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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 ANKARA 001547 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF TU TIP IN TURKEY
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: TURKISH MEDIA ATTENTION, February 16- 
28, 2006 
 
¶1. In response to G/TIP inquiries, national and 
  international media sources published the following news 
  articles about TIP in Turkey.  Text of articles 
  originally published in Turkish is provided through 
  unofficial Embassy translation. 
 
¶2.  Published by the Turkish Daily News on Sunday, February 
19: 
 
     TITLE:  Turkey's robust action against migrant 
     smuggling bears fruit 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  No vessels used Turkish waters to smuggle 
     migrants to Western countries in 2004, a clear 
     indicator of Turkey's success in preventing migrant 
     smugglers from entering its waters, says Interior 
     Ministry report. 
 
     Through national measures, exchange of information and 
     cooperation at an international level, Turkey has 
     determinedly been combating migrant smuggling, with 
     thousands of migrant smugglers and illegal migrants 
     apprehended last year in a series of operations carried 
     out by the country's security forces. 
 
     A total of 57,428 illegal migrants and 6,174 migrant 
     smugglers were captured in Turkey by security forces in 
     2005, according to a report on migrant smuggling and 
     human trafficking.  The 17-page report was drafted by 
     the Interior Ministry to be submitted to European Union 
     countries. 
 
     Turkey is a transit, destination and also a source 
     country in the movement of illegal migrants, who 
     voluntarily leave their native countries due to poverty 
     and unemployment.  Each year, thousands of illegal 
     migrants from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern 
     Europe attempt to sneak into Turkey, an entry point to 
     more prosperous Western countries. 
 
     Since the early 1990s, Turkey has been a transit 
     country in the movement of illegal migrants from, 
     especially, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and 
     Bangladesh.  After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, 
     the country has been targeted by migrants from Romania, 
     Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus.  Additionally, 
     Turkey is also a source country for Turkish citizens 
     who attempt to illegally enter Western countries. 
 
     As a result of the security forces' robust action, 
     particularly in 2000 and 2001, a decrease has been 
     observed in the number of illegal migrants using Turkey 
     and migration paths were diverted to other 
     international routes such as the Middle East, Caucasus 
     and Eastern Europe, the report said. 
 
     Turkey is situated at the crossroads of Asia, the 
     Middle East and Europe and borders eight countries. 
     Thus, the first step to fight human smuggling is 
     measures taken at border gates.  Security officials 
     from the Interior Ministry, in addition to custom 
     officials, are in charge of border gates. 
 
     In the last six years, Turkish officials prevented 
     79,844 foreigners who were seen as suspicious or using 
     fake passports from entering Turkey, under the passport 
     law that was amended in accordance with EU legislation 
     to prevent illegal immigration, said the report. 
 
     As a country surrounded by 5,000 miles of coastline, 
     Turkey is targeted by illegal migrants using sea 
     routes.  However, in recent years smugglers have 
     changed their sea routes because of Turkey's intense 
     efforts to prevent migrant smuggling in Turkish waters. 
     Thus, ships carrying illegal migrants from African 
     countries have begun using routes in Italian and French 
     waters and those migrant smugglers from Sri Lanka and 
     India use Greek Cyprus, Greece and Italy as their main 
     routes, according to information furnished in the 
     report. 
 
     The number of boats from Turkey carrying illegal 
     migrants to European destinations (mainly Italy and 
     France) has considerably decreased.  The number was 19 
     vessels in 2000 and dropped to nine in 2001, two in 
     2002 and one in 2003.  No vessels used Turkish waters 
     to smuggle migrants to Western countries in 2004, a 
     clear indicator of Turkey's success in preventing 
     smugglers from entering its waters, said the report. 
 
     In order to prevent migrant smuggling through sea 
     routes, Turkey has formed a list of boats and boat 
     operators that are likely to be involved in smuggling. 
     In case these boats enter Turkey's territorial waters, 
     they are taken under supervision of officials from the 
     Coast Guard Security Command. 
 
     This list is regularly updated, but there is also a 
     need for cooperation with the Greek government to 
     identify suspicious boats, said the report. 
     Illegal smuggling poses a threat to Turkey's social 
     order, its human and democratic values.  For public 
     order and safety, it is vital to keep apprehended 
     illegal migrants in a shelter until they are deported. 
     The process of deportation sometimes lasts months. 
     This is a development that sometimes results in the 
     release of the migrants, some of whom later commit 
     crimes in the country such as theft and extortion. 
 
