VZCZCXRO4736
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0091/01 1160518
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260518Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4112
INFO RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0709
RUEUITH/AFOSI DET 521 ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0661
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0575

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000091 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 25, 2006 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 25, 
¶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: Leyla Zana, Kurdish activist and former DEP deputy, 
has embarked upon fresh moves to seek dialogue with Iraqi 
President Jalal Talabani and IKDP (Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic 
Party) leader Massoud Barzani in a four-day trip in Iraq which 
started yesterday morning when Zana set off for Arbil with her 
advisor and her attorney.   Zana, in an environment where PKK 
have resumed its activities and where military activities have 
been intensified, will reportedly strive to explore ways to 
revive "a new era of ceasefire" by talking to Talabani and 
Barzani, who had both previously invited Zana for talks at 
separate occasions. 
 
RADIKAL / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / BOLGE / EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY): 
Members of a gang, who have been allegedly stealing aircraft 
fuel from pipelines of NATO and Botas (Petroleum Pipeline 
Corporation) in Seyhan, Ceyan, Yumurtalik, Yuregir and Karaisali 
districts of Adana for nearly two years, have been identified, 
caught and arrested. 
 
BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY):  Three terrorists have been killed in a 
clash during a military operation in Sirnak, announced Sirnak 
Governor's Office.  A 21-year-old private has reportedly been 
killed during clash. The private's funeral will be held in Adana 
tomorrow. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   German Greens Party Leader Claudia Roth 
assessed her recent visit to Turkey and criticized increasing 
deployment of Turkish troops in the southeastern region: 
"Kurdish region does not need anymore soldiers there", Roth said 
as she pointed out to surging nationalistic sentiments in 
Turkey. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:     Iran's Army reportedly deployed 300 village 
guards and special team members in Hewraman, Kamyaran and 
Kirmasan regions in Iran against PJAK (Party for Free Life in 
Kurdistan) guerillas. 
 
CNN TURK ONLINE: All crossing points at the border gates have 
been closed reportedly to prevent PKK members' border crossing 
from northern Iraq to Turkey as well as to prevent escape of the 
PKK militants from Turkey. 
 
RADIKAL:        An indictment has been prepared and Diyarbakir 
Children's Heavy Penalty Court brought action against 80 
children who were detained during Diyarbakir demonstrations that 
took place between March 28 and 30 and that claimed lives of 12 
people.   The indictment prescribed action against children on 
charges of "being a member of an armed illegal organization", 
"damaging public property including public buildings and 
facilities", "preventing a public officer from performing his 
duties", "breaching the codes on demonstrations and public 
gatherings." The children may reportedly face prison terms 
ranging between 9 and 24 years.   Another case concerning 36 
children (see press summary 04/24) has been rejected by 
(unspecified but most probably Diyarbakir-based) Children's 
Heavy Penalty Court and transferred to Ankara Children's Heavy 
Penalty Court. 
 
CNN TURK ONLINE:        Selim Sadak, former DEP deputy and founding 
member of DTP, made a call in Nusaybin to the Chief of General 
Staff to end various military operations that the security 
forces started in the southeastern region.  Sadak made this call 
during his address in the reopening event DTP's Nusaybin 
chapter. (Note: Nusaybin chapter of DTP was briefly closed 
following an April 9 police raid at its party building and 
arrest of eight DTP administrators. End Note) 
 
FIRAT NEWS AGENCY ONLINE : It is reported that Mehmet Ali 
Alt?ndag, a Diyarbakir businessman whose controversial 
statements targeting Land Forces Commander Yasar Buyukanit was 
included by Van Prosecutor Ferhat Sarikaya in the Semdinli 
indictment, has won 160-million-new-Turkish-lira worth of eight 
public tenders to date since the onset of AKP rule. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:    Sur district mayor in Diyarbakir, against 
whom an investigation process was started for conducting a 
marriage ceremony in Kurdish, has conducted twenty marriages 
again in Kurdish.  Meanwhile, three children have reportedly 
been arrested for tearing a Turkish flag in Sanliurfa's Halfeti 
district.  Separately, Van Prosecutor initiated an investigation 
against the Newruz committee because of use of prohibited flags, 
banners and slogans during celebrations in Van. 
 
ADANA 00000091  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Diyarbakir police seized fourteen 
shotguns which have been illegally brought to Diyarbakir.  Six 
smugglers have been arraigned and arrested. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Erkan Mumcu, national leader of Anavatan 
(Motherland Party), came to Malatya and attended a public 
meeting where he addressed reportedly 4000 people. 
 
BOLGE:  Azim Ozturk, Seyhan Mayor in Adana, dismissed his 
and the municipality's alleged links with a campaign striving to 
gather signatures against attempts to black-out pro-PKK Roj TV 
operating in Denmark. Reportedly, a hand-out prepared for the 
campaign cites title of the Seyhan Mayor as endorsing the 
campaign. 
 
EKSPRES:        A columnist reported that Omer Kaya will not run for 
the chairmanship of AKP Adana provincial party organization (see 
press summaries 04/20 and 21).  It reportedly seems that the 
contest for chairmanship would take place between Abdullah Dogru 
(current chairman), Mustafa Kebude, and Mustafa Attaroglu. 
 
BOLGE / EKSPRES:        Fruit and vegetable exporters in the region 
have reportedly been concerned about the procedures enforced 
about their exports to Russia.  All fruit and vegetables are to 
be examined at laboratories for remnants of chemicals in them. 
 
BOLGE/ SABAH (GUNEY):   A fair on agriculture and animal 
breeding will be held in Mersin between May 17 and 21 through 
efforts of Mersin's Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  250 
companies will reportedly take part in the fair. 
REID