US embassy cable - 05ADANA103

UNCLAS ADANA 000103 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 11, 2005 
 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 11, 2005. 
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 
 
CUMHURIYET / YENI SAFAK:        In Sanliurfa, killing in the name 
of honor, or violation of the so-called "traditional familial 
codes" is suspected in the death of 14 -year-old Emine Arslan, 
and later her brother, Ahmet, on May 5.  As background, the 
papers report that Ahmet Arslan had already been married with 
four children when he sought to marry another woman, Fatma.  In 
exchange, Fatma's family asked for 14-year-old Emine for one of 
its sons.  The practice that led to Emine Arslan's marriage is 
known as "berdel," a form of bartering seen primarily in 
southeastern Turkey, to avoid paying dowries and other marriage 
expenses. 
 
CUMHURIYET: The Children's Chorus of Diyarbakir Municipality 
sang Turkish, Kurdish, German, Assyrian and Armenian songs 
during the May 9-Europe Day celebrations in Diyarbakir. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Murat Bozlak, Sirri Sakik, Ahmet Turk and 
Feridun Yazar traveled to northern Iraq to meet representatives 
of PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) and PDK (Democratic Party 
of Kurdistan). (Note:  These persons have been involved in 
pro-Kurdish politics in Turkey, such as in the former DEP and 
HADEP parties, but their current affiliation is not specified in 
the report.  End note.)  PUK and PDK representatives reportedly 
said that they are not planning an armed operation against the 
PKK/Kongra-Gel.  Kubad Talabani, the son of Iraqi President 
Jalal Talabani, allegedly stated that a general amnesty should 
be granted to members of the PKK. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL:        Members of the Human Rights 
Association (HRA) and DEHAP (Democratic People's Party) went to 
a site where a bomb exploded, killing an 8-year-old boy in 
Mardin (see press summ 5/9). After examining the area, the HRA 
and DEHAP members concluded that it was commonly used by 
villagers while at the same time being used as a Jandarma 
weapons training area, as well. 
 
RADIKAL / EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:      Representatives of the 
Chambers and NGOs, within the framework of the freedom of 
information law, will submit a petition to the President's 
Office asking for information about a "secret Incirlik decree" 
to provide logistical support to the U.S., allegedly prepared by 
the GOT. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Jandarma intervened when students at Van's 
Yuzuncu Yil University attempted to hold an alternative Spring 
Festival separate from the University's conventional one. (Note: 
Students have often used this tactic to protest the 
"establishment" spring festivals in Turkish universities that 
allegedly attempt to exclude organized student groups.) 
Reportedly, 60 students were taken into custody. 
 
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM:        Two separate lawsuits were 
allegedly opened against 20 Newruz festival committee members in 
Siirt on the grounds that: 1) the committee used the letter "w" 
during their preparations for last year's Newruz celebrations 
and 2) the committee organized an "unauthorized meeting." 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  The paper reports that the delivery of natural 
gas to the Mersin province from a pipeline that extends from 
Sivas down to Mersin has been started. 
 
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA):    Yigit Alpdogan, General Secretary of the 
National Security Council (NSC), started a trip through nine 
provinces in the Southeast to conduct studies and examine the 
GAP region. His first visit was to the Governor of Gaziantep, 
Lutfullah Bilgin. During his visit, Alpdogan told the Governor 
that the GAP Project was a significant social and economic 
development program that would be one of the concerns covered by 
the NSC. 
 
RADIKAL:        A 15-year-old student and a 14-year-old student in 
Adana were reportedly arrested at a school upon allegations that 
they tore the flag that was hung on a mast in the school. One of 
the youth awaiting trial was later released. 
 
 
REID