US embassy cable - 88ADANA638

UNCLAS ADANA 0638 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS:  SOCI, TU 
SUBJECT:  POLICE FOIL APPARENT PKK ESCAPE ATTEMPT IN 
DIYARBAKIR 
 
REF:  ISTANBUL 5140 
 
1.  (U)  SUMMARY:  DIYARBAKIR POLICE OCTOBER 23 DISCOVERED 
A 120 FOOT TUNNEL INTO A PRISON WHICH HOUSES MANY CON- 
VICTED OF SUPPORT FOR THE OUTLAWED PKK.  AUTHORITIES 
IMMEDIATELY ORDERED THE TRANSFER OF 120 PRISONERS FROM 
DIYARBAKIR TO ESKISEHIR, WHICH TRIGGERED A FIGHT BETWEEN 
INMATES AND GUARDS IN WHICH 20 PRISONERS WERE WOUNDED.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, POLICE ACTED ON A TIP EITHER 
FROM A PKK SUSPECT BEING INTERROGATED OR FROM A PRISONER. 
THEY FOUND A TUNNEL (VARIOUSLY ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN 40 AND 
60 METERS LONG) STRETCHING FROM A HOUSE IN THE SLUM 
(GECECONDO) AREA OF DIYARBAKIR TOWARD THE INTERIOR OF THE 
PRISON.  ABOUT FORTY ADDITIONAL METERS OF TUNNELING WOULD 
HAVE BEEN NECESSARY TO REACH THE INTERIOR OF THE PRISON. 
 
3.  SECURITY AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED THE TRANSFER OF 120 OF 
THE PRISONERS IN DIYARBAKIR TO ESKISEHIR.  AMONG THEM WAS 
THE NOTED WOMAN PKK MILITANT, SAKINE POLAT, SENTENCED TO 
56 YEARS.  THE INMATES PROTESTED THE TRANSFER, AND 20 WERE 
WOUNDED IN THE SCUFFLE WHICH ENSUED.  A NUMBER OF THE 
PRISONERS VOWED TO BEGIN A HUNGER STRIKE TO DRAMATIZE 
THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE TRANSFERS.  POLICE HAVE ALSO 
ROUNDED UP FOR INTERROGATION APPROXIMATELY 30 PEOPLE 
LIVING NEAR THE HOUSE WHERE THE TUNNEL WAS DISCOVERED. 
 
4.  COMMENT:  RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS ABOUT MILITARY ADMIN- 
ISTRATION OF THE PRISON (ITS FORMER DIRECTOR WAS MURDERED 
IN ISTANBUL OCTOBER 23 IN APPARENT REPRISAL FOR HIS 
ACTIVITIES, REFTEL.)  THE GOT TRANSFERRED THE PRISON TO 
CIVILIAN CONTROL EARLY THIS SUMMER. 
 
 
COLE