Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ADANA 0394

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY
NOVEMBER 16-17, 2002

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for November 16-17, 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. VIOLATIONS CONTINUE IN THE SOUTHEAST
(Evrensel) The Turkish Human Rights Foundation
(THRF) issued its human rights violations report
for October. The report said extra-judicial
killings, village guard assaults, and arrest of
people listening to Kurdish-language music
continued in the Southeast. In October, soldiers
and police officers opened fire, killing one
person and wounding four others in the region.
Village guards killed three people, including a
child, injured six people, beat four people and
threatened three others. The reports indicated
that several people had been ordered to remain in
custody for listening to Kurdish music and that
village returns had been prevented.

3. DEHAP ISKENDERUN (HATAY) OFFICE ATTACKED
(Cumhuriyet/Evrensel) An attack was launched on
the Democratic People's Party's (DEHAP) office in
Iskenderun (Hatay) on November 15 during which
the office's window glasses were broken. During
an earlier attack on November 11, unidentified
assailants broke in, rummaging the office and
stealing computers and documents.

4. CONTINUED PRO-OCALAN PROTESTS
(Van) A group of Van youths who call themselves
"Apo's (PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan) Volunteers"
staged demonstrations in four different locations
on November 16 to protest Ocalan's isolation.
The demonstrators marched, shouting pro-Ocalan
slogans and then dispersed without incident.

5. VILLAGERS FILE SUIT AGAINST JANDARMA
COMMANDANT
(Evrensel) Several Lice (Diyarbakir) villagers
who had been arrested in connection with a fight
over a land dispute filed suit against the local
Jandarma commander, whom they accused of
torturing them for having voted for the
Democratic People's Party (DEHAP).

6. CLAIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN VAN JANDARMA
CENTER
(Evrensel) Saray (Van) resident Okan Yurdabak,
who had been arrested following a fight over a
land dispute, claimed that soldiers at the local
Jandarma station raped him with a truncheon.
Yurdabak was issued a medical report excusing him
from work for 15 days.

ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------------------------------

7. NUSAYBIN BORDER GATE WILL BE OPENED TO SYRIA
(Evrensel) Mardin's Nusaybin border gate with
Syria will be opened to transit crossings in the
upcoming days. Nusaybin District Governor Omer
Ulu predicted the opening would enliven
commercial life in the region.
HOLTZ

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