     In the last 10 years, a total of 310,501 undocumented 
     foreigners have been deported on grounds of being 
     involved in theft, extortion and smuggling and almost 
     YTL 8.5 million (approximately $7 million) has been 
     spent since 1999 for deportation transactions and for 
     providing illegal migrants with shelter until they are 
     deported, according to the report. 
 
     There are ongoing efforts to establish sheltering 
     centers to "temporarily keep captured illegal migrants 
     within the country," but Turkey believes that in order 
     to combat illegal smuggling in an effective manner, it 
     is crucial to send the migrants back to their home 
     countries, said the report. 
 
     As a major transit point in the movement of illegal 
     migrants on the East-to-West axis, Turkey has to deal 
     with this ever-increasing problem at both the 
     administrative and legal levels. 
 
     Combating migrant smuggling under a legal framework and 
     in compliance with international standards and norms is 
     among Turkey's top priorities.  To this end, the 
     government adopted various international conventions 
     regarding the struggle against cross-border crimes. 
     With an amendment to the new penal code, which has been 
     in effect since June 2005, individuals involved in 
     illegal migration and human trafficking are subject to 
     severe prison sentences. 
 
     The report said, in conclusion, that every state has 
     the right to control its own borders and decide who can 
     enter the country or who cannot, but that migrant 
     smuggling is not a matter that can only be resolved 
     solely through security measures or border controls. 
 
     It does not look to eradicate the problem worldwide, 
     but suggests that it may be reduced, which is only 
     possible through international cooperation, according 
     to the report. 
 
     Human trafficking: 
 
     Victims of human trafficking, mostly women and 
     children, are enslaved, under pressure and often under 
     threat of death, which is different from the case of 
     illegal migrants. 
 
     Turkey is a destination country for women and girls - 
     usually between the ages of 15-26 - trafficked to 
     Turkey with the promise of jobs, but then forced into 
     prostitution.  The vast majority of them come from the 
     former Soviet Union, with 60 percent of all cases from 
     two countries, Moldova and Ukraine. 
 
     The country has come a long way in a short period of 
     time in counter-trafficking and has made great strides 
     to combat this crime, raising public awareness and 
     introducing legal provisions to punish traffickers. 
 
     As part of Turkey's efforts in counter-trafficking, 
     some 495 individuals were identified as victims of 
     human trafficking in 2004 and 2005, said the Interior 
     Ministry report. 
     Turkey's efforts in this sphere, closely coordinated 
     with the International Organization for Migration 
     (IOM), include training provided to police and 
     gendarmerie officials about facts and characteristics 
     of human trafficking and how trafficking should be 
     handled, as well as providing the victims of human 
     trafficking with psychological support and 
     rehabilitation and ensuring their safe return. 
     The government has so far provided more than 30 victims 
     of human trafficking with "temporary residence 
     permits."  Through legal regulations and amendments to 
     the new penal code, legal actions were taken in 2005 
     against 379 human traffickers, said the report. 
 
     However, human trafficking is a problem which has 
     international dimensions, so there is a need for 
     international cooperation to fight this crime. 
 
     Turkey has offered to sign cooperation protocols with a 
     number of source countries to jointly combat human 
     trafficking.  In 2004, it signed a deal with Belarus 
     and in 2005 with Georgia and Ukraine.  Turkey is 
     expected to conclude a series of protocols with 
     Romania, Moldova, Russia and Bulgaria, added the 
     report.  END TEXT. 
 
¶3.  Published by Sudan Tribune on Monday, February 20, 2006: 
 
     TITLE:  Sudan, Turkey agree to fight terrorism, money 
     laundering 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  Sudan and Turkey yesterday signed a 
     security agreement in Khartoum to fight against 
     terrorism, money laundering, illegal immigration, as 
     well as human and drug trafficking, proliferation of 
     arms and ammunition. 
 
     The police commissioner, Lt-Gen Mahgoub Hassan Saad, 
     signed for the Sudanese side, while the Turkish police 
     commissioner, Gogha Aydan, signed on behalf of his 
     government. 
 
     The agreement stated that there will be security 
     cooperation between the two countries for the 
     prevention of any activity that violates the interests 
     of the two countries, including harboring terrorist 
     organizations, establishment of camps by officials of 
     terrorist organizations of either of the two countries 
     and exchanging information about any crime through 
     diplomatic channels. 
 
     The agreement also stated that the Turkish side would 
     train cadres from the Sudanese police on how to combat 
     terrorism, protect public figures and techniques of 
     finding explosives using police dogs.  END TEXT. 
 
