VZCZCXRO9038
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV
RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDA #0067/01 0901609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311609Z MAR 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4073
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0538
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0622
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0160
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0092
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 0670
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CASC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: CIVIL UNREST CONTINUES IN SOUTHEAST 
 
REF: A. A) ADANA 60 AND ADANA 64 
 
     ¶B. B) ADANA 66 
 
ADANA 00000067  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: A tense mood continued to prevail in 
Diyarbakir on March 31, the fourth day of violent civil unrest 
sparked by anger over the recent deaths of PKK guerrillas.  With 
the March 31 police shooting death of yet another victim, a 
young child in Batman, the death toll across the southeast 
stands at seven.  Many worried that today's (March 31) funeral 
of a young child killed in yesterday's (March 30) clashes 
between protestors and police would result in more violence in 
Diyarbakir.  However, other than a few minor confrontations 
between police and small groups of demonstrators throughout the 
day, the city remains calm but very tense.  Clashes between 
police and protestors, in solidarity with Diyarbakir protestors, 
continue to occur throughout southeast Turkey.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The mood in Diyarbakir on March 31 remains tense, with 
a few minor clashes between police and small groups of 
demonstrators, and funeral ceremonies for a young child killed 
in yesterday's (March 30) violence. A contact in Diyarbakir told 
us that DTP (Democratic Society Party) co-chairman Ahmet Turk 
addressed a crowd of tens of thousands of protestors and 
mourners in Diyarbakir on March 30 after the funeral for three 
people killed in rioting on March 29 (reftel A).  Our contact 
said that Turk tried to calm and disperse the crowd, but to no 
avail.  The unruly crowd continued toward the city when police 
intervened with tear gas and gunfire.  A seven-year old child 
was shot and killed in the clash.  The child's funeral today 
proceeded with no reported incidents.  Another contact in 
Diyarbakir told us that there were currently no regular Army 
troops or equipment in the city, but such military forces could 
be deployed from their positions just outside the city upon 
request from the Provincial Governor. 
 
Mayor Baydemir's Woes 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Our contacts substantiated media reports  that GOT 
prosecutors are considering bringing charges against Diyarbakir 
Mayor Osman Baydemir (DTP) for his March 30 statements to 
rioters, which called on both sides to stop the violence, but 
challenged the government to stop its "oppressive" approach to 
the protests, and for having a "no-solution policy" for the 
Kurdish issue.  In his remarks, Baydemir added that he shared 
the grief of the people. (Note: Post's translation of Baydemir's 
written statement reftel B). End note.)  The press reported that 
prosecutors are considering charging Baydemir with, among other 
charges, "extending support to protest activities" and "making 
propaganda in a way that incited violence."  Media reported that 
the investigation is focusing on oral statements Baydemir made 
in Kurdish "congratulating" people for their resistance before 
telling them to desist. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) One contact told us that Baydemir's remarks served to 
applaud the courage of the protestors, but the contact opined 
that the mayor did so with the intent to calm and disperse the 
angry group.  Our contact added that Baydemir greeted a masked 
protestor with kisses before delivering his remarks at one 
location.  He emphasized that Baydemir had consulted with 
representatives of various NGOs in town before giving the 
remarks, clearly indicating that it was his intent to prevent 
further incidents.  The attorney said that, after a nod from 
Diyarbakir Governor Efkan Ala, the mayor, accompanied by NGO 
leaders, addressed the crowds in various parts of town. 
Another contact, a prominent human rights attorney and confidant 
of the mayor, told us that he had seen the written text of the 
mayor's statements to the crowds and warned the mayor that the 
statements might cause him trouble. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A journalist contact in Diyarbakir told us that 
Baydemir declared to a televised gathering of protestors on 
March 31 that "the state should listen to and understand what 
the people want instead of pressing charges against me."  He 
added, "I am ready to be a sacrifice for the people, if that is 
what the state wants."  Baydemir said that shopkeepers should 
open their shops to normalize daily life in Diyarbakir.  Our 
journalist contact told us that some shops opened after the 
mayor's remarks, but many remained closed.  Our contact 
commented that in recent years the PKK had lost strength in 
Diyarbakir, but that people had become polarized over the 
demonstrations, and the PKK had regained strength by taking 
control of the city for three days.  He said the security forces 
only controlled the Security Directorate and the Governor's 
 
