VZCZCXRO0273
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0079/01 1020707
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120707Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4092
INFO RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0689
RUEUITH/AFOSI DET 521 ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0641
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0556

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000079 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 11, 2006 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 11, 
¶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 
 
ZAMAN:  Abdullah Torun, Adana deputy from AKP; Cahit Kirac, 
Adana Governor; Alper Akinoglu, Cukurova University's Rector; 
Omer Topcu, Yuregir District Mayor; Walter Scott Reid, U.S. 
Consul to Adana; honorary consuls of Finland and Germany 
participated in the cocktail in Adana that marked the 161st 
anniversary of the Turkish National Police. 
 
ZAMAN / EKSPRES / BOLGE / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET: As a result of 
an attack carried out by a leftist oriented group with clubs and 
stones on an art exhibition in Cukurova University in Adana six 
students have been wounded and hospitalized at the Balcali 
Hospital of the University.  (Note: Zaman daily noted that the 
group was comprised of TKP communist party members. End Note.) 
Radikal daily noted that health condition of two people were 
grave.  Anti-riot teams started searching for the assailants. 
The painter, who condemned the attack, is known for his stance 
opposing oppression against the Turkish minority in Bulgaria. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Police Week has been celebrated in many parts 
of the southeastern region including Mersin, Adana, 
Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, Hatay and Sanliurfa. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM / CUMHURIYET:      Following the ceremonies held to 
celebrate the Police Week in Diyarbakir, Police College students 
marched from Governor's Office to the Ofis quarter of Diyarbakir 
and chanted these slogans, "This country is Turkey", "Unity in 
the country", "Homeland cannot be separated."  The daily noted 
that the students' march was not a scheduled activity of the 
police week celebrations.  While some news agencies announced 
that Mayor Osman Baydemir, despite the fact that he was invited, 
did not attend the ceremonies, Ozgur Gundem daily reported that 
Baydemir was not invited.  Meanwhile, Radikal daily quoted a 
speech of Diyarbakir Governor Efkan Ala as follows, "People who 
do not choose between democracy and terrorism, have no right to 
press demands for democracy." 
 
HURRIYET / RADIKAL:     A mine blast killed a private and 
wounded another in Diyarbakir's Silvan district. 
 
CUMHURIYET / HURRIYET / BOLGE / OZGUR GUNDEM / ZAMAN:   Chief of 
Staff Hilmi Ozkok and Land Forces Commander Yasar Buyukanit came 
on Sunday (04/09) to Van to inspect the military units and to 
conduct studies there.  Ozkok and accompanying officers flew to 
Hakkari with a military helicopter on Monday and paid a visit to 
the Hakkari Mountain and Commando Brigade.  Commanders later 
paid visits to Yuksekova, Semdinli, and Cukurca to inspect the 
border military units. In his address to the 21st Jandarma 
Border Brigade Ozkok said, "Nobody will be able to replace the 
regime or divide the country as long as the Turkish soldier 
remained adamant in his commitment to unity and solidarity of 
the country, remained loyal to his duties, and acted in a 
self-sacrificing manner." 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   PKK reportedly claimed responsibility for the 
bomb incident which took place in Elazig and killed two military 
officers (see press summary 04/10). 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:        Anti-terror teams in Diyarbakir 
conducted unannounced raids at many houses in different parts of 
Baglar quarter and detained two people the previous night. 
Meanwhile, anti-terror teams have detained nearly 16 people in 
Ankara reportedly on grounds that those people attended 
demonstrations that marked the anniversary of the arrest of 
Abdullah Ocalan. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The daily claims that DTP had been subjected 
to the firm grip of the judicial process, and had been the 
target of the government. Three provincial chairpersons, four 
district chairpersons and nearly 50 party administration members 
have been arrested to date. A faculty member from Ankara 
University's School of Law reportedly described such policies 
pursued as an "implementation of a political operation." 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:        Diyarbakir Prosecutor's Office 
started an investigation against Abdullah Demirbas, mayor of Sur 
Municipality in Diyarbakir for asking the couples at wedding 
ceremonies questions both in Turkish and Kurdish, and for 
submitting a report called "Issues of Mayorship and Local 
Authorities in the Light of a Multi-language Environment" to 
European Social Forum. 
 
EVRENSEL:       Batman Governor's Office announced that one PKK 
 
ADANA 00000079  002 OF 002 
 
 
member was killed during a military operation at Batman's Besiri 
district.  The daily separately reported that a 3-hour clash 
took place between PKK militants and security officers at a 
Jandarma command in Hakkari.  The number of casualties has not 
been announced yet. Hakkari Provincial Jandarma Command sent 10 
helicopters to the area. Meanwhile, Iran arrested seven members 
of PEJAK, an organization that has affiliations with the PKK. 
 
EVRENSEL:       Police prevented 500 people from marching towards 
the AKP provincial building following the opening of DTP 
provincial party building in Mus's Bulanik district. 
 
CUMHURIYET / EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:   Reportedly, children, 
who entered a mined zone around a Jandarma station in Sirnak's 
Cizre district, have been wounded by a mine blast. 
 
CUMHURIYET / EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:   In a speech at 
ceremonies held to mark the birthday of the prophet Mohammed, 
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc urged PM Erdogan to send roses 
to all political party leaders in Turkey, including DTP. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   A gang comprised of reported JITEM members, 
who reportedly disguised themselves as PKK members, have 
extorted money from businessmen in Diyarbakir to date and 
collected large amounts of money.  Diyarbakir Security 
Directorate is reportedly scrutinizing the issue. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Mihdi Perincek, Diyarbakir Human Rights 
Association Chairperson, said that they will start a judicial 
process against authorities who have still not handed over dead 
bodies of four terrorists killed on April 3 in the Cudi Mountain 
in Sirnak. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   According to the daily, some nationalist 
circles have broken ties with MHP to form a group called Union 
of Patriotic Forces in Mersin.  The group reportedly will hold a 
"Meeting for Flag - Big Turkish March" activity on April 15 in 
the city.  Reportedly, members of that group have been exerting 
efforts to incite local people against Kurdish citizens. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Unidentified people reportedly conducted 
attacks on the businesses of Kurdish people in Kucukdikili 
quarter of Adana's Seyhan district. 
 
RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET:   A 47 year-old feud going on between two 
families claimed lives of two people at the entrance of the 
Court Hall of Diyarbakir. Six people have been wounded and five 
people have been detained. 
REID