US embassy cable - 05ADANA125

UNCLAS ADANA 000125 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 16, 2005 
 
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for June 16, 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 
 
HURRIYET(CUKUROVA)/SABAH(GUNEY):        The Mayor of Greater City of 
Gaziantep said that THY (Turkish Airlines) will resume its 
flights between Gaziantep and Istanbul on June 20.  THY had 
halted its flights between Gaziantep and Istanbul three months 
ago reportedly because of the airport runway upgrading efforts 
in Gaziantep, a decision which has been seriously criticized by 
the people of Gaziantep to date. 
 
BOLGE/SABAH(GUNEY):     Tension was stirred when a group of 
people in Adana retaliated with anti-PKK slogans against a 
30-person group called the "Democratic Free Women's Movement", 
attempting to make press announcement, chanting pro-PKK slogans 
and carrying posters of Abdullah Ocalan, reportedly to call for 
the end of the military operations (conducted against the 
terrorist organization PKK).  Riot police arrived, tried to 
dissolve the disobeying mob, and a chase began. Some of the 
protestors reportedly threw stones at the police as they were 
being chased away and ran into the building where DEHAP 
(Democratic People's Party) and SDP (Socialist Democracy Party) 
Seyhan District Headquarters were located, continuing to throw 
stones from the roof of the building. One police officer and 3 
protestors were injured. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The paper reports the Adana protest (at the 
second item of this summary) along with two other protest 
incidents in Mardin and Van.  According to the paper, the police 
intervened and allegedly hit the women with truncheons in Adana 
when a group of women attempted to protest the isolation of 
Ocalan in Imrali prison.  The protestors in Kiziltepe district 
of Mardin chanted slogans saying, "Shut down Imrali prison", 
''Kurdish people are not alone", "Put an end to war and 
isolation".  Democratic Free Women's Movement in Van staged 
similar protests in Van. 
 
SABAH (GUNEY):  Mehmet Agar, National President of DYP (True 
Path Party), will come to Adana today to hear about the problems 
of producers and farmers in the Ceyhan district and to pay 
visits to contacts in Adana. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   Ten people, who were arrested before the 
Newruz celebrations on March 17 in Mersin and who were being 
prosecuted at the 7th Heavy Penalty Court in Adana on the 
charges of "being a member of the terrorist organization," were 
released. 
 
OZGUR GUNDEM:   The paper reports that 30 PKK prisoners in 
Adana Jail were transferred to another (unspecified) jail 
without sending prior notification to the prisoners' families. 
 
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS 
 
1.      EKSPRES/BOLGE/SABAH(GUNEY):     A group of farmers in Ceyhan 
district of Adana, in an attempt to protest the agricultural 
policies of the government, poured 2.5 tons of wheat into the 
Ceyhan river.  Chairperson of the Ceyhan Chamber of Agriculture 
said that the farmers were not able to sell wheat even for 0.25 
YTL (approximately 20 cents), reportedly a very poor return in 
exchange for the work of the producers.  The protest of the 
farmers was organized by MHP (National Movement Party) Ceyhan 
Headquarters. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REID