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Water rights are an issue in any semi-arid country. In Turkey, they are the focus of this drama, based on a true incident. A new administrator (called a "magistrate") has come to work in a village in Adana, in southern Turkey. The villagers hope that he will take up the cudgels to get them some improved roads and schools; the rich landowners hope that he will enable them to get the water they need to grow more rice. Leaving water stagnant on the fields for long periods benefits more than rice, however, it fosters the breeding of mosquitos. A local doctor points this out to the administrator in time to prevent the extra irrigation, but political pressure from the landowners results in the magistrate being kicked upstairs, leaving the way clear for the landlords to get their way soon.