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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 0119 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          APRIL 23, 2003 
 
¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for April 23, 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:  Ankara is undertaking a major 
legal arrangement to bring PKK militants down 
from the mountains because it is not being 
satisfied with the results of the "repent law" 
for dissolving the PKK.  The expanded legal 
arrangements, which aim to contribute to social 
reconciliation, have been made in light of the 
evaluations at the summit of the state to 
eradicate the terrorist components and their 
arms. The projects has also been evaluated at the 
National Security Council, and it is assessed 
that such an arrangement will become more 
effective to enhance the national security 
because of the likely political atmosphere and 
structure taking place in postwar Iraq.  Ending 
the chaotic situation and filling the vacuum of 
authority in the region will also encourage the 
PKK/KADEK militants to benefit from the new 
repent law. Officials said that previous repent 
laws were unfruitful, and the desired results 
were not attained from them despite distribution 
of thousands of handouts by helicopters to the 
militants in the mountains.  The current repent 
law would give short-term light sentences 
followed by pardoning the militants. 
 
 
¶3.  Hurriyet:  Turkey sought an amicable solution 
to four arson and mysterious killing cases 
handled at the European Court of Human Rights 
yesterday.  Accepting the crimes and the 
shortcomings in the legal investigations, Turkey 
agreed to pay 224,500 Euros in indemnities to the 
victims of the four cases.  Huseyin Ates, whose 
house was set on fire in 1994 will be paid 49,000 
Euros; Zeki Yildiz, who was attacked by wardens 
in Buca prison of Izmir, 30,500 Euros; Beyaz 
Macir, whose husband was killed by the security 
forces, 70,000 Euros; and Zahide Guler, whose 
husband was killed by the security forces in Mus, 
75,000 Euros. 
 
 
¶4.  Evrensel:  Diyarbakir HRA Chapter's 2002 
report on land mines revealed that 9 persons were 
killed due to land mine explosions in 2002.  The 
report said 24 persons were killed and 45 others 
were wounded in 24 incidents due to the exploding 
of rockets, mortars, land mines, and hand 
grenades.  The article provides specific 
information relating to HRA's account regarding 
the five explosions that took place in Sirnak 
province affecting fifteen people.  The report 
also announced that three more persons had lost 
their lives while many others were wounded in 
land mine explosions in Hakkari, Mardin, Van, and 
Siirt provinces. 
 
 
¶5.  Evrensel:  Workers and the Sanliurfa 
Municipality signed a two-year collective 
agreement covering 1227 municipal workers. 
According to the agreement, the workers will be 
given a 13 percent increase for the first and 
second six months, and 14 percent for the third 
and fourth six months of the contract.  The 
fringe benefits were equally raised.  An 
additional average amount of USD 75 will be given 
to sanitation workers under the name of 
compensation for constantly being exposed to bad 
odor.  With the latest salary adjustments, the 
minimum monthly wage for a municipal worker will 
be USD 160 while the maximum wage will be USD 
¶500. 
 
 
¶6.  Turkiye/Bolge: Based on a tip, jandarma teams 
seized four thousand roots of hemp in a green 
house of tomatoes in Kavakli village of Ceyhan 
(Adana). Four owners of the green houses were 
arrested in connection with hemp.  Officials said 
an investigation is underway. 
 
 
¶7.  Turkiye:  Jandarma teams patrolling Soguksu 
village, close to the Iranian border, arrested 22 
Afghan and Pakistani nationals who had illegally 
passed into Turkey. In addition, 2 unidentified 
Turks, allegedly helping and harboring them, were 
also arrested.  They will be arraigned after the 
completion of their interrogation by security 
officers. 
 
 
¶8.  Cumhuriyet/Milliyet:  Foreign Ministry 
spokesman Huseyin Dirioz disclosed that the UN's 
World Food Program (WFP) announced that they 
purchased 101 tons of foodstuffs needed in Iraq 
from Turkey.  Dirioz stated that the foodstuffs 
amounted to USD 40 million, and about 100 trucks 
per day would carry the material from Habur 
border gate to Iraq.  Dirioz added that WFP 
wanted to buy a quantity of 400 to 500 thousand 
tons of foodstuff from Turkey, valued at USD 200 
million.  Radikal gives the inventory of the food 
items that have been or will be purchased by WFP 
as follows: 13 thousand tons of flour purchased 
from Turkey was carried by 442 trucks to Erbil 
and Sulaymania; USD 1.5 million worth of assorted 
medical and educational material was dispatched 
to Iraq following the same route; WFP purchased 
about 43 thousand tons of flour and sugar from 
Turkey while the amount of legumes, vegetable 
oil, and high energy content biscuits reached 80 
thousand tons. The UN brought about 20 thousand 
tons of humanitarian relief items to Iskenderun 
port which were then forwarded to Iraq. 
 
 
¶9.  Radikal: Lawyers and Human Rights Advocates 
attending the hearing of a 14-year-old girl in 
Kiziltepe of Mardin were attacked by the 
relatives of the 30 inmates charged with rape as 
their request for being released from prison was 
refused by the court during the session closed to 
press and audiences.  The lawyers and HR 
advocates were stranded for 1.5 hours in the 
courthouse due to the conduct of the inmates' 
relatives.  The lawyers demanded the case be 
transferred to another town for security 
considerations. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
¶10.  Milliyet: Mersin Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry affiliate Development Agency Project 
Coordination Center announced that 18 Israeli 
companies had applied to their center in order to 
attend the May 25-26 meeting sponsored by them. 
The Israeli companies are mainly consulting firms 
on greenhouse technologies, irrigation, 
fertilizers, livestock raising, packaging, food 
technologies, biological control, cultures 
without soil, packing materials, and agricultural 
technologies in Israel. 
HOLTZ