US embassy cable - 03ADANA271

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0271 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          OCTOBER 16, 2003 
 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for October 16, 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. Zaman, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah / A Jandarma 
minibus was attacked by terrorists around 
Kurkculer area in Adana at 8:00 pm yesterday, 
killing one soldier and wounding two.  Kemal 
Onal, Adana province governor, himself lead the 
search and implemented controls around the 
area. (Editor's Note: Jandarma, vice TNP, 
regular patrols have been started in this area, 
also the vicinity of Adana where the new 
consulate building is under construction.) 
 
 
3. Turkiye / During operations in Baskale, Van 
province Jandarma forces detained 51 Afghans, 
24 Pakistanis, and 1 Belgian who had entered 
Turkey without any legal documents. 
 
 
4. Sabah / Female lawyers from the Contemporary 
Lawyers' Association Adana branch called upon 
all women to fight against war. 
 
 
5. Ekspres / M. Kemal Girmen, assistant head of 
the Genc Party in Adana, announced at a press 
conference that the present AKP Government does 
not represent the Turkish people, but works for 
the benefit of the US Government. 
 
 
6. Sabah Guney / A group of people in Gaziantep, 
including some children, walked to protest the 
war in Iraq.  People carried posters saying "Go 
Home US," "Murderer US." 
 
 
7. Ozgur Gundem / A delegation from the Human 
Rights Organization conducted an investigation 
in Kovali, Derik, Mardin province, concerning 
the attack that resulted in the injury of 5 
people in the village.  The delegation 
announced that the Jandarma had planned the 
attack on purpose and Turkish General Staff 
should make an official announcement for the 
incident. 
 
 
8. Ozgur Gundem, Evrensel / People, including the 
Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) Mersin chief 
Ali Tanriverdi, gathered in front of the DEHAP 
Mersin office to announce that the Turkish 
Government should put an end to the guerilla 
war and the Kurdish problem should be solved in 
peaceful ways.  The same message was announced 
at Diyarbakir and Hakkari DEHAP offices.  In 
Tunceli and Aydin, the Democracy Platform and 
EMEP held similar protests. During the meetings 
people also protested the isolation of Abdullah 
Ocalan in Imrali prison. 
 
 
9. Ozgur Gundem / Among nine people who were 
detained in Diyarbakir on October 11 for 
attending an unauthorized political meeting, 
two were released and the rest were arrested 
and placed in a Diyarbakir prison. 
 
 
10. Evrensel, Bolge / Students who protested the 
Iraq war and the Higher Education Council 
during the Cukurova University official opening 
ceremonies organized an alternative opening 
ceremony yesterday.  Students danced and played 
music, announcing that they don't want police 
on the university campus. 
 
 
11. Evrensel / Students at Van's Centennial 
University walked on the campus to protest 
against the deployment of Turkish troops to 
Iraq. 
REID