VZCZCXRO0296
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0039/01 2950948
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210948Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4673
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1216
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1029
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0133
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1278

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000039 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINS PTER TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY:  PUBLIC PROTESTS IN SOUTHEAST MULTIPLY TENSIONS OVER 
ALLEGATIONS OF OCALAN'S MALTREATMENT 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Violent riots, organized marches, and rallies 
in major cities throughout southeast Turkey over the weekend of 
October 18 were sparked by an announcement made by Abdullah 
Ocalan's attorneys that the imprisoned PKK leader had been 
abused by Turkish soldiers.  The Pro-Kurdish DTP party protested 
the alleged attack on Ocalan, calling it a reflection of the 
government's approach to the Kurdish people.  Security contacts 
in cities with the highest tensions are bracing themselves for 
continued violence throughout the week.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  (U)  Media report Abdullah Ocalan's attorneys said their 
client was physically assaulted in his cell and dragged into 
another room by three soldiers, who then forced him to his 
knees.  The attorneys reported that Ocalan had told the soldiers 
that he would prefer to be killed rather than be treated in this 
manner, to which one replied that he shouldn't worry because his 
death was imminent. 
 
¶3.  (U)  After convening on Friday, October 17, DTP's central 
board announced the GOT was fully responsible for the incident 
-- which they termed a provocation --  and characterized it as a 
continuation of discriminatory GOT policies towards Kurds. 
Street protests, rallies, and marches followed that night and 
throughout the weekend in the cities of Antalya, Adana, Mersin, 
Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa, Batman, Nusaybin, Siirt, Gaziantep, and 
Siirt.  It is believed that scores of protesters were been 
detained by police as anti-terror and riot units were dispatched 
to contend with the unrest.  In Diyarbakir, Adana, Sanliurfa and 
Mersin, the demonstrations were marred by violence. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Adana: Weekend violence erupted in predominantly 
Kurdish neighborhoods where PKK sympathizers burned tires, set 
fire to cars, threw Molotov cocktails and stones at riot police. 
 A security contact was unable to confirm the number of 
detainees, but media report "many" were taken into custody.  The 
anti-terror chief told the Consulate that 40-50 youth were 
continuing to stage periodic riots in two city quarters. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Diyarbakir:  After Istanbul, Diyarbakir is the city 
with the highest Kurdish population and is a DTP stronghold. 
High-level DTP members organized a 5,000-strong march on October 
18 to protest Ocalan's prison conditions, chanting pro-PKK 
slogans and waving Ocalan posters.   Muharrem Erbey of the 
Diyarbakir Human Rights Association said the Ministry of 
Justice's statement denying Ocalan had suffered ill treatment 
had the effect of fueling tensions, and had provoked violent 
outbursts in some quarters of the city.   He also said six 
children had been detained after hurling rocks at police.  A 
member of the Diyarbakir Bar Association said at least 30 people 
had been taken into custody over the weekend, and that the 
protests were slated to continue, particularly in reaction to PM 
Erdogan's visit, which many city dwellers view as ill-timed. 
 
¶6.  (U)  Local pro-Kurdish media outlet Evrensel reported 
citizens in Diyarbakir protested PM Erdogan's October 20 visit 
by shuttering businesses, staying indoors, and suspending city 
services such as trash collection and public transportation. 
According to the daily, police blockaded the entrance of DTP 
Kayapinar district party organization's building as well as 
other points in the city where anti-government protests were 
staged, and responded with tear gas to demonstrators who erected 
barricades and piles of burning tires.  Media report students at 
Dicle University set fire to classrooms and broke windows, after 
PM Erdogan joined the dean for the opening ceremony of the 
academic year.  Security contacts inform us exceptional security 
measures were taken to protect the prime minister, and did not 
specify the number of individuals detained on October 20. 
Security contacts in Diyarbakir and other cities are bracing 
themselves for continued clashes. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Sanliurfa:  Attorney Sabri Cepik told us over the 
weekend the violence was concentrated in the Suleymaniye suburb 
where about 400-500 protesters took to the streets.  Some 
members of the group threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the 
police.  Media report a primary school, homes and shops were 
sustained damaged.  Cepik reported all was quiet by October 20. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Alleged mistreatment of Ocalan is a 
frequently used pretext for demonstrations by PKK sympathizers 
in Turkey.  The current demonstrations are also probably 
designed to reinforce the PKK's recent offensives and to protest 
the Turkish military's campaign in response.  Political 
considerations may also be at play: disorderly street scenes are 
a means of motivating DTP supporters in advance of local 
elections in March.  DTP leaders publicly defending Ocalan may 
also increase the likelihood that the Constitutional Court 
decides to ban the DTP in a pending indictment.  The PKK may be 
hoping for such an outcome as it would reinforce the "Kurds as 
victims" narrative.  END COMMENT. 
 
ADANA 00000039  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
 
. 
GREEN