SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY

UNCLAS ADANA 0383 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY NOVEMBER 2-3, 2002 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for November 2-3, 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. MOLOTOV COCKTAIL ATTACK AT ADANA'S "AMERICAN MARKET" (Turkiye) Unidentified assailants launched a Molotov cocktail attack at a business center in Adana known as "American Market." Seven workplaces were completely destroyed as a result of the incident. ¶3. FOURTEEN KIDH MEMBERS ORDERED HELD (Cumhuriyet/Turkiye/Bolge/Evrensel) Thirty Kurdistan Islamic Revolutionary Movement (KIDH) members who had earlier been arrested in Diyarbakir were arraigned at the Diyarbakir State Security Court following interrogation. The Court ordered 14, including KIDH leader Mehmet Pektas, to remain in custody, while the remaining 16 were released but ordered to appear for their upcoming trial. In addition, ten KIDH members were arrested, along with organizational documents, during a Van operation carried out in collaboration with the Diyarbakir Security Directorate. Later, four arrestees were ordered to remain in custody; the remaining six were released to be tried while at liberty. ¶4. WEDDING HOST AND SINGER HELD FOR KURDISH SONGS (Evrensel) A Mersin court ordered a wedding host and a singer to remain in custody for "distributing separatist propaganda praising the illegal organization" (i.e., the PKK) via Kurdish-language songs. HOLTZ