VZCZCXRO1508
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0058 1100640
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200640Z APR 07
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4501
INFO RUEUITH/AFOSI DET 521 ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1047
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0902
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/AFOSI DET 522 INCIRLIK AB TU
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT MEADE MD
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1104
UNCLAS ADANA 000058
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 19, 2007
1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April
19, 2007. 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:
2. ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / SABAH / HURRIYET / RADIKAL:
Three people were killed and two people were wounded in an
attack carried out at a Bible publication house in Malatya
yesterday afternoon. One of the victims was a German national.
At the site of the incident, police detained four people they
suspected. The publication house manager said that they were
being threatened, but he said he cannot name any definite
organization that targeted them. Malatya Governor Halil Ibrahim
Dasoz, Security Director and the Chief Prosecutor visited the
site of the incident. Ahmet Guvener, the priest of the
Protestant Church in Diyarbakir, told Sabah daily that they
themselves had received many threats on allegations that they
were conducting Christian missionary activities, and, the local
media in Mardin portrayed them (the Christians) in a manner that
would spark hostile intentions among circles in the community
(against Christians.)
3. BOLGE / ZAMAN: Under leadership of the Cukurova
Journalists' Association (CJA), a march was held in Adana by the
members of the local press to protest the three assailants'
attack carried out on two journalists during a TV program on
Saturday (04/14) at the premise of the Akdeniz TV station. DYP
and CHP provincial chairmen attended the march, as well. Adana
Governor Ilhan Atis paid a visit to the CJA and said that that
incident did great harm to the image of the province. The
Governor and CJA chairperson paid a visit together to the
journalist who was hospitalized.
4. EVRENSEL: People protested the authorities in Agri's
Patnos district for not reissuing green cards to them after
their cards expired. The authorities reportedly set a
precondition for green card holders to pay a certain municipal
tax on environmental and cleaning services before they can be
reissued green cards. (Note: Green cards are issued for people
whose income level is lower than the minimum income level in
Turkey and green cards provide free access to certain medical
services. End Note.)
5. EVRENSEL: DTP members in Gaziantep condemned the censure
of the Gundem, Guncel and (Kurdish) Azadiya Welat newspapers and
branded such censuring policies as antidemocratic. Political
parties and some organizations in Adana and Sirnak's Silopi
district protested the oppression extered on Kurdish media.
6. ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / SABAH / RADIKAL: The court acquitted
four police officers who were being prosecuted in a heavy
penalty court in Eskisehir on charges of killing a father and
his 12-year-old son, namely Ahmet and Ugur Kaymaz, in Mardin's
Kiziltepe district in November 2004. The court regarded the
killing as self-defense by the officers. The Kaymaz family
members protested the verdict and said that they would take the
case to the appellate court.
7. RADIKAL: PM Erdogan lodged a complaint with the
prosecutor's office against Gaye Erbatur, Adana deputy from CHP,
on grounds that Erbatur allegedly sent e-mail messages to
faculty members of Cukurova University in Adana which described
Erdogan "as a yokel who is the enemy of secularism and Ataturk."
SECURITY:
8. ZAMAN / SABAH: A soldier from Third Commando Brigade
Command died during a military operation that was going on in
Sirnak's Guclukonak district against the terrorists.
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT
9. BOLGE: The daily reports that street dogs in the
Cukurova University in Adana are posing a rabies threat. A
university staff member was recently bitten by a dog with rabies
and she was only saved from contracting the disease because the
dog's fangs did not tear the victim's skin. The dog reportedly
died because of the disease. The authorities in the university
said the necessary precautions concerning stray dogs will be
taken.
GREEN