Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for October 19, 2006

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 19, 2006

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for October 19,
2006. 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

RADIKAL / HURRIYET: Mardin Governor rejected the appointment
request of a U.S. delegation including the U.S. Air and Defense
Attachi Col. Charles J. Schneider, Deputy Military Attachi
Lieutenant Colonel Randy J. Smith, and Political Military
Attachi Carl R. Seibentritt, who are employed in Iraq. The
delegation met with the Mardin Mayor on issues concerning
southeastern region and the PKK. The delegation headed towards
the Habur Border Gate in S?rnak following their visits.

3. SABAH / HURRIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: Office of the Chief of
General Staff filed a complaint about DTP Kars provincial
chairman Mahmut Alinak who previously filed a complaint on
September 5 against Chief of General Staff General Yasar
Buyukanit, Land Forces Commander Ilker Basbug and PM Erdogan for
"not undertaking their responsibilities duely as state officials
which causes the death of many soldiers and guerillas". Chief
of Staff blamed Alinak for making propaganda for a terrorist
organization.

4. EVRENSEL: Batman Prosecutor's Office initiated an
investigation against the delegation set up to probe the killing
of an 11-year-old in an alleged crossfire between security
forces and PKK members on September 5. Prosecutor's Office
claims that the delegation's probe is violating the
confidentiality of the official investigation. The delegation

SIPDIS
is made up of members from Batman Bar Association and Batman's
Human Rights Association.

5. OZGUR GUNDEM: People in Mardin and its districts were
told that they were not able to watch Roj TV broadcast which is
allegedly being jammed.

6. SABAH : Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir and mayors
from DTP participated in a live TV program on Roj TV. Baydemir
reportedly said that nobody should yield to the provocations
during the PKK's cease-fire process.

7. EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM: The conclusive statement of
the Third International Kurdish Conference held at the European
Parliament reportedly urged Turkey to evaluate the cease-fire
process well, urged EU Commission and its Council to set up
committees to foster democratic dialogue that would help include
Kurds in the discussions in Turkey about the government and the
constitution, and finally pointed out that resolving the Kurdish
issue was vital for the stability of Turkey.

8. SABAH (GUNEY): The action that was brought at the
Second Administrative Court in Adana to cancel the assembly
membership of Karatas Mayor Metin Catalbas has been dropped.
Karatas Mayor will keep his mayorship position despite his
assembly membership status was in suspension when he was elected
as the new mayor. This development reportedly caused a
controversy among legal circles.

9. BOLGE: DYP Leader Mehmet Agar will arrive at Adana
airport today, will briefly address the people welcoming him,
and will then head towards Iskenderun district.

10. BOLGE: MHP party organization in Hatay paid a visit
to Vakifli, the only Armenian village in Turkey, and met with
the headman Berc Kartun. Berc Kartun reportedly once again
condemned the bill in France that made it a crime to deny the
"Armenian genocide."

SECURITY

11. OZGUR GUNDEM: Turkish Armed Forces launched fresh
military operations in rural sections of Diyarbakir and Bingol.

HUMAN RIGHTS

12. OZGUR GUNDEM: The strike of Mardin's municipal
cleaning services employees is continuing and the workers are
demanding the salaries the municipality owed to them.

13. OZGUR GUNDEM: Twelfth Heavy Penalty Court in Istanbul

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sentenced two members of a Kurdish music group called Koma Gulen
Xerzan and a baglama player to ten months in prison on grounds
that their songs were making propaganda for the the PKK. (Note:
Baglama is a type of Turkish musical instrument. End Note.)

ECONOMY

14. OZGUR GUNDEM: The hail that poured the previous day in
Diyarbakir did great damage to lettuce crops.

CULTURE / SOCIETY

15. YENI SAFAK: Two people died and 16 people have been
wounded during a fight that broke out between two families in
Sanliurfa.

16. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Hatay Governor Ahmet Kayhan said
that 14,000 Syrians would come to Turkey to meet with their
relatives during celebrations marking the end of the Ramadan.
GREEN

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