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 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 16, 
¶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 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Kurds protested February 15 yesterday, a day 
which marks arresting of Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya and bringing 
him back to Turkey in 1999, through more peaceful "but not less 
intense" activities in many parts of the southeastern Turkey. 
Many of the Kurds did not go out in the streets, and/or their 
businesses stayed closed, and/or they fasted throughout the day 
yesterday reportedly to show their protest in "a unified form of 
action characterized by peace."  The main theme of Kurds in 
their activities reportedly is to "halt a life which excludes 
Ocalan" and they are reportedly confining themselves the way 
Ocalan is confined in his prison.  Many of the streets in 
districts and provinces such as Hakkari, Siirt and Sirnak were 
reported as empty. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Reportedly, people in Beytussebap, Idil, 
Silopi, and Cizre districts of Sirnak followed PKK's 
prescriptions (see press summary 02/15), and did not go out in 
the streets starting from early in the morning yesterday 
(02/15).  Reportedly, security forces oppressed tradesmen in 
Hakkari's Yuksekova and Semdinli districts to open their 
businesses and military units reportedly marched in the streets. 
 In Mardin's Nusaybin, Derik and Kiziltepe districts, security 
forces allegedly noted down names and addresses of the 
businesses that stayed closed throughout the day.  Similar 
developments reportedly took place in Batman and in some 
quarters of Adana.  Children in Batman hurled stones at shops 
that were open and a group of people wrote lines reading, "Long 
live Abdullah Ocalan" in Kurdish on walls.   Meanwhile, police 
reportedly forced people to open their businesses in Van. 
People in Cizre, who reportedly were committed not to hit the 
streets throughout the day reportedly, went out later in the day 
to hold protests upon hearing that Abdullah Ocalan was not 
allowed to see his attorneys yesterday (02/15).  Thousands of 
people set up barricades on the road to the Idil district and 
police, special teams and military intervened.  Police opened 
fire in the air and used tear gas on the crowd. The group 
retaliated with Molotov cocktails. Meanwhile, security forces 
raided some houses and businesses and reportedly detained 8 
people. 
 
HURRIYET / SABAH / RADIKAL:     Mainstream newspapers provided 
small coverage of the February 19 anniversary that carried much 
importance for Kurds.  Hurriyet daily emphasized that Diyarbakir 
province did not observe the instructions given by the PKK. 
Business owners reportedly continued to stay open throughout the 
day and normal daily life reportedly continued uninterruptedly 
in Diyarbakir.  The dailies mentioned a majority of people as 
not attending their businesses in Agri, Hakkari, and Siirt.  In 
Batman, people reportedly partially observed such an action. The 
dailies reported 20 persons in Mersin and 10 persons Sirnak as 
detained as a result of tension that developed in these 
provinces.  Reportedly, when pro-PKK protestors in Mersin 
started hurling stones at a municipality bus with ordinary 
passengers traveling on a street, police intervened.  Police 
reportedly did not allow a 250-person group to hold a 
demonstration in Sirnak's Cizre district.  People, who dispersed 
in the streets hurled stones at the police officers and this 
reportedly resulted in detentions. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:    A pipe bomb exploded nearby the military 
personnel residences of the Batman Air Force Command in Batman. 
"Youth for Ocalan Initiative" claimed responsibility for the 
incident.  No casualties or material damage was reported. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Osman Baydemir reportedly held talks with the 
UNDP European Desk representatives in New York and told them 
about the economic and social problems of Diyarbakir province. 
Baydemir expressed that poverty would be eliminated and 
socioeconomic development would be achieved if Diyarbakir was 
supported by micro credits and other development projects. 
 
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: R.G., a 15-year-old girl in Diyarbakir, 
whose nose her brothers-in-law had attempted to cut off last 
year in March (see press summary 05/05 and 05/20 in 2005)on 
grounds that she was going out too much, decided to withdraw her 
complaint in the course of trial.  Defendants in the case have 
been released. 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Cukurova University accelerated its efforts 
to strengthen partnerships with EU universities.  To achieve 
that end, the university's International Office invited rectors 
of the four universities of the EU countries including Portugal, 
Germany, Switzerland, and Czech Republic. 
 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce generated 
a report on the economic problems of Gaziantep and the region, 
and will submit this report to Prime Minister Erdogan.  The 
report covers issues such as lowering of production costs, 
changing the incentive system, concerns over energy supply costs 
and over issues at the borders. 
REID