US embassy cable - 03ADANA257

UNCLAS ADANA 0257 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          OCTOBER 2, 2003 
 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for October 2, 2003.  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, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
 
2. Cumhuriyet, Sabah / The fuel tank of a 
helicopter based at the Diyarbakir Jandarma Air 
Group Command exploded during landing in 
Diyarbakir.  Eleven people were injured during 
the accident. 
 
 
3. Turkiye / Cicegi Tay was sentenced to five 
years of imprisonment for keeping 5kg of 
marijuana in her house.  Tay reported that she 
grows marijuana in her garden for her own 
consumption, not for sale. 
 
 
4. Turkiye / Riza Mete, head of the Adana Medical 
Doctors' Association, stated that doctors are 
being accused of causing the deterioration of 
the national health system, which he says 
doesn't really exist.  Mete announced that all 
practicing physicians in Adana would close 
their private clinics for two days as an action 
to remind the government of the problems of the 
health system. 
 
 
5. Turkiye / Fifteen people from Somalia, who 
apparently entered Turkey illegally, had an 
accident in Altinozu, Hatay when trying to 
escape from the Jandarma.  The Somalis are 
reported to have entered Turkey across the 
Syrian border. 
 
 
6. Turkiye / Mehmet Gulec in Nusaybin, Mardin 
province received a sack full of counterfeit 
Euros and US Dollars from Hamburg, Germany. 
Police detained Gulec for questioning. 
 
 
7. Ekspres / Anti-War groups gathered in Adana's 
Inonu Park to protest against the possibility 
of sending Turkish troops to Iraq.  A box was 
placed in the park for people to deposit mock 
protest votes. 
 
 
8. Milli Gazete / Elazig Jandarma Forces found 454 
items of historical value in Agadibek, Maden, 
Elazig province.  Jandarma detained an 
individual identified as "O.A" for questioning. 
 
 
ECONOMIC 
 
 
9. Zaman / Turkish Airlines is starting a direct 
flight between Adana-Izmir and Izmir-Adana today, 
October 2, 2003. As we covered in our September 
16, 2003 press summary, flights will be on 
Tuesdays and Thursdays departing from Adana at 
11:50 a.m. and departing from Izmir at 9:30 a.m. 
REID