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RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 000065 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MARCH 30, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for March 30, 
¶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 
 
HURRIYET ONLINE (TODAY'S UPDATED NEWS AS OF 3.00 P.M.): 
Businesses and shops of majority of tradesmen in Diyarbakir 
stayed closed today, as well. Owners of those shops that stayed 
open reportedly expressed that they were being threatened to 
close their businesses.  Authorities and people in Diyarbakir 
reportedly fear that incidents will escalate today.  It is also 
expected that the funerals of three people killed during the 
demonstrations will be held today.  The daily announced the 
names of the demonstrators killed as, Tar?k Ataykaya (23), 
Mehmet Is?kg? (19) and Abdullah Duru (8).  A group of people 
waiting outside of the hospital to take possession of their dead 
have chanted slogans against government.  Students of Dicle 
University boycotted classes and examinations at the university 
today. Security forces have been intensifying security measures 
at the main crossroads and public institutions in the province. 
Gas bombs and additional tires for the armored vehicles have 
been sent from Ankara to Diyarbakir.  Ramazan Er, Deputy 
Security Director will conduct a trip to Diyarbakir today along 
with a delegation of specialists.  Police extended warnings to 
the tradesmen, who reportedly did not open their businesses 
today in Batman to protest incidents in Diyarbakir, to open 
their businesses.  Some people reportedly smashed windows of a 
post office, a pharmacy and two bank offices.  A mob in Batman 
burned a private financial company's branch office and a hut of 
State Railways Authority.  The group broke into the building of 
MHP provincial party organization to burn the property inside. 
The mob dispersed when police and Jandarma officials intervened. 
 It is reported that some of the demonstrators in the mob have 
been detained.  The online daily reported that tradesmen in 
Siirt started to open their businesses as of today. Health 
condition of 16-year-old Muhlis Ete, who was wounded by a 
shotgun blast during demonstrations in Siirt, is reportedly 
getting better. 
 
ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM / HURRIYET / CUMHURIYET / RADIKAL / SABAH: 
According to the reporting of the Ozgur Gundem daily, three 
people died yesterday during the turmoil in the riots that have 
been going in the southeastern Diyarbakir province (see press 
summary 03/29).  Names of the dead are Tarik Atakaya (23), Onur 
Kaya and a third yet-not-identified person.  The unidentified 
person reportedly died when an armored vehicle accidentally hit 
him.  Sabah daily claims that 9-year old Abdullah Duran, who was 
watching the incidents from the top of their house, died because 
of the bullets shot in the air.  Ten people, including a 
reported 7-year-old child, have been wounded and hospitalized 
when police intervened in a demonstration that broke out in 
front of the Huzurevleri Police Station yesterday.  16th Armored 
Mechanized Division blockaded Diyarbakir State Hospital when 
Atakaya was brought to the hospital.  Anti-riot teams took 
control of the emergency service entrance of the hospital.  Cabs 
and private cars incessantly carried wounded people into the 
hospital.  The clash between demonstrators and security forces 
was concentrated in all the streets of Baglar quarter in 
Diyarbakir, as well as in the several other quarters of the 
province. Police forces, military forces and special teams have 
conducted quite harsh operations to suppress incidents breaking 
out, according to Ozgur Gundem.  Military tanks and soldiers 
deployed at the central points of the city have intervened at 
times with groups of people that continued the unrest. People 
burned some cars with Molotov cocktails and retaliated with 
stones and sticks when security forces attempted to disperse 
people with armored vehicles and gas bombs. Police allegedly 
smashed windows of the businesses that stayed closed. 16th 
Armored Mechanized Unit and Fazil Bilge Garrison sent more 
military units when the incidents started to occur in all the 
quarters of the city.  Reinforcements, including anti-riot teams 
and special team forces, have also been sent from Batman, 
Mardin, Urfa and Malatya provinces. Dozens of miltary vehicles 
have been deployed in the military units located in the 
Seyrantepe quarter of the province.  A military convoy comprised 
of nearly 50-car has also been transferred from Silvan Jandarma 
Battalion to Diyarbakir. Most of the tradesmen did not open 
their shops and businesses in Siirt province to protest the 
shooting and wounding of 16-year-old Muhlis Ete allegedly by 
security forces during the demonstrations held after the funeral 
of a terrorist.  16-year-old boy is still being kept under 
intensive care unit.  The students reportedly boycotted the 
schools.  A group of young persons in Siirt hurled stones at a 
coffee house which attempted to stay open yesterday.  Anti-riot 
teams arrived at the scene and intervened. The clash has 
reportedly been continuing.  DTP provincial party organization 
in Batman will hold a march for peace in Batman to mark the 
 