ADANA 00000067  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
office.  He said that the PKK had hoisted a flag at a major 
intersection leading to the airport, along with a sign that read 
"PKK Check Point."  He said that demonstrators attempted to take 
control of the old Police College building, where some 
demonstrators had allegedly been detained, and aimed to take 
control of the Governor's office.  He said that about 500 police 
SWAT-style members had been dispatched from Istanbul and 
deployed throughout the city.  He added that Interior Minister 
Abdulkadir Aksu, accompanied by eight ruling Justice and 
Development (AK) party parliamentarians from Diyarbakir, also 
visited the city, had given a stern, defiant, law-and-order 
speech, and refused to take questions from the press. 
 
Demonstrations Spread Throughout Southeast 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6. (SBU) Meanwhile, the press reported that demonstrations 
broke out on March 30 in Van, Sirnak, Siirt, Cizre, Kiziltepe, 
Nusaybin and Hakkari.  (Note: Post previously reported clashes 
in Batman and Sanliurfa-see reftels.  End note.)  Our contact in 
Batman told us that the city was calm early on March 31, but the 
afternoon media reported that renewed clashes flared up between 
a small group of protestors and police in the afternoon.  The 
media reported that one person, a young child, was shot and 
killed in Batman, bringing the southeast Turkey death toll to 
seven.  The city's DTP Mayor, Huseyin Kalkan, had addressed 
protestors March 30 from a police armored vehicle and 
successfully calmed and dispersed the crowd.  Our contact told 
us that during the March 30 demonstrations in Batman, 12 people 
had been wounded and 10 had been detained.  Media reports said 
that the "Youth Initiative" group (NFI) in Batman issued a call 
to increase civil unrest across Turkey. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The media reported new incidents on March 31 in Van, 
Hakkari, Adana and Mersin. 
 
According to the media, small crowds in Van threw Molotov 
cocktails and burned cars and local government buildings. 
  Tensions are high in Yuksekova township of Hakkari province, 
very near both the Iranian and Iraqi border, after crowds 
clashed with police in the city center.  Businesses closed and 
crowds erected roadblocks, burned tires in the street and threw 
stones at police.  Police intervened with truncheons, water 
cannon, tear gas and firearms.  Media reported that two people 
were wounded, one by gunshot, and seven people were taken into 
custody. 
The press reported in Adana that a group of NGOs issued a press 
statement condemning the killing of the 14 PKK members in Mus. 
Later, a group of Cukurova University students handed out 
pamphlets, written in Turkish and Kurdish, condemning the Mus 
killings.  The pamphlets contained anti-government slogans and 
threats to avenge the deaths in Diyarbakir. 
Some businesses in Mersin are closed and a large crowd made an 
unannounced "peace march" in solidarity with Diyarbakir 
protests, according to press.  We have seen no reports of 
clashes with security forces in Mersin. 
 
Comment 
------------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Diyarbakir and Batman remain volatile, and sympathy 
protests are cropping up elsewhere in southeast Turkey with 
little notice.  Authorities in Diyarbakir are showing restraint 
for now, but as more forces arrive from elsewhere and long duty 
hours take their toll on authorities' patience, the potential 
for official use of violence with less restraint remains.  The 
GOT's visible dispatch of the Interior Minister, buttressed by 
MPs, to Diyarbakir on March 31 to issue tough, uncompromising 
rhetoric has contributed to pronounced alienation from the GOT 
in the general populace.  This attitude, perceived as hardline 
in the southeast, strengthens the appeal of the PKK to many 
everyday Kurds in southeast Turkey. 
REID