US embassy cable - 02ADANA393

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY 
NOVEMBER 15, 2002 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for 
November 15, 2002.  Please note that Turkish press 
reports often contain errors or exaggerations; 
AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for the accuracy of 
the reports summarized here. 
 
 
POLITICS, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
2.  ANTI-PKK OPERATION IN ELAZIG 
(Turkiye/Milli Gazete/Bolge)  Police arrested Elazig 
resident Abdullah Yildiz while he was trying to 
deliver logistical support to PKK members in rural 
Diyarbakir, Tunceli and Erzurum.  Clothing, food, 
cellular phones and logistical materials were seized 
during the search of Yildiz's home. 
 
 
3.  TWO HIZBULLAH DEFENDANTS RELEASED 
(Evrensel)  The trial of four Hizbullah members, 
including Bedran Salamboga, who was involved in the 
2001 killing of former Diyarbakir Security Director 
Gaffar Okkan, continued at the Diyarbakir State 
Security Court.  All the defendants, except for one, 
appeared for the trial.  Following a short break, the 
court ordered the release of two of the defendants 
based on evidence in the file and adjourned the trial 
until a later date. 
 
 
4.  VAN COURT REVERSES EXILES 
(Evrensel)  The Van Regional Administrative Court 
overturned a verdict by the Diyarbakir State Security 
Court to exile (i.e., transfer internally) seven 
Health Employees Union (SES) officials indicted for 
"assisting and abetting the PKK" by displaying pro- 
Kurdish language education banners during the union's 
February 2 Congress in Van.  The officials were among 
nine SES officials arrested following the SES 
Congress. 
 
 
5.  FALSE U.S. DOLLAR BILLS SEIZED 
(Bolge)  Sanliurfa Security Directorate Anti-smuggling 
and Organized Crime Department police officers 
arrested four people who were trying to circulate 81 
counterfeit 100-dollar bills.  Following 
interrogation, the arrestees were arraigned in a local 
court which ordered two to remain in custody.  The 
remaining two were released but ordered to appear for 
their upcoming trial.  Also, police are searching for 
another suspect. 
 
 
6.  OXFORD U. GRADUATE NEW ARCHBISHOP TO MARDIN 
MONESTARY 
(Radikal/Hurriyet/Cumhuriyet)  Nuri Salibe Ozmen, a 
graduate of Oxford University, has been appointed the 
new archbishop of Mardin's Dayrulzaferan Monastery. 
The 38-year-old archbishop knows English, Syriac, 
Arabic, as well as Turkish.  Ozmen, together with 
Deyrulumur Monastery (Mardin) metropolitan and Syriac 
Christian leaders, visited Mardin Governor Temel 
Kocaklar. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
7.  ADANA BUSINESS CLOSURES 
(Bolge)  Adana Union of Merchants and Artisans Chamber 
President Kazim Barisik claimed 2,612 merchants closed 
their businesses in the first ten months of the year. 
The number of business closures was 2,326 in 1999, 
1705 in 2000 and 2,291 in 2001.  Barisik called on the 
new (AKP) government to improve the economic 
situation, to decrease unemployment and lower 
inflation. 
 
 
8.  ILLEGAL ELECTRICITY USE COMMON IN INDUSTRY 
(Bolge)  The President of the Adana chapter of the 
Electrical Engineers Chamber (EMO), Ahmet Sari, 
claimed the illegal use of electricity was most common 
in the industrial sector.  According to Sari, the 
Turkish Electricity Distribution Corporation (TEDAS) 
uncovered 21,000 electricity thieves and prosecution 
had been launched against 250 TEDAS subscribers. 
HOLTZ