ADANA 00000065  002 OF 003 
 
 
killing of 14 guerillas on March 24 in Mus.  The march will 
start at 10 a.m. today.  Hundreds of people held demonstrations 
to protest killing of 14 guerillas in Hacibekir and Yuniplik 
quarters of Van. People, as they carried flags of 
"confederalism" and the PKK and as they chanted slogans in 
support for Ocalan, burned a fire and held a 1-hour march in 
Van. Security forces intervened in the unauthorized 
demonstration.  A police officer has reportedly been wounded.  A 
group of people also held a half-an-hour demonstration in 
Sanliurfa which ended peacefully.  Cobra helicopters from the 
Tunceli Jandarma Command allegedly made a show, "as if it was 
out of joy", reported Ozgur Gundem and Evrensel dailies, in the 
skies of the Tunceli province.  Their flight reportedly lasted 
half-an-hour, according to daily Ozgur Gundem.  DTP, while 
calling on people in Diyarbakir, Adana, Siirt and Batman to calm 
down, at the same time called on the government "to take 
concrete steps in the path to resolving the Kurdish issue."  DTP 
also called on the security forces to remain within the 
boundaries of rule of law. DTP Co-Chairpersons Aysel Tugluk and 
Ahmet Turk told people to keep their reactions within the limits 
of democratic bounds. Co-chairpersons also called on the 
government to probe the killing of 14 guerillas in military 
operations.  Chairpersons claimed that prosecutors, human rights 
activists, and civil society members should undertake 
responsibility in probing the allegations of the use of chemical 
weapons during the March 24 military operation.  Diyarbakir 
Mayor Osman Baydemir made an announcement together with DTP 
provincial chairperson, civil society representatives and 
municipality assembly members in front of the Municipality 
Theater Hall, and said that there was an urgent need for display 
of a democratic and common sense attitude to address the issue. 
Oppressive responses concentrating on the security perspective 
would do no good in resolving the Kurdish issue.  According to 
Baydemir, three people have been killed and many people had been 
wounded as a result of gunfire in the province, and many wounded 
people were at the brink of losing their lives.  Baydemir 
further said that many businesses and common public areas in the 
province have been damaged. Baydemir made a call firstly to the 
government, then to the civil society members to approach the 
issue with common-sense and urgently undertake responsibility to 
address the problem.  Evrensel daily noted that Baydemir also 
paid visits to the wounded people at the hospitals.  Ozgur 
Gundem daily noted that KNK (Kurdistan National Congress) has 
made a call to Europe to take action against alleged inhuman war 
methods and weapons used in the military operation that killed 
14 guerillas.  Hurriyet daily noted Diyarbakir Governor's Office 
as announcing the death toll as three.  120 demonstrators and 
130 security officers made up a total of 250 people as wounded 
during the incidents.  200 people have reportedly been arrested. 
 Deputy national security director and chief of anti-terror 
branch reportedly went to Diyarbakir yesterday night.  People 
fearing that their property might be damaged during the 
incidents, did not open their businesses throughout the day 
despite provincial Deputy Security Director's attempts at the 
site of businesses to convince tradesmen to open their shops. 
Deputy Security Director made announcements on police radio to 
police officers to avoid using firearms unless circumstances 
oblige them to do so.  Hurriyet, Cumhuriyet and Zaman dailies 
noted that children were placed in the front rows in protests 
against the police who took intense security measures. 
Abdulkadir Aksu Minister of Interior reportedly made a written 
announcement and reminded that demonstrators attacked security 
forces with stones, sticks and Molotov cocktails as the forces 
attempted to intervene.  Aksu made a call to people and 
cautioned them to resist incitements that aimed to disrupt the 
unity and solidarity of the people in the country.  Hurriyet and 
Cumhuriyet dailies noted that Murat Avcu, DTP provincial 
chairperson, gave instructions to people in Siirt not to open 
their businesses after a visit he (Aksu) made to the 16-year-old 
wounded boy at the hospital.  Avci reportedly confirmed his call 
to people and further added that it was natural for people to 
display their reactions in a democratic way.  Cumhuriyet and 
Zaman dailies noted that Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir, Deputy 
Governor Ahmet Aydin, DTP provincial chairperson Ahmet Cengiz 
and Diyarbakir Bar Association Chairperson Sezgin Tanrikulu met 
with demonstrators and made a call to people to end their 
demonstrations.  Baydemir reportedly thanked demonstrators for 
their courage and for demands they have placed.  Baydemir 
further noted that if tension continued, it would do harm to the 
province and its people.  Baydemir said, "17 people have died to 
date, we do not want anybody to be the 18th."  Some of the 
people among the demonstrators shouted pro-PKK slogans during 
Baydemir's talk.  People reportedly dispersed after Baydemir's 
talk.  Diyarbakir deputies from AKP, CHP and Motherland Party 
made a joint announcement and made a call to people to show 
common sense.  Zaman daily claimed that DTP has instigated 
demonstrators into action in the first place, and attempted to 
defuse tension later. 
 
