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 000060 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: TURKEY: VIOLENT CIVIL UNREST IN SE AT HIGHEST LEVEL IN 
RECENT YEARS 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  March 28 funeral ceremonies for PKK killed by 
security forces turned violent around southeastern Turkey, 
including in Diyarbakir, Adana, Batman and Siirt, when large 
crowds, waving PKK flags and shouting pro-Ocalan slogans, 
confronted security forces with Molotov cocktails and stones. 
Police responded with truncheons, tear gas and water cannon. 
Dozens have been injured and detained.  This is the highest 
level of violence from civil unrest in the southeast in recent 
years.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Television footage showed extensive looting and 
property damage from March 28 demonstrations in Diyarbakir; 
media reported that 20 journalists, at least 8 security 
officials and 25 protestors were injured; 50 demonstrators were 
taken into custody.  The media reported that control of the 
entire city of Diyarbakir had been taken over by military forces 
for the first time since the end of the 1987-2001 state of 
emergency.  The Diyarbakir Governor explained to us that he 
called in 250 extra police officers from neighboring provinces 
and deployed paramilitary jandarma forces at two critical points 
in the city to help control  the large crowds.  (Comment: While 
it is not unusual for jandarma  to be used to quell 
demonstrations, this is the first time in the past three years 
that such large groups of police from neighboring provinces have 
been deployed along with large numbers of jandarma  in an 
instance of civil unrest. End comment.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) Our contacts in Diyarbakir told us that people were 
demonstrating because they were angry at the way the PKK 
guerrillas in Mus had been killed.  The PKK claimed security 
forces used chemical weapons against them.  (Comment: We have no 
means to verify this independently.  Media reported that some 
relatives of the deceased claimed that they could not find any 
bullet holes in the bodies; one contact in Diyarbakir told us 
that blood samples from the corpses would be sent to Istanbul 
for examination to determine if chemicals were used, but 
expectations of receiving conclusive results are low.  End 
comment.)  Our contacts claimed "the whole town (of Diyarbakir) 
has turned into a battlefield," and that "ordinary people are 
very much bothered by these events." 
 
¶4. (SBU) On March 29, as of this writing, protest activities and 
clashes have re-started and are continuing in Diyarbakir.  By 
mid-afternoon, the number of injured exceeded 100, including 
police, protestors and journalists.  Shopkeepers closed their 
workplaces, protestors burned tires in the streets, and security 
forces closed some roads.  The media reported that a 22 year old 
man was shot dead by security forces and another youth was 
wounded when security forces opened fire on him.  The Southeast 
Chamber of Commerce (GUNSIAD) and Diyarakir Chamber of Commerce 
(DISIAD) along with other business and civil society 
organizations in the city issued a joint press statement calling 
for an end to the violence in Diyarbakir.  The Armed People 
Initiative declared that "Diyarbakir people are doing their 
duties against the attacks," and called on Kurdish people in 
Istanbul and Mersin provinces to join the protests, according to 
the press.  Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines told us that Diyarbakir 
airport remains open, but some flights are delayed.  Some 
clashes between security forces and protestors are taking place 
near the airport and are creating obstacles delaying or 
preventing some passengers from reaching the open terminal. 
There are significant numbers of security forces deployed in the 
vicinity of the airport, according to Turkish Airlines in 
Diyarbakir. 
 
¶5. (U) Nearly 5,000 people reportedly demonstrated in Adana on 
March 28.  During the funeral procession for one PKK member 
killed in fighting near Mus, police used tear gas and water 
cannon against the mourners' Molotov cocktails and stones. 
Mourners carried PKK flags and banners and shouted pro-Ocalan 
slogans.  Police took an undisclosed number of marchers into 
custody. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Contacts in Batman and Siirt told us that large crowds 
held similar funeral processions in those cities on March 28, 
but that the situation is currently calm. Our contact in Siirt 
told us that at least 3 people have been detained.  Press 
reports claim that a 16-year-old boy was shot and seriously 
wounded by security forces in Siirt while he was attempting to 
raise a PKK flag.  Our contact in Batman told us that as many as 
20 people have been detained, with no reported injuries. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment:  Diyarbakir, Adana, Batman and Siirt are the 
hometowns of some of the 14 PKK guerrillas that were killed in 
Mus.  The remainder of the guerillas came from Iran, Iraq and 
Syria.  These protest events represent the highest level of 
civil unrest and violence in the southeast since the 2001 end to 
the state of emergency.  This increased violence is a departure 
from the relatively calm pro-PKK demonstrations over the past 
two years.  We expect the GOT will claim that the PKK has been 
able to mobilize its urban cadres to use the funerals of the 
guerrillas killed in Mus to stage a regional provocation 
campaign.  End comment. 
REID