¶4.  Published by Milliyet, Sabah and Vatan on Monday, 
February 20: 
 
     TITLE:  International "slave" gang brought down 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  A network which brought women from abroad 
     under the guise of work and forced them into 
     prostitution has been brought down.  The gang sold some 
     of the duped women like slaves to other pimps for 2,000 
     YTL (about 1800 USD) and forced the others into 
     prostitution while under strict control.  It was 
     revealed that gang members referred to the women as 
     "cats," in case police were listening in.  The alleged 
     gang leader, Ejder Toprak and 22 gang members, one of 
     them a woman, were arrested and the 55 women who were 
     forced to work were saved. 
 
     The Public Order Department put together a group of 100 
     civil police.  To save the women and catch the 
     suspects, 17 houses and hotels in seven regions of 
     Istanbul were raided at the same time.  An unlicensed 
     gun, 97 counterfeit 20 YTL banknotes and 500 grams of 
     narcotics were seized at Ejder Toprak's residence. 
 
     They gathered them with advertisements 
     According to officials, the gang worked like this: 
     they gave advertisements saying, "Wanted:  Nannies, 
     models and barmaids to work in Turkey," to different 
     organizations involved in foreign work in Russia, 
     Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Kazakhstan.  Women who 
     applied were sent to Istanbul by plane.  A well-dressed 
     person who told them he/she was the "employer" would 
     meet these women at the airport and take them to a 
     house by taxi. 
 
     Once inside the house, the women were told that they 
     would be prostitutes and their passports taken away. 
     Any woman who protested would be beaten without mercy 
     in front of the other women.  Later these women were 
     given fake Republic of Turkey identification cards. 
 
     One night 100 dollars, one "cat" 2,000 YTL 
 
     It was determined that some of the women brought were 
     sold to traffickers for 2,000 YTL and the rest were 
     forced into prostitution, in return for $100-$150 a 
     night. 
 
     Officials determined that the gang prevented all 
     communication opportunities for these women, and among 
     themselves, the gang members referred to women as 
     "cats." 
 
     Three women who were kidnapped by the gang, but who 
     were later released in return for money, were found by 
     the police and they testified.  These women identified 
     two captured gang members.  END TEXT. 
 
¶5.  Reported by the Pak Tribune on Wednesday, February 22: 
 
     TITLE:  Pak, Iran, Turkey, Greece sign agreement to 
     stop human trafficking 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  The Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad 
     Sherpao said that the Interior Ministry has set up a 
     special task force for eradication of human 
     trafficking. 
 
     He said human trafficking is an international issue and 
     to this effect Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Greece have 
     signed an agreement to stop human trafficking, while 
     Afghanistan also wanted to join the agreement. 
 
     He further said that the government of Pakistan has 
     been able to trace the head of a gang, Arshad Warriach, 
     and his accomplice, Dilshad, in Athens.  The gang is 
     allegedly involved in human trafficking. 
 
     He also assured that the government would take every 
     possible stop to curb human trafficking, and would try 
     all possible efforts to follow in spirit all the 
     proposals deliberated at the conference. 
 
     The representative of Canadian High Commissioner, John 
     ¶J. Motranter, the Regional Representative of the 
     National Organization for Migration, Abdul Hassan Mony 
     Mustafa, and Federal Interior Secretary, Syed Kamal, 
     also addressed the conference. 
 
     Talking to journalists after the conference, Sherpao 
     said that the house detention of Qazi Hussain Ahmad was 
     carried out due to his aggressive statements, however 
     all the parliamentarians and other people would be 
     released soon. 
 
     He said the government wants to formulate a strategy 
     along with the opposition on following the derogatory 
     caricatures published in the European newspapers. 
 
     "We have given the permission to MMA to hold a protest 
     demonstration in at H-11 sector, but they were bent on 
     holding the procession at the Blue area," Sherpao said. 
     END TEXT. 
 
¶6.  Published by Sabah on Wednesday, February 22: 
 
     TITLE:  "Cats" worked; he played 
     BEGIN TEXT:  Ejder T., who is known as "Baron," is a 
     leader of an international prostitution gang that was 
     uncovered by the "Cat Operation" in Istanbul, and was 
     living in luxury with the money he earned from 
     trafficking in women. 
 
     Ejder T. was captured on Thursday during an operation 
     conducted by the Morality Police of the Law and Order 
     Department of the Turkish National Police.  He brought 
     women from Moldova, Russian and Ukraine to Turkey by 
     promising them jobs.  He forced these women into 
     prostitution.  He used to spend the money he earned 
     from these women both in this country and abroad. 
 
