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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000068 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 08, 2007 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 08, 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: 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):   The controversy over who will be the next 
mayor of Karatas district is still grabbing the headlines of the 
local dailies (see press summaries for April 27 and May 1). 
Elections were renewed in the district municipality assembly on 
May 2 because the former mayor was disqualified by the 
subgovernor's office when controversy erupted about the validity 
of his former assembly membership.  Ali Bayrak (from CHP) won 
the race on May 2.  However, this time the toppled former mayor 
objected to the elections on grounds quorum was not reached 
during the election. 
 
GUNDEM: "Co-chairmen" concept, which was first introduced in 
Turkish political life by DTP, is now on the agenda of DP 
(Democrat Party), a party which will be formed under alliance of 
DYP (True Path Party) and Motherland Party.  The daily reminds 
that, back in time, the Supreme Court's Chief Prosecutor issued 
a warning against DTP for the co-chairmanship structure it 
adopted on grounds that it was not conforming to the Political 
Parties Act.  DTP had to amend its charter accordingly following 
the warning, but the co-chairmanship title was continued de 
facto in the party circles. 
 
GUNDEM: Diyarbakir police detained 43 people suspected and 
against whom search order was issued in the Diyarbakir province. 
 The grounds for their detention were not specified on the 
newspaper report.   Meanwhile, 5 of the 15 people detained by 
Van's Anti-Terror Police during a raid at a cultural venue, 
where an author was signing his books, have been released.  The 
detention grounds were cited as the detainees' membership in an 
outlawed organization called YOGEH. 
 
SECURITY: 
 
RADIKAL / GUNDEM / EVRENSEL:    It is reported that intense 
clashes are taking place during military operations going on in 
Sirnak's Cudi and Gabar Mountains.  Thousands of soldiers and 
village guards are taking part in the operations, and, conflict 
zones are reportedly being bombarded by F-16 war planes and 
helicopters.  Meanwhile, the large-scale operation that was 
started in Hatay's Amanos Mountains have been going on since 
April 22.  The other military operation locations are cites as 
follows: the rural sections of Diyarbakir, Agri, Hakkari, Van, 
Tunceli, Bingol, Elazig and Siirt. 
 
ZAMAN / GUNDEM: Two police officers were wounded during a 
rocket attack that hit a residence building of the Security 
Directorate in Diyarbakir's Kulp district the previous day. 
Zaman daily reports the number of casualties as one, and the 
attack was carried out by hand grenades.  Following the attack, 
the security officers conducted a raid at two houses in Kulp. 
One of the two persons detained during the raid has been 
released, the other detainee is being held at the police 
station. 
 
ECONOMY 
 
SABAH (GUNEY) / GUNDEM / ZAMAN: On May 11, the OIB 
(Privatization Administration Board) is expected to sign an 
agreement that would transfer the operation rights of the 
Mediterranean port of Mersin for 36 years to the private sector. 
 OIB will earn a total of 755 million USD from the port's 
privatization. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY) / GUNDEM / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / ZAMAN:   Strawberry 
growers in Mersin's Silifke district are reported as pleased 
with the high prices their products are sold for in the market. 
It is estimated that a total of 56,000 tons of strawberry yield 
will be harvested this year on a total of nearly 3,500 acres of 
land. 
 
EVRENSEL / GUNDEM:      The sugar beet growers in Bitlis's Ahlat 
district are frustrated over the quota the government imposed on 
the sugar beet production. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Gaziantep Governor Suleyman Kamci said in a 
press announcement held at Gaziantep Chamber of Industry that 
they had settled all the details about the upcoming Second 
 
ADANA 00000068  002 OF 002 
 
 
International Iraqi Fair which will be held between May 23 and 
27 in Gaziantep. 
 
CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  In several anti-drug operations carried out in 
Mersin, the police seized a total of 7 kilograms of hashish, 
cracked down on an illegal group trading drugs and arrested 15 
of the 25 people detained. In a press announcement following the 
operations, Mersin Governor Huseyin Aksoy asked for help and 
cooperation from the families in their fights against 
drug-trafficking. 
 
BOLGE / ZAMAN:  Police found and seized 65 kilograms of 
hashish in hidden parts of a truck in Gaziantep.  The truck 
driver has been arraigned and arrested. 
 
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT 
 
GUNDEM: Two male PKK members, who were reported as killed in 
a military operation in Hatay's Hassa district (see press 
summary for May 7), are being kept at the mortuary of the Adana 
Forensic Authority.  Identity of the PKK members have not been 
announced yet, reports the daily.  Separately, the daily notes 
that a tent has been set up in Van for the family of the PKK 
member, killed in Sirnak's Beytussebap district on April 28, to 
receive condolences from people visiting them.  Van's Bostanici 
District Mayor and DTP provincial and district officials paid 
visits and extended condolences, as well. 
 
ZAMAN / GUNDEM / RADIKAL:       The funeral of one of the jandarma 
commandos who died in a conflict in a section of Sirnak's Besta 
area (see press summary for May 7), was held in a village of 
Kars's Kagizman district.  Family members of the commando, 
Sarikamis 9th Motorized Infantry Brigade Commander, Provincial 
Jandarma Commander, Kars Mayor and Kagizman Subgovernor attended 
the funeral. 
 
GUNDEM / ZAMAN: A crisis desk established under Adana 
Governor's Office shall monitor the efforts to clean and protect 
the Seyhan Dam against oil spill from the the Ceyhan-Kirikkale 
pipeline caused by an accident during construction activities 
going on on a highway last week (see press summary for May 1). 
The Governor, the Mayor, the Provincial Environment and Forests 
Director, and BOTAS (Petroleum Pipeline Corporation) Regional 
Director paid a visit to the site where cleaning activities are 
under way. Meanwhile, Zaman daily criticizes the small amount of 
the fine issued against the company that caused the accident on 
the pipeline and ensuing environmental damage. 
 
EVRENSEL / GUNDEM:      Seasonal agricultural workers in the 
southeastern region started hitting the roads to find employment 
and earn their livelihood in western provinces of Turkey.  The 
daily points out the poor conditions those people are suffering 
from during their travel, during the process of finding a paying 
job, and, the difficult working conditions they are finding 
themselves in later. 
 
EVRENSEL / GUNDEM:      It is reported that infectious diseases 
may threaten the health of people, especially kids, in Sirnak's 
Cizre district, which was hit by flooding towards the end of 
April; because the water supply network, which was damaged 
during the disaster, could be contaminated.  Teams from the 
Provincial Health Directorate have not identified such an 
epidemic yet, but, they are cautioning the people that diseases 
may erupt at a later time. 
 
EKSPRES:        Adana Governor made a call to the notable and 
influential businessmen and industrialists of Adana who were 
raised here and who were once operating their businesses in 
Adana to resume their support and advocacy for the province. 
 
ZAMAN / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / EKSPRES:  A 3.8-magnitude 
earthquake shook Adana yesterday morning at 1.55 a.m.  No 
casualties or material damage was reported. 
GREEN