US embassy cable - 03ADANA126

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, TU, IZ, ADANA, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT:  SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, 
          MAY 2, 2003 
 
 
1.  This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary 
for May 2, 2003.  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 
 
 
2.  Sabah/Milliyet/Turkiye/Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet/ 
Milli Gazete/Tercuman/Radikal/Dunya/Bolge/Evrensel: 
According to the preliminary determinations, 87 
persons were killed and 494 others were wounded 
in an earthquake in Bingol yesterday morning. The 
quake measured as 6.4 on the Richter Scale. The 
majority of public buildings were leveled. The 
bodies of 25 students were unearthed from the 
debris of Celtiksuyu Boarding School where 198 
students were staying when the tremor happened. 
While 79 students were rescued alive, 94 others 
are still believed to be under the debris. It is 
feared that the death toll could exceed 500. 
Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene from 
Istanbul and Ankara. Turkish Airways scheduled 
additional flights to Diyarbakir from Istanbul 
and Ankara to expedite shipment of international 
relief to the area. The Health Ministry assigned 
32 specialists, 16 physicians, 46 health clerks 
and 19 ambulances to the province. The field 
hospital set up in Silopi was moved to Bingol. 
Kizilay -Turkish Red Crescent- sent 2105 tents, 
10 thousand blankets, seven mobile kitchens, five 
ambulances, five generators, and 5 tons of 
foodstuffs to the town. The government 
transmitted approximately USD 300 thousand from 
the Disaster Fund. Volunteer physicians went to 
Bingol in a military aircraft. 
 
 
3.  Cumhuriyet/Radikal/Milliyet/Hurriyet/Milli 
Gazete/Tercuman/Turkiye/Bolge/Evrensel: May 1, 
Labor Day, meetings were held throughout the 
country under tight security measures. In Adana, 
approximately ten thousand people attended the 
meeting and stood for a moment of silence for the 
earthquake victims in Bingol, and those who lost 
their lives in the struggle for democracy and 
attaining workers' rights in Turkey. In Malatya, 
the police detained 30 demonstrators for opening 
an illegal banner in the street. Part of the 
meetings in Adiyaman, sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, 
Mardin, and Van were cancelled due to the tremor. 
 
 
4.  Bolge: The Security Directorate of Adana said 
police arrested 21 suspects, including one person 
wanted by Diyarbakir Jandarma Command, and three 
thieves, during their searches at tea-shops and 
places of entertainment in Adana the previous 
evening. Also 14 persons gambling were detained. 
Two pistols were seized and legal action was 
taken against 14 job sites for operating without 
license. In the meantime, the traffic police gave 
approximately USD 8,500 of fine to 272 drivers 
and banned 28 vehicles from traffic. 
 
 
ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
5.  Milliyet: The 4th Adana Electric-Electronic 
Machinery and Automation Fair opened at the 
Organized Industrial Zone. The fair, sponsored by 
KOSGEB -Small and Medium Business Support Center- 
, will remain open until May 4. Seventy 
companies, including one from Japan, have been 
          MAY 02, 2003 
displaying auto spare parts, computers, 
electronic goods, and uninterrupted power 
suppliers. 
HOLTZ