     Ejder T. was detained three times earlier for 
     prostitution.  He had many clients. Some famous names 
     were among the list of clients.  Special services were 
     given to clients and each woman was available for 
     $1,000-$2,000 per night. 
 
     Ejder T's name was mentioned two years ago in 
     connection with a prostitution operation in Bodrum. 
     That operation was against Azeri citizen Afag D (42), 
     who was known as the empress of prostitution, and Ejder 
     ¶T. was reportedly her link in Istanbul.  END TEXT. 
 
¶7.  Published by Aksam on Thursday, February 23: 
 
     TITLE:  Prostitution on the other side of the border 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  A gang which took nine Georgian women by 
     boat to Greece to force them into prostitution has been 
     captured.  A neighborhood census keeper and a manager 
     of irrigation at a housing cooperative were members of 
     this international ring. 
 
     The Edirne Provincial Jandarma Command got word that 
     nine foreign women were practicing prostitution in a 
     hotel.  In a planned raid on the hotel, nine Georgian 
     women were taken into custody.  According to the 
     women's statements, they boated or kayaked across the 
     Meric River and entered Greece illegally, where, 
     starting in Athens, they worked in bars, nightclubs and 
     casinos as prostitutes.  The women, who said they had 
     just returned from Greece, were waiting for the right 
     time to go back. 
 
     Women Freed 
 
     The gang members who took these Georgian women to 
     Greece included the hotel owner and businessman E.T., 
     hotel worker S.B., Greek K.X.F., T.B., Ipsala Kumdere 
     Village Census keeper H.K., Ipsala-Pasakloy Cooperative 
     Irrigation Manager C.A.G. and B.E., E.K., I.A., T.Y., 
     S.G. and S.K., who had four different outstanding 
     warrants for his arrest on human smuggling, were all 
     arrested. 
 
     Two vehicles that the gang used to smuggle people were 
     seized.  Greek citizen V.I. was being sought and the 
     nine Georgian women were released after giving their 
     statements.  The 12 suspects were charged with human 
     trafficking, human smuggling and drug smuggling.  END 
     TEXT. 
 
¶8.  An Op-Ed written by Ambassador Wilson, published by 
Zaman on Saturday, February 26: 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  Trafficking in Persons:  A Human Tragedy 
     that Affects Us All 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  One of the most striking features of the 
     21st century is the extent to which the agenda has 
     become dominated by global issues. 
 
     In a world of instant communications, high-speed 
     travel, and burgeoning international trade, problems 
     that once were local or regional have become global. 
     We need look no further than avian influenza and global 
     terrorism to see that solving many problems today 
     requires broad, transnational cooperation among 
     governments, NGOs, and ordinary citizens.  Trafficking 
     in persons is another global issue on which we must 
     work together to achieve a global solution. 
 
     Trafficking in persons is a crime.  It is the 
     exploitation of one human being by another, through 
     sexual exploitation and forced labor.  It is a kind of 
     modern-day slavery that violates fundamental rights of 
     freedom and human dignity. 
 
     Trafficking is a global scourge that affects nearly 
     every country in the world.  It is a problem in the 
     United States.  It is a problem in Turkey.  According 
     to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 
     Turkey has become a top destination for trafficking 
     because of its proximity to key source countries and 
     its level of prosperity relative to other countries in 
     the region. 
 
     Poverty is a driving force in trafficking.  Most 
     victims in Turkey were earning less than $2 per day in 
     their home countries.  One of every three victims in 
     Turkey is a mother who has fallen prey to traffickers 
     in an attempt to feed and clothe her children.  The 
     devastating consequences - broken homes, long-term 
     separation, impoverishment, and hopelessness - ruin the 
     lives of mothers and the families they leave behind. 
 
     The good news is that many governments around the 
     world, including in Turkey, have taken important steps 
     to combat this problem.  The signing of an anti- 
     trafficking protocol by Foreign Minister Gul and 
     Moldovan Foreign Minister Straton is recent evidence of 
     this.  Turkey has also signed agreements with other 
     source countries to help facilitate international 
     cooperation against trafficking in persons. 
 
     Using funds provided by the United States, Turkey has 
     worked with the IOM to implement a toll-free helpline 
     that has brought immediate concrete benefits to 
     trafficking victims.  The helpline, which came into 
     operation in May 2005, offers help to those who need 
     it.  Anyone who is a victim of trafficking or knows a 
     victim of trafficking is urged to call "157."  Trained 
     counselors stand ready to provide assistance round-the- 
     clock.  To date, this hotline has received nearly one 
     thousand trafficking-related calls, and more than 50 
     people have been rescued from the degradation of human 
     trafficking and reunited with their families through 
     this service. 
 
