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 000030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 08, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 08, 
¶2006.  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 
 
BOLGE:  The caricature crisis has been spreading with mobile 
phone messages as well.  One mobile phone message asks receivers 
to send this message to 10 more people and the text asks the 
receivers to boycott Danish and Jewish goods. 
 
BOLGE / ZAMAN:  Aytac Durak, Adana Mayor, joined in the 
controversial debate currently circulating in Adana politics 
about criticism fired by people from AKP ranks in Adana against 
Bilal Nadir Gok, who was re-elected as the Yuregir District AKP 
Chairperson (see press summary 02/07).  Some AKP circles blamed 
Gok for showing nepotism and favoring members of a certain 
religious sect.  However, Aytac Durak said that AK party was in 
good hands and elections within the party organization were held 
democratically (see press summary 02/07). 
 
BOLGE:  A group of activist women in Adana staged a protest 
against the violence women have been subjected to. 
 
BOLGE / EVRENSEL:       Nine administrative members of the DTP Adana 
provincial organization, who were detained for holding a 
photographic exhibition in Adana two days ago to commemorate PKK 
militants that recently died (see press summary 02/07), were 
arraigned and then released by the court. 
 
BOLGE:  Hanri Leylek, Bishop of Mersin's Italian Catholic 
Church, announced that freedom of expression did not entitle 
people to despise the faiths of other people. 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:        Osman Baydemir, Diyarbakir Mayor, 
whose recent visit to the U.S. caused a political crisis in 
Turkey, said that he did not come to Washington to express 
complaints about Turkey.  Baydemir said that he would tell in 
various platforms in the U.S. what he has already been telling 
in Turkey about the Kurdish issue.  According to Baydemir, 
Kurdish issue could not be resolved through arms; an environment 
of dialogue should be established instead. 
 
EVRENSEL:       Villagers, who has reportedly overcome their fears 
against bird flu, has been continuing to breed poultry in coops 
and stables in Ardahan.  Villagers reportedly think that bird 
flu would not affect the animals if animals are kept in enclosed 
spaces. 
 
EVRENSEL:       Sumeyye Mamuk, who contracted bird flu and has 
recuperated following a 15-day medical treatment, started her 
school today in Van. 
 
EVRENSEL:       Workers of the state-owned Malatya Tekel Cigarette 
Factory staged a march to protest the government's decision to 
close down the factory.  Some unions, political parties and 
associations in the Tunceli province sent letters to the workers 
to extend support for their protest actions. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  13.59 acres of land in Adana was the center of 
a controversial debate between two AKP municipalities on how to 
regulate public works improvement planning.  A "cold war" has 
reportedly been going on between Adana Mayor Aytac Durak and 
Yuregir District Mayor Azim Ozturk on the issue.  Yuregir 
Municipality Assembly has recently overturned a solicitation to 
change the regulation concerning the land. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Turkish authorities denied news reports 
circulating about Abdullah Ocalan that he recently has had a 
spasm problem in his heart. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Tunceli 4th Commando brigade has reportedly 
started expropriating some quarters in Tunceli where nearly 25 
houses are located on security grounds.  Dwellers and owners of 
the land will file complaints with judicial authorities to solve 
the issue. 
 
YENI SAFAK / OZGUR GUNDEM:      The court, which brought action 
against a folkloric dance team of a school and its teacher for 
wearing outfits that resembled PKK militants' outfits during a 
folkloric dance performance held on October 29-Republic Day 
ceremony in Hakkari's Yukseokova district in 2005, decided to 
discontinue action. 
 
 OZGUR GUNDEM:  Zaman daily's November 8 reporting in 2005 
about Van Yuzuncu Yil University Rector Yucel Askin, alleging 
that, according to Jandarma intelligence sources, Askin brought 
PKK supporters to senior positions in the university, was 
confirmed as baseless by the Jandarma National Command. 
 
ZAMAN:  Turkish Parliamentary Commission Probing Semdinli 
Case, following its inquiries with the security directorate and 
Jandarma, has also started hearing statements from MIT 
intelligence center officials.  A commission member from CHP was 
reportedly astounded when Cengiz Sisman, MIT's Hakkari Regional 
Director, said that MIT was not knowledgeable about any of the 
18 separate bombings that took place in Hakkari between June and 
November in 2005. 
 
ZAMAN / HURRIYET:       A 13-year-old girl, who was reportedly 
mentally retarded, committed suicide in Batman.  Batman, a 
province where suicide rates have been high in past years, has 
come under public scrutiny in the last month for increased 
occurrence of suicide incidents.  Five persons in Batman, four 
of which were female, committed suicide in separate incidents in 
January. 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Investments were carried out mainly in five 
western provinces of Turkey in 2005. Southeastern region, where 
military conflicts have been going on, has not enjoyed its share 
from investments because of the high risk factor involved in the 
region. 
REID