US embassy cable - 03ADANA286

UNCLAS ADANA 0286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
NOVEMBER 19, 2003 
 
 
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for November 19, 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 / Adana police detained Bayram Gunindi, 
who was fighting with Muhittin Gunindi at a 
location 100 meters from the U.S. Consulate. 
Police found two guns on M.G.  B.G. told the 
police that he had a bomb. Bomb specialists 
arrived and discovered that B.G had two candles 
wrapped with brown tape with him. 
 
 
3. Turkiye / Bingol police found 40 kg of heroin 
and detained Nedim Aydemir, Sadik Demirhan, 
Kadir Sezer and Sahin Sezer. Police also found 
2 guns and 24 bullets with the detainees.  In 
Baskale, Van province, police found 16 kg of 
marijuana and are investigating. 
 
 
4. Yeni Safak / In Sanliurfa, a Kurdish Language 
Course commenced with the approval of the 
Turkish Ministry of Education. The course has 
an 80-student capacity. 
 
 
5. Ozgur Gundem / In 96 villages of Ozalp and 
Saray, Van province, Jandarma took individual 
and family photographs of the villagers. 
Allegedly, the Jandarma met with the village 
guards and wanted the submission of the 
photographs to the local Jandarma Stations.  In 
Eruh, Siirt province, the Jandarma wanted a 
passenger list from the local minibus drivers. 
According to the report, Eglence Jandarma 
Station in Siirt is also recording the amount 
of the groceries taken home and the number of 
the family members. 
 
 
CULTURE and TOURISM 
 
 
6. Hurriyet Cukurove / Kursat Tuzmen, state 
minister and Gaziantep MP, announced that the 
Turkish Government would be organizing an 
international symposium with the attendance of 
distinguished archeologists to introduce 
Gaziantep's Zeugma archeological site to the 
world. 
REID