VZCZCXRO4826
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0040/01 0731039
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141039Z MAR 07
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
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RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
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RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT MEADE MD
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1073

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MARCH 12, 2007 
 
 
¶1.      This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for March 
12, 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 
 
¶2.      YASAMDA GUNDEM: Gundem daily reappeared on the shelves 
today as under the following newspaper title: "Yasamda Gundem" 
(Life's Agenda).  (This summary is from March 9 edition.) 
 
¶3.      HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / EKSPRES / BOLGE:  Police and 
anti-riot teams went to Barabaros quarter of Adana upon 
receiving a tip-off that an unauthorized demonstration would be 
held there.  As the police waited at the entrance of the 
quarter, children started gathering around the officers, 
conversation developed between police and children, and the two 
groups decided to play football as they formed two teams each of 
which was comprised of nine players.  The game ended 2-2. 
 
¶4.      YASAMDA GUNDEM: Mardin Deputy from AKP, Nihat Eri, who 
responded questions from opposition parties over why TSK 
(Turkish Armed Forces) was not undertaking de-mining on the 
southeastern border and the government was instead preparing to 
hold tenders for that task, said that TSK actually undertook 
that task initially, but, at the end of one year of work 
reportedly decided that it would not continue it.  The daily 
claims that TSK's withdrawal revealed a conflict between the 
government and the army. 
 
¶5.      YASAMDA GUNDEM / EVRENSEL:      Evrensel daily points out 
that ahead of Newroz celebrations, Ilker Basbug, Land Forces 
Commander, went to Diyarbakir the other day to issue messages 
about upcoming Newroz.  Basbug reportedly told people that 
ending the PKK's existence in the northern Iraq and Iraq's 
territorial integrity were two top priorities for Turkey. 
Yasamda Gundem daily reported that Basbug told people that they 
would not allow people to wear clothes or use fabric or material 
in colors representing Kurdish identity, namely green, yellow 
and red, and, that using those colors would be deemed a 
terrorist act.  The Yasamda Gundem daily interprets that 
development as TSK pressuring people from attending DTP-led 
Newroz celebrations in mass numbers.  The daily further reports 
bitter rivalry between official bodies and DTP-led committee 
concerning Newroz celebrations in Igdir province.  The governor 
announced that they declared state of mobilization for official 
celebrations to be participated by more people than DTP's 
celebrations.  DTP Kiziltepe party organization in Mardin will 
renew its application to hold its celebrations on March 21 
because authorities did not grant permission to Newroz committee 
for March 18.   Committees in Van and Mus requested permission 
from authorities to hold Newroz on March 21.  Committees in 
Hakkari and Bitlis requested permission from authorities for 
March 17. 
 
¶6.      EKSPRES / BOLGE:        Adana Governor Cahit Kirac, who is 
assigned to a new post in Izmir, is paying farewell visits to 
political parties, to associations, to media organizations, to 
official bodies and to local figures of Adana. 
 
¶7.      YASAMDA GUNDEM: Members of the Democratic People's 
Initiative in Sirnak's Cizre district will hold a protest march 
against PM Erdogan's visit to the district on March 13. 
 
¶8.      YASAMDA GUNDEM: Ferhan Turk, DTP Mardin Provincial 
Chairperson, who was detained along with five other persons as 
they were making a press announcement to draw attention to 
Abdullah Ocalan's health condition the other day, has been 
arraigned and arrested. The other five people have been 
released. 
 
¶9.      YASAMDA GUNDEM: People in Diyarbakir will turn off the 
lights for five minutes every day to protest alleged poisoning 
of Ocalan, who has been serving lifetime imprisonment at Island 
Imrali. 
 
SECURITY 
 
¶10.     YASAMDA GUNDEM: The daily reports that a 160-vehicle 
military convoy has been dispatched from Diyarbakir's 7th Army 
Corps Command to Sirnak's border areas.  The convoy reportedly 
includes a generator, water barrels and armored vehicles. 
Meanwhile, three soldiers and one PKK member died in an ongoing 
military operation in Sirnak's Mountain Gabar. 
 
ADANA 00000040  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶11.     YASAMDA GUNDEM: Police in Siirt conducted unannounced 
raid at houses in some quarters of the province the previous day 
and detained four people.  The people reportedly are being 
interrogated currently. 
 
¶12.     HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Unidentified people hurled a 
Molotov cocktail at a bus waiting at the traffic lights in 
Mersin.  Six passengers and the driver was able to get out of 
the bus without being hurt.  Material damage on the bus was 
reported. 
 
CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
 
¶13.     HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Jandarma teams that  searched an 
intercity passenger bus traveling from Sanliurfa to Istanbul 
found 8 kilograms of heroin in luggage of three passengers. 
 
ECONOMY 
 
¶14.     SABAH (GUNEY):  Gaziantep businessmen were finally given 
an appointment date by PM Erdogan for March 20 to discuss the 
government incentive list that excluded the Gaziantep province. 
A crowded delegation will go to Ankara to meet Erdogan on March 
¶20.  Chairperson of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry said that they 
were hopeful that a positive outcome would ensue their meeting 
with the premier. 
 
¶15.     SABAH (GUNEY):  Three women, who received small amount 
of loans from a microcredit project in Diyarbakir, opened a 
small business selling "gozleme" pastry.  The women, who got 
successful in the job, are planning to establish chain shops to 
sell their food product. 
 
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
¶16.     EKSPRES / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / SABAH (GUNEY):  The local 
dailies once again carried on their front pages the light rail 
project the authorities have not been able to realize for 20 
years in Adana. 
 
¶17.     YASAMDA GUNDEM: A 22-year-old women hung herself and 
committed suicide in Diyarbakir's Bismil district the previous 
day. 
 
¶18.     YASAMDA GUNDEM: The daily reported that March 8 World 
Women's Day activities such as meetings and panels were still 
going on provinces such as Van, Hakkari, Kahrmanmaras, Bursa, 
Istanbul and Manisa.  The dailies claimed that in activities 
where women hit the streets shouted slogans in support for 
Abdullah Ocalan. 
GREEN