     Earlier this month, the IOM launched a new counter- 
     trafficking campaign in Turkey entitled "Have You Seen 
     My Mother?"  Commercial spots featuring Moldovan 
     children will air on television and in cinemas 
     throughout Turkey.  Municipalities around the country 
     have put up posters and billboards to raise awareness 
     of the trafficking problem and to encourage citizens to 
     take action against traffickers.  The IOM campaign 
     reminds us of the indispensable role the media can play 
     in educating our communities about the tragic results 
     of trafficking, and what can be done about it.  Many 
     citizens throughout Turkey are acting to fight 
     trafficking and to rescue its victims. 
 
     I applaud the good work being done by the IOM, the 
     Turkish authorities, and other governments and NGOs on 
     this critical issue, and I admire the dedication of all 
     those who fight daily against trafficking in persons in 
     Turkey and around the world.  Only by working together 
     can governments, with the support of their citizens, 
     end this insidious form of international crime and 
     restore the dignity of those who have become its 
     victims. END TEXT. 
 
¶9.  Published by Vatan on Monday, February 27: 
 
     TITLE:  Until now 238 women plucked from the mire 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  In order to save foreign women from forced 
     prostitution, a campaign entitled "Have you seen my 
     mother?" began 15 days ago, and, thanks to Selin 
     Arslan, many women have returned home. 
 
     Two hundred thirty-eight women forced into prostitution 
     have been saved from the quagmire thanks to the 
     cooperation of the International Organization for 
     Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
     which started the "157" helpline in May, 2005 and the 
     "Have you seen my mother?" campaign which began 15 days 
     ago.  Most of the credit for getting this off the 
     ground goes to IOM Turkey Representative Selin Arslan. 
     Arslan works night and day to save women from 
     prostitution.  She evaluates each telephone call one by 
     one.  According to Arslan, the reason why these women 
     fall into the quagmire in our country is the ease in 
     obtaining visas.  Arslan explained how women are saved, 
     "We put information about the 157 helpline in passports 
     at airports.  We leave the informational brochures at 
     cafes and hotels.  Because of these measures, they call 
     us.  When they call, we send the police.  We get 
     replacements to the passports that were taken from 
     them." 
 
     Three thousand victims in Turkey 
 
     According to the IOM report, 40 percent of the 
     trafficked women are found in Istanbul, 16 percent in 
     Ankara and 16 percent in Antalya.  The average age of 
     the women is between 19 and 25.  Sixty-seven percent of 
     trafficked women in Turkey are from Moldova. 
 
     Women saved from prostitution explain 
 
     The police saved her in half an hour. 
 
     Only 21 years old, Moldovan S.Z. came to Kusadasi 
     hoping to be a waitress, and fell into the prostitution 
     quagmire.  S.Z. talks about those bad days and says, 
     "They kept me in a hotel for one month.  They said I 
     owed them for the visa fees.  They started selling us. 
     I called the Moldovan helpline.  They forwarded me to 
     the 157 helpline.  Half an hour after I called, the 
     police came and saved us. 
 
     I got beat up every night 
 
     T.O., who is divorced with two daughters, is another 
     victim.  Straight from T.O.'s mouth is what happened to 
     her:  "I came to Antalya to be a waitress.  They took 
     me straight from the airport to a hotel and locked me 
     in.  They took my passport.  They kept beating me.  One 
     time they put me and six customers in a room.  A friend 
     of mine saw a brochure on the 157 helpline and took it. 
     I called and they saved me and my friends. 
 
     They even asked me for my cigarette money 
 
     A young Romanian woman who worked as a cook and who 
     came to Turkey to earn more money explained:  "I was 
     told that I would work as a dancer in Ankara, but they 
     made me a hostess in a bar.  The minute I heard about 
     the 157 helpline, I called.  The operators coordinated 
     with the police and eight Romanian women and I were 
     rescued."  END TEXT. 
 
¶10.  Published by Yeni Safak on Tuesday, February 28: 
 
     TITLE:  20 people arrested in prostitution raid 
 
     BEGIN TEXT:  A Jandarma operation.  Mugla Provincial 
     Jandarma Command teams, on claims that foreign women 
     were being forced into prostitution by a prostitution 
     gang, four days ago conducted raids in Marmaris and 
     Beldibi.  Twenty-five people were taken into custody 
     and upon interrogation remanded to the court.  Twenty 
     suspects, three of them women, were arrested.  A 
     warrant for the arrest of an escaped suspect was 
     issued.  END TEXT. 
WILSON