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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 000027 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2007 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 23, 
¶2007.  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 
 
HURRIYET:       A private TV channel in Denmark reportedly made 
propaganda of the PKK and broadcast a 45-minute program that 
included an interview with the PKK leader Murat Karayilan and 
that depicted sections of daily lives of the terrorists. 
 
EVRENSEL / GUNDEM:              As the debates over cross border 
military operations against the PKK are going on in Turkey, the 
dailies report allegations that the U.S. has implicitly given 
the green light to Turkey in that regard but cautioned Turkey to 
be sensitive about the issue.  An anonymous source who is 
affiliated with the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq, 
revealed that Joseph Ralston, US special envoy for countering 
the PKK, informed the Kurdish authorities in a January 29 
meeting in Arbil about the US's position regarding a 
cross-border operation against the PKK. 
 
SABAH / EVRENSEL / ZAMAN:US Airbase Commander Michael Moseley, 
who was asked whether not being able to use the Incirlik Airbase 
in Adana during the war badly affected the plans of the U.S., 
reportedly admitted that everything would run more smoothly and 
fast if the U.S. was bale to use the base.  Meanwhile, Zaman 
daily printed an article that appeared in the Washington Times 
that pointed out the detrimental affects an Armenian resolution 
by Congress would have on the status of Incirlik Airbase if the 
U.S. Congress ratified the resolution. 
 
GUNDEM: The investigation into an announcement the DTP Adana 
provincial party organization made on December 2, 2006 
supporting the PKK cease-fire declaration ended.  A lawsuit will 
be brought against Kerem Ugur, the former chairperson of the 
party, and Abdullah Izgi, accountant of the organization, for 
using a courtesy title before the name of Abdullah Ocalan and 
for calling the PKK members "guerillas." 
 
BOLGE:  Seven of the twelve official cars recently purchased 
for the governors employed in the eastern and southeastern 
regions have been equipped with armor.  The company that 
undertook the job claimed that they were able to do the job well 
in Turkey for a cheaper price. 
 
EVRENSEL / GUNDEM:      The dailies report allegations of a 
columnist from Yeni Safak daily who claimed that credible 
sources gave him the information that an assassination targeting 
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir could be carried out.  Taha 
Kivanc, Yeni Safak columnist, reportedly criticized Diyarbakir 
Security Directorate for its habitual neglect in ensuring the 
safety of Baydemir.  According to Evrensel daily, the press 
allegedly made deliberate reports about Baydemir in a fashion 
that held him as a target of hostile intentions, following the 
incidents that erupted in March 2006 in Diyarbakir during which 
Baydemir reportedly played an important role in quelling 
violence. 
 
GUNDEM: The daily claims that Kurdish language is in better 
condition in the UK than in Turkey or Syria where millions of 
Kurds are living.  A state authority called Transport for London 
published brochures also in Kurdish language to make people 
aware of the traffic rules in the city. 
 
GUNDEM: According to the daily, unidentified people, who are 
introducing themselves as pollsters for the Sur Municipality in 
Diyarbakir, have been conducting polls about DTP and mayors from 
DTP.  There are questions such as "What is DTP offering you?" 
and "Why are you casting votes for DTP?" in the questionnaire 
forms. 
 
GUNDEM: Police, who took statements of the tradesmen who 
closed their shops for one day on February 15 in Agri's 
Dogubeyazit district upon instructions from the prosecutor's 
office, asked questions to the people, such as "Do you like 
Abdullah Ocalan?" 
 
EVRENSEL:       In line with the decisions taken in January, DTP 
will hold an extraordinary congress on February 28 in Ankara and 
the agenda of the party will be the upcoming election. 
 
ZAMAN:  DTP, which foresees the fact that it would not be 
 
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able to pass the 10 per cent national election threshold in the 
next elections, is reportedly planning to support independent 
candidates in the next elections who will join the party 
following the elections. 
 
SABAH / OZGUR GUNDEM:   Interrogations of the 20 people, 
including the provincial party leader Ibrahim Sunkur, whom the 
Van police detained on February 18 (see press summary for 
February 20) lasted four days and finally the detainees have 
been arraigned, reports  Ozgur Gundem daily.  Ibrahim Sunkur, 
who got sick while he was under detention and was hospitalized, 
reportedly recuperated.  Documents containing illegal symbols, 
and brochures seized at the DTP Van premises have been brought 
to the prosecutor's office. 
 
ZAMAN:  Chairperson of the Jurists Association criticized 
the verdict issued by two separate courts that fined former Van 
Prosecutor Ferhat Sarikaya to pay a total of 10,000 YTL for 
statements Sarikaya included in the indictment of the Semdinli 
incident against two officers, which allegedly breached the 
personal rights of those officers. 
 
SECURITY 
 
GUNDEM: War planes taking off from 8th Main Base Command in 
Diyarbakir flew low over Sirnak's Cizre district and reportedly 
caused panic among people. 
 
GUNDEM: The daily reports that the extent of the military 
operation that was started three days ago in the Amanos 
Mountains (see press summary for February 21) has been widened. 
Many soldiers have recently been deployed in some villages of 
Iskenderun following the deployments in Hatay's Smandag, Dortyol 
and Erzin districts. 
 
CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Jandarma teams seized 62 kilograms of 
hashish they found in the hay storage space in a village.  Three 
people have been detained. 
 
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
BOLGE:  Kemal Sag, CHP deputy from Adana, brought the 
scandalous maltreatment case that erupted in Adana's Mental 
Ilnesses Hospital to the Turkish Parliament, and directed 
questions to the attention of the Minister of Health. 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Sixth Armored Command in Bitlis's Tatvan 
district delivered aid including apparel and stationery to 209 
students in a primary school in Tatvan. 
 
EKSPRES / BOLGE:        Adana Bar Association and the Association's 
Commission for Women and Family Law made a press announcement 
that as a result of the efforts of an attorney from the Adana 
Bar Association who suggested in a national meeting of a 
Commission for Law Concerning Women which gathered under 
Turkey's Bar Associations, that separate private guest rooms 
should be made available at police stations for women who have 
been victims of violence and who have no place to return to 
after they lodge complaints with the police. 
 
GUNDEM: The daily claims most of the damage caused by the 
5.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Elazig province on Wednesday 
(02/21), was to public buildings such as schools, governor's 
office, post office and banks.  Three schools, whose buildings 
were seriously damaged, were closed. According to the daily, 
village houses, however, proved resistant to the quake. 
 
RADIKAL:        Turkish Red Crescent started delivering tents, 
heaters, and supplies to the people whose houses have been 
damaged by Wednesday's 5.9-magnitude earthquake. 
 
GUNDEM: Women's activists in Adana, Mersin and Sirnak 
announced their programs about March 8 World Women's Day.  Women 
will reportedly be holding activities against racism, militarism 
and violence against women this year. 
 
HURRIYET / SABAH / ZAMAN / RADIKAL:     The boiler of a heating 
system at a primary school in Kilis's Musabeyli district 
exploded and killed two students and wounded 7 people.  The 
school's Parents' Association representative said that they have 
sent petitions many times to the education directorates of the 
district and the province to demand renewal of the boiler which 
 
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was very old. 
 
GUNDEM: A mother in Sanliurfa's Viransehir district gave 
birth to a child without legs and only one arm.  The parents of 
the child, who are relatives themselves, claimed that the doctor 
did not inform them about any abnormality in the earlier stages 
of pregnancy. 
GREEN