VZCZCXRO8899
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0085 1101047
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201047Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4100
INFO RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0697
RUEUITH/AFOSI DET 521 ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0649
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0563

UNCLAS ADANA 000085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 14, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 14, 
¶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 
 
RADIKAL / YENI SAFAK:   Denmark's Ambassador to Ankara said that 
Roj TV issue was currently being handled by the judiciary in 
Denmark, therefore it was not possible to intervene in the 
process.  The Ambassador further reiterated that they regarded 
PKK as a terrorist organization. 
 
RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET:   Part of the 1019 historical artifacts 
seized during a search made at Van Centennial University Rector 
Yucel Askin's house in July 2005 has been regranted to Askin. 
 
RADIKAL:        Mortality rates for babies in the southeastern 
region are reportedly three times higher than the average rates 
in Turkey. 
 
ZAMAN / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / YENI SAFAK:     During the 
funeral in Mersin of a Jandarma private, who was killed as a 
result of a mine explosion in Diyarbakir's Silvan district, the 
mother of the private reportedly said, "We are of Kurdish origin 
as well; but PKK does not represent the Kurds."  Meanwhile, the 
funeral of a non-commissioned officer who was killed in a 
military operation in Sirnak has been held in Osmaniye's Kadirli 
district.  Many people that attended the ceremony shouted 
anti-PKK slogans.  Another funeral of a commissioned officer, 
who was killed during a military operation in Sirnak, has been 
held in Adana's Ceyhan district.  Adana Governor Cahit Kirac, 
Mayor Aytac Durak, Adana Jandarma Regiment Commander Colonel 
Mahir Konak, and Ceyhan Mayor Huseyin Sozlu attended the funeral 
procession. 
 
ZAMAN:  A group called Union of Patriotic Forces in Mersin 
will hold a march called "Meeting for Flag - Big Turkish March" 
(see press summary 04/11) in Mersin on April 15.  Reportedly, 
members of that group have been telling the villagers in Mersin 
that PKK had turned Mersin into a base for its activities and 
police has been ineffective to date to address counter such a 
PKK influence.  Reportedly, members of this group has been 
hanging posters in villages and inciting people into action. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   It is reported that inmates at an Erzurum jail 
have been banned from speaking Kurdish among themselves. The 
daily further reported that Pelda Women's Association would be 
dissolved because of the association's non-Kurdish name. 
 
HURRIYET ONLINE / OZGUR GUNDEM: Three siblings aged 25, 32 
and 40, who stepped over a mine as they were gathering bushes as 
feed for their animals in Diyarbakir's Dicle district, have been 
wounded when the mine went off.  Health conditions of two of the 
sisters have been reported as grave. 
 
KENTHABER.COM / OZGUR GUNDEM:   Students with leftist tendencies 
staged a protest at the Cukurova University and denied 
allegations accusing them as attacking at the art exhibition 
held at the University 3 days ago (see press summary 04/11 and 
04/12).  Meanwhile, Ozgur Gundem reported that attack was 
actually carried out by nationalist oriented people. 
 
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM / YENI SAFAK:    Claudia Roth, leader 
of Germany's Greens Party, met with chairperson of Turkish 
Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights Issues and has 
expressed concern over recent developments in Turkey and 
escalation of nationalist and ethnically oriented tendencies. 
The daily separately placed a question on whether Roth will 
probe if it was appropriate for Turkey to use military tanks 
sold by Germany during the protest activities in Diyarbakir. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The daily claimed that Turkish Military Forces 
(TMF) arranged itself in a position to launch war at any time. 
Most of TMF has been shifted to the southeastern region and a 
war regime has reportedly been adopted.  The daily further 
pointed out that military operations intensified following the 
recent visit of Chief of Staff and senior officers in the 
region.  The daily further stated that authorities have not been 
allowing attorneys and relatives of Abdullah Ocalan to see 
Ocalan on various grounds. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Police discovered an illegal heroin production 
center in Hatay's Belen district.  Three people have been 
detained in connection with the incident. 
 
REID