US embassy cable - 03ADANA262

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0262 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          OCTOBER 8, 2003 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for October 8, 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. Ekspres, Zaman, Sabah Guney / The Adana Women's 
platform organized a press conference in front 
of the AKP Adana Office and announced that, as 
mothers, they are against the presence of 
Turkish troops in Iraq. 
 
 
3. Turkiye, Zaman / In Adana, M. Kemal Varol, 
complained about the slow work of the Turkish 
Government in Imarbank account repayments and 
announced that he is resigning from Turkish 
citizenship.  "I would go and live in any 
country that would accept me", Varol stated. 
 
 
4. Bolge, Zaman / Bystanders found a suspicious 
bag under a seat at the Adana train station 
yesterday.  Bomb specialists carefully opened 
the bag. Police announced that there were some 
books and perfume in the bag. 
 
 
5. Bolge / Some NGOs in Hatay organized a meeting 
in front of the AKP Hatay office and protested 
against the involvement of Turkish troops in 
Iraq. 
 
 
6. Zaman, Sabah Guney / Hulusi Kilic, Turkey's 
Consul General in Aleppo, Syria, visited Adana 
Governor Kemal Onal on October 6.  Kilic 
evaluated Israel's attack on Syria as "an abuse 
of a country by another country." 
 
 
7. Sabah, Evrensel, Ozgur Gundem / The 
investigation regarding the Mardin girl known 
by the initials "S.E.," who was allegedly raped 
by Turkish soldiers in 1993, is continuing. 
Attorney Sabahattin Demirtas, head of the 
Diyarbakir Human Rights Organization, announced 
that 405 soldiers were not involved in the rape 
case.  "Two to three soldiers are being accused 
of the rape," Demirtas stated.  According to 
Evrensel and Ozgur Gundem, S.E's mother, "I.E", 
also accused Turkish soldiers of raping her. 
 
 
8. Cumhuriyet / The State Employees' Union 
Confederation (KESK) Sirnak Platform announced 
in its annual report that villagers in cities 
should be encouraged to return to their 
evacuated villages.  (Editor's Note: There are 
114 evacuated settlements in Sirnak). 
 
 
9. Evrensel / Semsi Bayraktar, head of the Turkish 
Agriculture Union, announced in Diyarbakir that 
mined areas in the Southeast should be given to 
the villagers in the area after the clearance 
of the landmines. 
 
 
10. Evrensel, Ozgur Gundem / In Karliova, Bingol 
province, three soldiers were wounded during a 
clash between Turkish forces and PKK/KADEK 
guerillas. According to Ozgur Gundem, 2 
soldiers and a KADEK member died and 6 soldiers 
were wounded during the clash. 
11. Ozgur Gundem / In Hani, Diyarbakir province, 
Hasip Cali killed soldier Fatih Cevik for an 
unknown reason.  In Dogubeyazit, Agri province, 
an unknown man killed a village guard. 
 
 
12. Ozgur Gundem / The DEHAP Hakkari Women's 
Branch announced in a press release that Imrali 
Prison should be closed.  The women also drew 
attention to the deteriorating health of 
Abdullah Ocalan. 
REID