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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
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RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1090

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000050 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 05, 2007 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 05, 
¶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 
 
BOLGE:  'Adana Mayor Aytac Durak has once again caused 
confusion' with his statements in response to questions on 
whether he will run for mayorship once again in the next local 
elections, reports the daily. Durak reportedly said, "I have 
serious concerns and doubts over announcing candidacy in the 
upcoming elections.' 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Following yesterday's news reports about 
Adana's Karatas district mayor's persistence in refusing to 
leave his seat when he faced an administrative court's verdict 
declaring that the mayor's taking up office was not legitimate 
since his municipality assembly membership was in a dubious 
status at the time he was appointed as mayor, today the papers 
report Adana Governor Ilhan Atis as saying that they will have 
the court verdict enforced (see press summary for April 4). 
 
EVRENSEL:       Izzet Belge, DTP provincial chairperson in Sirnak, 
criticized recent arrest of Cizre Mayor Aydin Budak (from DTP) 
(see press summary for April 4) and said, "The only rival of the 
current government in the southeastern region is DTP.  As the 
election period draws near and as our party reveals a solid 
commitment to win seats in the parliament, the mounting pressure 
on our party and on our mayors seems not a mere coincidence, but 
a deliberate attempt to obstruct our efforts."  Belge further 
said that the arrest of Budak was a political decision, not a 
judicial one. Meanwhile, the daily reports that people in Sirnak 
were still angry over the arrest of Budak: they are holding 
demonstrations in the district and they are not opening their 
businesses or shops.  A tent has been set up in front of the 
municipality building and groups of people will reportedly stand 
duty there until April 7.  The mayors from DTP in Diyarbakir and 
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir came to Cizre to extend support 
to Cizre people.  Reportedly, nearly 3000 people welcomed the 
mayors.  Police took extensive security measures in the area 
around the municipality. 
 
EVRENSEL:       Seferi Yilmaz, the owner of the bookstore which was 
bombed on November 9, 2005 in Hakkari's Semdinli district, was 
arrested ten months ago upon charges brought against him for 
"being a member of the PKK."  Upon petitions filed by Yilmaz's 
attorneys, the court ordered two days ago that Yilmaz could be 
released as he still continued to stand trial.  Yilmaz, who was 
released the previous day, said that he was arrested on 
illegitimate grounds and he expressed concerns about threats to 
his life. 
 
SABAH:  A police and some demonstrators were wounded when 
Sanliurfa police intervened as a group of demonstrators 
attempted to hold an unauthorized demonstration to mark the 
birthday of the imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in 
Sanliurfa.  The group reportedly attempted to go to the Omerli 
village of Sanliura's Halfeti district where Ocalan was born, 
but the police did not allow them to do so. 
 
CUMHURIYET:     An anti-U.S. and anti-NATO protest was held in Adana 
yesterday by a group branding themselves as the Patriotic Front. 
 
 
ECONOMY 
 
BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY):  Motherland Party's national leader Erkan 
Mumcu will participate in the meeting called "Business World and 
Politics" which is organized by ADSIAD (Adana Industrialists and 
Businessmen Association) and DASIFED (Federation of the Eastern 
Mediterranean Industrialists and Businessmen Associations) in 
Adana. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Minister of Agriculture and Village Works came 
to Sanliurfa to attend the opening ceremony of the AGROGAP 
agricultural fair. 
 
SECURITY 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Mehmet Cebe, Security Director of Adana, 
who retired from his position, paid farewell to his colleagues. 
Following Mr. Cebe's retirement, Cemal Levent, deputy director 
of the anti-terror branch, assumed responsibility as the acting 
 
ADANA 00000050  002 OF 002 
 
 
security director of Adana. 
 
CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
 HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):   Police searched a small truck in Van's 
Muradiye district and found 130 kilograms of hashish in the 
vehicle's hidden sections.  The driver of the truck has been 
apprehended. 
 
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
CUMHURIYET:     Because of the International Mine Awareness Day, the 
civil society organizations and bar associations in Istanbul and 
Diyarbakir made announcements and pointed out that an average of 
180 people were dying or being handicapped because of 
mine-related incidents.  According to these organizations, one 
third of the victims are children. 
 
EKSPRES:        Officials from Environmental Initiative Association 
in Adana informed members of a national TV station, who were 
running a reality show program, about environmental concerns 
over the alleged dumping, by officials from Incirlik Air Base, 
of asbestos-laden debris created when 70 villa type houses on 
the base were recently demolished.  The debris was allegedly 
disposed in a landfill area called Sofulu in Adana.  The team 
from the TV station conducted extensive research and verified 
the allegations about the air-base-related environmental issue. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Syriacs in Mardin celebrated their Spring 
Festival with joy on April 1.  Many of the Syriacs living around 
the world came to Mardin to celebrate the occasion. 
GREEN