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 SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 0159

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY
JUNE 12, 2003

1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for June 12, 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. Hurriyet/Sabah/Milliyet/Tercuman/Dunya/Cumhur iyet
/Milli Gazete/Bolge/Turkiye/Evrensel: A suicide
bomber attacked the US Consulate in Adana at
14:30 yesterday, June 11. The bomber, Cumali
Kizilkoca (35), tried to enter the Consulate on
the grounds that he wanted to apply for an
immigrant visa. Kizilkoca threw two bombs, which
he had strapped on himself, as he was stopped by
the security guards. One of the bombs exploded
immediately while the police detonated the other.
Some windows of the Consulate building were
shattered. Kizilkoca shouted, "I attacked the US
Consulate to protest Israel's attack on the
HAMAS'leader." While being taken to the Security
Directorate, he stated, "I attacked to kill
Americans." In his statement to the police,
Kizilkoca said, "The suicide attack at HAMAS'
leader hurt my pride." It was declared that the
bomber was intoxicated when he attacked.
Kizilkoca said he had stolen the bombs from the
military when he was mustered out. Kizilkoca is
married and has two children. The police found
one hundred grams of hash at his house and
reported the police wanted him for using weapons
without a license.

3. Milliyet: Deputy Governor of Adana, Caner
Yildiz, disclosed that they would train up to
sixty volunteers in every quarter of Adana for
conducting rescue operations in the case of
natural disasters. He said they also would make
arrangements for radio communications between the
Civil Defense Directorate, public offices, and
big industrial plants. Yildiz said it would be
impossible for the civil defense experts to reach
everywhere, therefore all the public offices and
big industrial plants should take their own
measures to ensure the safety of their personnel
and property.

4. Milliyet/Radikal: The State Security Court
(SSC) of Ankara initiated two new investigations
on DEHAP because of the events experienced during
its extraordinary meeting in Ankara last weekend.
The Chief Prosecutor's office brought charges
against the party's administrators for not
chanting the "national anthem" and shouting "pro-
Ocalan slogans" at the meeting. Another
investigation has been initiated against DEHAP
for undertaking actions in favor of the
separatist organization during its Youth
Organization's meeting fifteen days ago. The
Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, who
had asked for permanent closure of DEHAP earlier
is also following the SSC's charges closely.

5. Milliyet: The PKK/KADEK militant, Mehmet
Gungordu (AKA Sason), who was in charge of PKK's
team in Cudi Mountain and who surrendered to the
security forces in Antalya some time ago, is
being tried at Diyarbakir's State Security Court
(SSC). Gungordu claimed the PKK had seven
thousand armed militants; it had decided to
increase the number of the armed groups in the
Southeast; and, it had four hundred suicide
bombers at Zab and Kandil regions in Northern
Iraq waiting for instructions. Gungordu, who is
facing life imprisonment, told the court that the
suicide bombers headed by a militant known as
"Hakki" would undertake actions in big towns in a
likely conflict with Turkey, and would target
economic establishments. He said the organization
had bought anti-aircraft missiles and Docka type
heavy weaponry.

6. Milliyet: TRT (Turkish Radio and Television)
appealed to the Supreme Court for reversing the
Regulations About the Language of the Radio and
Television Broadcasting which permits
broadcasting in Kurdish. The path for
broadcasting in Kurdish will be closed should the
Supreme Court reverse the case or decide on
halting the execution of the regulation.
Broadcasting was made permissible after RTUK
(Radio and Television High Commission) made
amendments in the RTUK Law for the first EU
harmonization laws passed last year. RTUK's
arrangements of the regulation based on that law
came into effect as of December 18, 2002.
According to the regulation, TRT would broadcast
Kurdish programs prepared by RTUK's experts;
however, because amendments have not been made in
TRT's Law, TRT demanded the reversal of RTUK's
decision on the grounds that it could not
broadcast in opposition to its regulations. Only
private TV channels will be permitted to
broadcast in Kurdish if the Supreme Court
reverses the case.

7. Evrensel: Thirty-eight people, mostly
Solidarity Association members, who were detained
for protesting the US-led war on Iraq in front of
the AK Party's provincial office in Adana, were
arraigned at Adana's State Security Court
yesterday. The protesters had come from Antakya,
Mersin, and Adana. The protesters said they were
exposed to pressure during their detention and
were forced to sign documents other than their
own statements, and would file countercharges
against the Adana Security Directorate and Public
Prosecutor's office.

8. Evrensel: Ocalan's lawyers and brother were
not permitted to visit Ocalan at the prison in
Imrali island on the grounds of adverse weather
conditions.

9. Turkiye: Vice Rector of New York State
University (NYSU), Robert Gosende, who is also in
charge of NYSU's International Programs, visited
Cukurova University in Adana. Gosende said they
were looking for areas of cooperation between the
universities in both countries, and added that
there already was cooperation in agriculture,
environment, language, and exchange programs for
students and teachers between the universities.

ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

10. Hurriyet: A Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) was signed between Diyarbakir Governor,
Nusret Miroglu, and Gramen Bank's Chief Executive
Officer (CEO), Muhammed Yunus, to implement the
Micro-credit Project aimed to reduce poverty in
Diyarbakir. Another cosigner of the MOU,
Diyarbakir's MP from AK Party, Aziz Akgul, said
they would start giving credits to the poorest
women in the area and gradually expand the
project nationwide. The bank's CEO, Prof. Dr.
Yunus, said their project is being applied in one
hundred and ten countries, and the Turkish Prime
Minister and media has shown great interest in
their projects.
HOLTZ

© Scoop Media