US embassy cable - 02ADANA411

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0411 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, Press Summaries, ADANA 
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, DECEMBER 10, 2002 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for 
December 10, 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.  CONTINUED PRO-OCALAN DEMONSTRATIONS 
(Evrensel)  Isolation of PKK (KADEK) leader Abdullah Ocalan 
was protested in Diyarbakir and Batman.  In Diyarbakir, a 
group of youths gathered in front of the Church of Saint 
Mary and marched by displaying the KADEK flag and shouting 
pro-Ocalan slogans.  Residents gave support by applauding. 
The youths said they would increase their demonstrations 
between December 15 and February 15.  In Batman, similar 
protest demonstrations were held in eleven different 
locations. 
 
 
3.  ADANA BAR ASSOCIATION WILL HELP HUMAN RIGHTS VICTIMS 
(Milliyet/Bolge/Milli Gazete/Evrensel)  Attorney Ismail 
Arisoy, in charge of the Human Rights Commission of the 
Adana Bar Association, encouraged victims of human rights 
violations to apply to his commission.  Speaking at a 
meeting to mark Human Rights Week, Arisoy said the 
commission had been formed to come up with concrete 
solutions to human rights abuses, in collaboration with 
other organizations and institutions. 
 
 
4.  OFFICER TO PAY REPARATIONS FOR INSULTING A SUBORDINATE 
(Radikal/Sabah)  The Military Supreme Administrative Court 
(MSAC) ordered a first lieutenant to pay second lieutenant 
Kemal Vuraldogan TL 300 million (approx. USD 190) in 
reparations for insulting him.  Vuraldogan served his 
compulsory military duty at the 9th Main Jet Base Command 
(in Diyarbakir) in 2000.  MSAC's verdict stemmed from 
Vuraldogan's filing suit against the first lieutenant. 
 
 
5.  WORKERS DISMISSED FOR PARTICIPATION IN DEHAP RALLY 
(Evrensel)  Eleven cleaning workers at the Pervari (Siirt) 
Regional Boarding School were reportedly dismissed on 
November 28 for participating in the November 3 rally of 
the Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) in Pervari.  The 
workers filed suit against the school principal for firing 
and insulting them.  The principal re-hired six of the 
workers when they withdrew their complaints.  The remaining 
five workers said they would petition the Administrative 
Court as the Prosecutor's Office had decided not to pursue 
the case. 
 
 
6.  WARNING AGAINST NON-TURKISH BUSINESS NAMES 
(Turkiye)  The Malatya Governor's Office sent an order to 
the Malatya Municipality warning against non-Turkish names 
given to places of business.  "English is being taught even 
in kindergartens.  We are not against English, but it 
should not precede Turkish," Governor Mustafa Yildirim 
said. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
7.  PHYSICIANS FOR PEACE DONATES USD 110,000 TO DICLE U. 
(Turkiye)  Physicians For Peace Foundation, headquartered 
in the U.S., donated USD 110,000 to the Prosthesis Center 
at Diyarbakir's Dicle University.  The foundation has thus 
far provided the center with USD 440,000 worth of 
assistance.  The "Cad/Cam remote measurement taking system" 
seminar was held to introduce studies carried out at the 
Prosthesis Center.  Dicle University Rector Fikri Canoruc, 
U.S. Interplast Turkey Representatives Dr. David Young, Ron 
Hopkings and John Burger, Turkish Interplast Association 
President Prof. Namik Kemal Baran and representatives from 
other universities attended the seminar. 
 
 
8.  WATER LEVEL RISES IN SOUTHEASTERN DAMS 
(Evrensel)  Officials from the Electricity Production 
Corporation and the State Water Works (DSI) said the level 
of water in the reservoirs behind the Keban (Elazig), 
Karakaya (Diyarbakir) and Ataturk (Sanliurfa) Dams had 
risen to their highest levels over the past five years. 
"With rainfall over the first eleven months of the year, 
Ataturk, Karakaya and Keban are experiencing their golden 
year," they commented. 
HOLTZ