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 0179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          JULY 08, 2003 
 
¶1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for July 08, 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. Gunaydin, Hurriyet, Bolge / Cukurova 
University staff gathered around the 
meeting area and protested against the US 
Government because of the detainment of the 
eleven Turkish soldiers in Suleymaniye. 
About 500 protesters shouted, "Turkish boys 
can't be detained", " US, Don't try our 
patience.", " We are not your colony, take 
your hands off us".  Nurses and doctors 
from the University Hospital also joined in 
the meeting. 
 
 
¶3. Hurriyet, Turkiye / Turkish Nationalist 
Association gathered in Ataturk Park, which 
is opposite the US Consulate in Adana. 
People protested the detainment of the 
eleven soldiers by US soldiers. The group 
walked towards the US Consulate and wanted 
to lay two black wreaths.  Police didn't 
let the group lay them. During the argument 
one of the wreaths broke. The police took 
the other one inside the barriers. 
 
 
¶4. Bolge / Mahmut Teberik, the head of the 
Mechanical Engineers Association announced 
that they can't tolerate such a bad and 
irresponsible attitude towards their 
country and soldiers and said the US should 
apologize. 
 
 
¶5. Bolge / Mehmet Tanriverdi, The head of the 
Chamber of Commerce in Kahramanmaras 
opposed to the new decision by the 
Government to charge the East and the 
Southeast more than the other regions due 
to the large number of unpaid electricity 
bills in the area. He said "it's not fair 
on the honest citizens who pay their bills 
regularly". 
 
 
¶6. Bolge / Village guards in Diyarbakir and 
Urfa said they are worried about their 
future if the village guard positions are 
cancelled due to the new Harmonization 
Package. They said they will have no jobs 
and no guns and this will cause a big 
threat for them. 
 
 
¶7. Turkiye / Habur Border gate is open again 
after four days of problems. 
 
 
¶8. Turkiye / Turkish Security Forces in Adana 
took extra precautions for the protection 
of the US Consulate in Adana. 
 
 
¶9. Evrensel / Villagers who protested the 
government officials' bad treatment by 
walking towards Iraqi Border returned to 
their villages after the transfer of the 
soldiers blamed for the mistreatment. 
 
 
¶10. Milliyet / Well known artist Safa Bute 
could not transfer money to the organizers 
of the Art Exhibition in Italy where he is 
going to represent Turkey next week, 
because his name has Arabic origin. The 
Bank said this is a routine thing they do 
after September 11. 
¶11. Sabah / Zeki Akkoyun, the factory owner who 
hired Yilmaz Cakmak to kill Hasan Balikci, 
the electrical engineer who reported 
against him (he was using unauthorized 
electricity in his factory) was apprehended 
in a holiday village in Antalya. 
HART