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

UNCLAS ADANA 000238 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 14, 2005 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for December 14, 
¶2005.  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 
 
RADIKAL / SABAH/ ZAMAN: Harun Ayik, the prosecutor who initiated 
the investigation into the Semdinli case, reportedly conveyed 
important assessments regarding the case to Turkish Parliament's 
Human Rights Commission.  According to the ballistics report, 
the two bombs used in the bookstore bombing were the same type 
of bombs found in the car of the officers held as defendants in 
the case, Ayik told the Commission members.  Ayik also verified 
that sketches of the plans of the shopping center, where the 
bookstore was located, were also found in the officers' car 
along with an alleged 'death list.' According to Ayik, the 
bombing in the Semdinli bookstore could have links with outside 
forces. Ayik's assessments of the Semdinli Security Directorate 
claiming that there was no discipline at the directorate and 
that the directorate was insufficient in addressing judicial 
matters were also included in the report. 
 
EKSPRES / BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY) / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET / ZAMAN / 
HURRIYET:       Serdar Arslanoglu, an employee of the TRT (Turkish 
Radio and Television), who was chased by a man he allegedly 
quarreled with for an unspecified reason in the middle of the 
night, was beaten to death when he ran into the yard of a 
residential building in Adana, and residents mistook him for a 
burglar. 
 
HURRIYET / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET:  During a press announcement, 
former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that PKK terrorism was 
encouraged by the U.S. with great speed.  Ecevit reportedly 
said, "The U.S. is apparently taking a serious stance against 
Turkey via encouraging the activities which have been 
detrimental to Turkey in northern Iraq."  Ecevit further 
commented on the case of Van Centennial University Rector Yucel 
Askin, saying, "I did not observe any reactionary tendencies at 
the university during my visit (on an unspecified date) there; 
therefore I do not think he was arrested because of his fight 
against these tendencies." 
 
ZAMAN:  The daily pointed out that Isa Esme, YOK (Higher 
Education Board) Deputy Chairperson, after arriving in Van to 
attend the trial of Yucel Askin, went to the military officers' 
guesthouse for his lodging.  Van Centennial University Vice 
Rector and the wife of Yucel Askin were among the people who 
welcomed Esme. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:    Sirnak's KESK (Confederation of Public 
Employees Union) launched a campaign to urge the government to 
build universities in the southeastern region.  KESK sent a 
petition to the Turkish Parliament to include the southeastern 
provinces in the draft law which envisages building new 
universities in Turkey. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Members of the Hakkari Democracy Platform 
reacted to the recent arrest of Sebahattin Suvagci, the former 
DEHAP (Democratic People's Party) Hakkari Provincial 
Chairperson, for attending a program of pro-PKK ROJ TV and 
making statements to it.  Human Rights Association National 
Chairperson Reyhan Yalcindag said that the arrest was unfair and 
against the law. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Van Bar Association organized a seminar called 
"Human Rights and Law."  Fifty-seven attorneys working in Van, 
Mus and Hakkari provinces attended the seminar. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Hasim Celebi, a DEHAP member, has recently 
disappeared and nobody has seen him for one week.  His family, 
fearing that Celebi's life might be at risk, applied to the 
Human Rights Association Chapter in Elazig. 
 
EKSPRES / BOLGE / ZAMAN:        Adana Chamber of Commerce 
announced a decision envisaging the foundation of a university 
in Adana. 
 
RADIKAL:        Deputy Governor of Eskisehir announced that all 
kinds of demonstrations, public events, press announcements and 
similar activities will be banned on December 19, the trial day 
of Ugur and Ahmet Kaymaz, to maintain a secure and peaceful 
environment during the trial. 
REID