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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000203 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2006 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 17, 
¶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 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL:        The dailies reported that more 
than 10,000 people held a silent demonstration in Diyarbakir 
yesterday (09/16) against the bombing that killed ten people 
last week.  During the demonstration, however, some people 
spontaneously broke the silence by shouting slogans such as "The 
murder state will pay for what it has done," "Erdogan is a 
murderer," and "May the hands that disturb peace be broken." 
DTP officials intermittently warned the crowd to remain silent 
during the demonstration. 
 
HURRIYET / ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL / CUMHURIYET / 
RADIKAL:        Hurriyet and Zaman dailies reported that 4,000 or 
5,000 people attended the silent demonstration in Diyarbakir. 
In addition to the public, thirty-two political parties and NGOs 
were represented at the Kosuyolu Park where the bombing took 
place.  Another group, comprised of the mayors and chairmen of 
political parties, gathered at the municipal guesthouse and 
walked hand-in-hand towards the Kosuyolu Park.  People wore 
black and white ribbons, with black symbolizing mourning and 
white symbolizing peace.  Sezgin Tanrikulu, chairperson of the 
Diyarbakir Bar Association, spoke on behalf of the NGOs and 
called for a cease-fire in the region.  Tanrikulu, who condemned 
the bomb attack during his speech, announced the end of the 
province-wide three day mourning period and made a further call 
for local tradesmen to reopen their businesses (see press 
summary for September 15).  Tanrikulu demanded that the 
bombing's perpetrators be found quickly.  A 20-car convoy of the 
special operation teams of the Diyarbakir police made "a show of 
force" ahead of the demonstration by touring the Ofis quarter of 
the province.  Meanwhile, Ozgur Gundem daily reported that 
tradesmen in some districts of Diyarbakir, such as Bismil, 
Silvan, Dicle and Ergani, kept their shops closed as a sign of 
protest against the bombing. 
 
BOLGE / MILLIYET / RADIKAL:     Nearly 150 DTP members held a 
silent demonstration in Mersin to protest the September 12 
Diyarbakir bombing.  DTP members set off from the party building 
and marched towards Mersin Municipality, carrying a large black 
cloth symbolizing public mourning.   Nearly 150 people in 
Sanliurfa and 25 people in Adana held silent demonstrations as 
well. 
 
CUMHURIYET / HURRIYET / MILLIYET:       A commissioned officer and a 
village guard working on a temporary basis were killed in a 
military operation carried out in Van's Ercis district on Friday 
(09/15).  Six terrorists were killed during the operation.  Four 
kilograms of C-4 explosives, nine hand grenades and four 
Kalashnikov guns were found with the terrorists.  The terrorists 
were preparing for an unspecified hostile operation.  Land 
Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug, who attended the ceremony 
at Van Jandarma Army Corps Command held for the two security 
members killed in Van, made a strongly worded speech, extended 
condolences to the families of the soldiers, and stated that the 
fight against terrorism would endure in the cities and in the 
countryside until the last terrorist had been killed.  Basbug 
said that the operation in Van had become a milestone in the 
history of homeland security. 
 
HURRIYET / RADIKAL / MILLIYET:  Four terrorists were 
detained in Mugla's Milas district.  Thirteen kilograms of A-4 
and C-4 explosives were found with the detainees.   Meanwhile, a 
hazardous device of ten kilograms of A-4 explosives and ammonium 
nitrate was safely deactivated in Mardin's Nusaybin district. 
The device's construction was reportedly similar to that of the 
bomb used in the Diyarbakir bombing. 
 
RADIKAL / MILLIYET:     An article by Lenore G. Martin that 
appeared in the Washington Post stated that the PKK constituted 
a threat against preservation of stability in the Middle East. 
 
HURRIYET:       Joost Lagendijk, EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary 
Commission's Co-Chairman, said that the Diyarbakir bombing cast 
a shadow over the DTP's call for cease-fire.  Lagendijk said 
that whether the perpetrators were radical nationalists or PKK 
members, the goal was definitely to negate the recent moderation 
efforts initiated by the Kurdish people.  Lagendijk extended 
support for the unilateral cease-fire call issued by the DTP on 
 
ADANA 00000203  002 OF 002 
 
 
September 11th. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily claimed that seven soldiers died in PKK 
attacks in Sirnak's Gabar Mountain and in the region of Gundike 
Mele.  The daily cited PKK sources as stating that the recent 
attacks were in retaliation for the bomb attack carried out in 
Diyarbakir. 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Nearly 1,000 people convened at the CHP 
party building in Adana yesterday (09/16) under leadership of 
Bulent Ozulku, former CHP candidate who ran for mayor in March 
28, 2004 local elections.  (Note:       The Adana CHP party's 
leadership had previously attempted to dismiss Ozulku from the 
party on grounds that Ozulku was taking a separate direction 
away from the party mainstream, in a way incongruous with the 
party discipline.  CHP Ankara headquarters recently overturned 
Ozulku's dismissal.)  Ozulku made a press announcement at the 
terrace of the building. Rather than encouraging the crowd to 
call for the CHP administration's resignation, Ozulku asked them 
to chant "(Deniz) Baykal for premiership, CHP for power." 
Ozulku criticized the party chairman and his administration, and 
blamed them for not keeping pace with the national party leader. 
 
 
BOLGE:  A crop duster crashed in Adana, causing no 
casualties except for the pilot, who was injured in the crash. 
The plane crashed reportedly due to an engine failure.  The 
57-year old pilot was taken to Numune Hospital for treatment. 
(This summary is from September 16 edition.) 
GREEN