 
ADANA 00000065  003 OF 003 
 
 
ZAMAN / RADIKAL / SABAH / YENIS SAFAK:  Bulent Arinc, 
President of the Turkish Parliament, said that Roj TV committed 
a crime by instigating people into action through its 
broadcasts.  Namik Tan, Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, said in a press announcement held yesterday that 
evidences on how Roj TV broadcasts were inciting people to 
engage in terrorist activities had already been sent to 
authorities in countries where Roj TV was granted broadcasting 
license.  "We are now expecting that judicial procedures 
regarding our concerns be finalized soon," told Tan to 
journalists. 
 
HURRIYET ONLINE / CUMHURIYET:   CHP Leader Deniz Baykal said that 
they were gravely worried over the recent developments taking 
place in the southeastern region.  Baykal viciously criticized 
the government and said that while the flags of the terrorist 
organization were being waved, the mayors were praising Abdullah 
Ocalan as a hero, PKK members were extorting money at the 
borders from the smugglers; but the government was unfortunately 
only watching what had been happening to date.  Baykal 
forewarned that these developments would lead to further grave 
situations for Turkey. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     The daily claimed that the PKK was aiming to provoke 
and push people into a course of action such as "intifada."  By 
means of such an intifada, the PKK was aiming to confront people 
with the security forces to finally achieve the goal of 
liberating Abdullah Ocalan.  The terrorist organization is 
reportedly encouraging people to embrace and take possession of 
the dead terrorists only to create an image that people were 
actually embracing the PKK/Kongra-Gel. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     Report of the administrative investigation started 
against Ferhat Sarikaya, Van Prosecutor who prepared the 
Semdinli indictment, still has not been sent to the Higher 
Council of Judges and Prosecutors.  The report would be 
discussed at today's meeting if the council received it today 
(see press summary 03/27). 
 
CUMHURIYET / RADIKAL / SABAH / YENI SAFAK:      Delegation 
comprised of members of Turkish parliamentary commission probing 
Semdinli case conducted studies today at Hakkari's Yuksekova 
district.  Chairperson of the delegation, Musa Sivacioglu, 
dismissed allegations that delegation had to see officers Ali 
Kaya and Ozcan Ildeniz at Van's Court Hall when the delegation 
was not allowed to the military jail where officers were held 
under arrest.  Radikal daily claims that military circles have 
kept a cold stance and attitude against commission members 
during the recent trip of the commission to the region, and 
commission members were allegedly disturbed because of the 
intense security measures implemented.  One of the commission 
members allegedly complained that they were even escorted by 
police officers as they were going to the bathroom.  Commission 
members recorded and videotaped all the meetings made with 
people at the Yuksekova Subgovernor's Office.  People in 
Yuksekova reportedly told commission members that authorities 
should penalize perpetrators of the incidents instead of 
accusing the prosecutor (Ferhat Sarikaya), noted Yeni Safak 
daily. 
REID