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

241524Z Mar 06

UNCLAS ADANA 000057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL TU ADANA
SUBJECT: TURKEY: NEWROS CELEBRATIONS QUIET IN SE TURKEY 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Participation in this year's March 23 Newroz 
celebrations was generally lower than in past years throughout 
Turkey's southeast.  The celebrations were generally peaceful 
with comparatively few instances of violence reported.  Our 
contacts in the region, as well as media reports, said that 
security forces generally treated people courteously.  Our 
contacts in Diyarbakir estimated that turnout at the 
celebrations there may have reached 400,000, in spite of rainy 
weather conditions.  Our contacts in Van told us that turnout at 
celebrations there reached nearly 200,000, also in spite of 
inclement weather conditions.  (Note: We think these estimates 
are inflated.  End note.) 
 
¶2. (U) According to press reports, rock and Molotov-cocktail 
throwing Newroz celebrants clashed with police in Adana on March 
20, resulting in at least one police officer injured and no 
arrests.  Six police officers were reportedly injured in a 
rock-throwing incident in Diyarbakir on March 20, while one 
officer was injured during minor clashes between celebrants and 
police in Silopi.  Jandarma intervened against a group of 80 
celebrants in Erzincan who were holding an unauthorized Newroz 
celebration.  Twenty-six of the group members were detained for 
violating the law on demonstrations and gatherings. 
 
¶3. (U) The press reported on March 22 that the National Security 
Directorate announced that between March 19 and 21, eighty-nine 
people nationwide had been detained on grounds that they carried 
pro-PKK/Ocalan banners and shouted pro-PKK/Ocalan slogans during 
Newroz celebrations.  Eight people had been arrested as of March 
22, but that number could increase as police continue to 
identify wrongdoers from videotaped footage.  The Security 
Directorate reportedly announced that a total of 414,000 people 
participated in the 89 celebrations held in 45 provinces and 36 
districts around Turkey.  These figures represented a 25 percent 
decrease in the number of Newroz participants compared with last 
year. 
 
¶4. (U)  In reaction to the peaceful Newroz celebrations, people 
from both government and pro-PKK factions called for peaceful 
solutions to the Kurdish issue.  Co-Chair of the DTP Ahmet Turk 
called for a peaceful resolution through democratic means, and 
renewed his side's call for a PKK and government-forces 
ceasefire and general amnesty for the PKK, according to press 
reports.  Turk publicly thanked the people and the security 
forces for a peaceful Newroz. DTP co-Chairperson Aysel Tugluk 
said that "people showed what they wanted, namely peace and 
democracy.  People showed that they considered the Turkish 
Parliament and the government as responsible authorities to 
solve the Kurdish issue through democratic means." 
 
REID