However, the vaccination has not been
effective against severe bites on the head, which are very close
to the brain. The lack of special medication for treatment in
Turkey or its late arrival from abroad may cause mortality.
ZAMAN / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / EKSPRES: Nearly six hectares
of forest burned in various parts of Osmaniye. It is suspected
that the fire spread from an unextinguished picnic fire.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Ezdin Batur is the father of Adnan Batur, who
is an (alleged) member of HPG (People`s Protection Forces).
Ezdin Batur said that Turkish Armed Forces killed Adnan Batur in
the vicinity of Zivinge village and the body of his son is now
missing. According to Ezdin Batur, his son was killed after
being caught alive during an operation conducted on October
24th. Ezdin Batur obtained this information from village guards.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Attorney Zulfu Dundar is still not acquitted
in the second hearing of the lawsuit that was brought against
him on the grounds that he exploited his capacity as an
attorney. Attorney Zulfu Dundar brought a charge against police
who allegedly degraded and paraded two children about the town
after putting feces on their faces. The children were detained
on April 23rd, 2003, as a result of allegedly making some
remarks to their teacher.
OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: On December 19, 2000, an
operation called "Return to Life" resulted in the death of some
30 prisoners. (Note: The operation was initiated by security
forces which occupied prisons in response to hunger strikes
security forces claimed were enforced against prisoners' wills
by radical organizations. End note.) This incident was
remembered and denounced during demonstrations held in Adana and
Van this week with banners saying "Perpetrators of the December
19th Massacre should be found," and "We paid a price, and it is
your turn to pay it."
MILLI GAZETE / OZGUR GUNDEM: "Upper and lower respiratory tract
infections are on the increase during winter," says Mesut Colak,
an internal diseases specialist at Mus State University. About
two thirds of the patients treated in the polyclinics of Mus
State University are suffering from common cold.
CUMHURIYET: Attorneys from the Bar Association of the UK are
going to prepare reports about the Kiziltepe case. Attorneys
Roberta Harwey and Johanna Wood, who are conducting a "Kurdish
Human Rights Project," are now obtaining information from the
family of Ahmet Kaymaz and from the witnesses of the incident.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
1. VAKIT / BOLGE / EKSPRES / TURKIYE: AKP Provincial
Chairpersons and AKP Chairpersons of Administrative Districts
paid a visit to Fevzi Kilic, General Director of CUKOBIRLIK
(Cooperative Organization for Agricultural Product Sales in
Cukurova), to get information about the activities of
CUKOBIRLIK, as well as to discuss and address the problems the
group experienced. Kilic said, "If local politicians and
farmers support us and maintain the environment of cooperation,
CUKOBIRLIK can easily solve every problem."
2. VAKIT / BOLGE / EKSPRES / TURKIYE / ZAMAN: Fevzi
Kilic, General Director of CUKOBIRLIK said "Our organization is
growing and becoming powerful even as it is getting smaller
(leaner) thanks to the process of gaining an autonomous status.
For 30 years as a state-run organization, CUKOBIRLIK was a
burden to the state. But that period ended when the Law on
Cooperative Organizations for Agricultural Product Sales was
enacted in the year 2000 (allowing CUKOBIRLIK more autonomy)."
REID