This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ADANA 000099
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 06, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 06, 2005.
Please note that Turkish press reports often contain errors or
exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for the acuracy
of the reports summarized here.
POLITICAL, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS
CUMHURIYET / RADIKL: Ahmet Ersin, a member of Turkish
Parliaments Human Rights Commission (TPHRC) and a CHP
(Repblican People's Party) deputy from Izmir, appealedto the
TPHRC to take on the issue of the 15-year-ld girl from
Diarbkir who was engaged to a manthre eas ao hrogh a
religious ceremony andwh ha ben ujectdto family violence
(see 55 press summ).
ZAMAN / YENI SAFAK: The woan caught with 1.5 kilograms of
C-4 explosives infront of the Office of the Security Director
in iyarbakir (see press summ 5/5) was reportedly mixe in with
the 350 people that had come to the Offce of the Security
Directo inDiarbkir t make statements related to a Noembe
200 ncient (see press summ 5/5.). Police reportedly noticed
she was acting suspiciously. The paper today reports that the
woman's target was the Security Director's Office.
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: The court ordered the release of
eight people who were reportedly arrested by the Istanbul police
for attempting to extort money from DEHAP Istanbul
administrators (see 5/5 press summ). Approximately 100 DEHAP
members, chanting slogans, protested their release in front of
the court building.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Democratic Society Movement members organized
a dinner and mediated successfully to amicably resolve a feud
between the Alkan and Ekin families. (Note: The feud between the
families broke out in June 2003 and caused the death of 4
people.) Two thousand people participated in the event including
human rights activists and local government and DEHAP officials.
CUMHURIYET: A group of students from the Patriotic Front, the
Initiative of the Universities, and members of the TKP (Turkish
Communist Party), will travel from Ankara to stage a protest
tomorrow in Incirlik district against the GOT's decision to
extend U.S. use of Incirlik Airbase.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The response of the Prime Minister' Office to
300,000 petitions submitted by the DEHAP Youth Branches
demanding constitutional changes was that the petitions included
suggestions and requests that would damage the national unity of
Turkey, if implemented. According to Ozgur Gundem, the petitions
called for amendments within the 3rd, 42nd and 66th provisions
of the Constitution.
OZGUR GUNDEM: In Sanliurfa, the first hearing was opened in
the case of nine people against whom charges were pressed for
chanting illegal slogans during the opening of a private Kurdish
language course. The case was adjourned until November 2005 to
provide time for collecting evidence.
EVRENSEL / YENI SAFAK: Unidentified people opened fire on a car
and killed the muhtar (headman) of Sugeldi village in Catak
district of Van and two other people in the car. Jandarma
initiated an investigation into whether the incident was related
to a feud which allegedly broke out last year. Yeni Safak
reports that the incident has connections with recently
conducted headman elections.
SABAH (GUNEY) / CUMHURIYET / ZAMAN / EKSPRES / OZGUR GUNDEM:
The Mayor of Adana, Aytac Durak, angry with Milliyet about a
"baseless news report, fired criticism at the media and said
that violation of one's civil rights and freedom of expression
ought not be construed as the same concepts. Milliyet allegedly
wrote that "Sedat Peker and Aytac Durak confronted each other on
a mining issue." (Note: Sedat Peker is a criminal gang leader.
End Note.) Durak will reportedly file a legal suit against
the author and the paper.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
1. RADIKAL / SABAH (GUNEY) / EKSPRES / ZAMAN / BOLGE: Umit
Ozgumus, Chairperson of the Adana Chamber of Commerce, announced
that financial losses incurred by industrialists due to frequent
blackouts and electricity power failures might be remedied if
the industrialists opened legal action against TEDAS (Turkish
State-owned Electricity Company).
REID