VZCZCXRO5139
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0051 2301135
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181135Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4756
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1296
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1072
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1363

UNCLAS ADANA 000051 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY:  SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN NUMBER OF SOUTHEAST VIOLENT 
CLASHES ON THIS YEAR'S PKK ANNIVERSARY 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  When compared with previous years, the 2009 
anniversary of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) saw 
significantly lower levels of violence in Turkey's southeast, 
with only two notable incidents.  The night of August 15, one 
police officer died in clashes between PKK sympathizers and 
Adana law enforcement personnel.  In Gaziantep, pro-PKK 
demonstrators attacked two police vehicles with Molotov 
cocktails and stones; police opened fire in the air, wounding 
one civilian.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  ADANA: Adana law enforcement contacts confirmed the 
death of Ferdi Ozkan, a 24-year-old police officer, who died of 
stab wounds after the August 15 skirmish.  While the local press 
report approximately 500 illegal demonstrators convened to shout 
pro-PKK slogans, the chief of Adana's security branch clarified 
that the crowd was already gathered to attend a series of summer 
music concerts.  Given the sensitive date, the chief of police 
dispatched extra forces to the predominantly Kurdish borough. 
According to the press, Ozkan was dressed in civilian attire 
that evening and was serving as the official driver of the 
anti-riot police chief.  Press report protesters hurled Molotov 
cocktails and stones at police, and set fire to tires and trash. 
 Anti-riot forces responded with tear gas and water cannons. 
During the mayhem, local media report eyewitnesses saw Ozkan 
break the line and run into the crowd of demonstrators, where he 
was stabbed. (COMMENT:  The national press has portrayed Ozkan 
as a victim of "traitors" who killed him, but it may have been 
Ozkan's boldness that cost him his life rather than a PKK 
supporter bent on killing a police officer. END COMMENT.) 
 
¶3.  (U)  Local mainstream media coverage of the fallen officer 
in Adana has been fraught with emotion and messages of 
patriotism.  High-level provincial officials have publicly 
expressed condolences, in addition to PM Erdogan.  Local papers 
featured photos of Adana Governor Ilhan Atis kissing the 
flag-draped coffin.  In remarks at the funeral service, Atis 
said, "We promise you that we will protect the values you died 
for until eternity within the framework of rule of law and 
keeping our country in a unitary structure."  Ozkan's father was 
quoted as saying he would gladly spare the life of another son, 
if he had one, to save the country.  The local pro-Kurdish daily 
gave thin coverage to the event. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  GAZIANTEP:  The Gaziantep anti-terror police chief 
confirmed on the evening of August 15, PKK supporters threw 
stones and Molotov cocktails and burned trash barrels to block 
the path of routine law enforcement patrols.  The attack damaged 
two police vehicles.  Police responded with warning shots fired 
into the air, and press report a stray bullet from this exchange 
seriously wounded a civilian in the area. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Despite these skirmishes, August 15 passed 
relatively quietly this year.  Consulate Adana's LES security 
assistant, with over ten years of experience in the region, 
estimates incidents are down at least 75% compared to years 
past.  This relative calm is most certainly linked to number of 
factors:  the significant decrease in the number of cross-border 
operations launched by the Turkish military as compared with 
summer 2008; the PKK's cease-fire, declared until September 1; 
and, perhaps the most important, the latest steps by the AK 
Party government to include the opinions of all political and 
civic actors in the country in their much discussed "Kurdish 
Opening."  In the past, the PKK's characteristic tactic of using 
disorderly street scenes to motivate DTP supporters kept the 
Kurdish issue on the agenda.  With this new democratic momentum, 
the main message may finally be resonating: violence is not an 
acceptable means to achieve an end.  END COMMENT. 
 
DARNELL