SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0126

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,
MAY 2, 2003



1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary
for May 2, 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. Sabah/Milliyet/Turkiye/Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet/
Milli Gazete/Tercuman/Radikal/Dunya/Bolge/Evrensel:
According to the preliminary determinations, 87
persons were killed and 494 others were wounded
in an earthquake in Bingol yesterday morning. The
quake measured as 6.4 on the Richter Scale. The
majority of public buildings were leveled. The
bodies of 25 students were unearthed from the
debris of Celtiksuyu Boarding School where 198
students were staying when the tremor happened.
While 79 students were rescued alive, 94 others
are still believed to be under the debris. It is
feared that the death toll could exceed 500.
Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene from
Istanbul and Ankara. Turkish Airways scheduled
additional flights to Diyarbakir from Istanbul
and Ankara to expedite shipment of international
relief to the area. The Health Ministry assigned
32 specialists, 16 physicians, 46 health clerks
and 19 ambulances to the province. The field
hospital set up in Silopi was moved to Bingol.
Kizilay -Turkish Red Crescent- sent 2105 tents,
10 thousand blankets, seven mobile kitchens, five
ambulances, five generators, and 5 tons of
foodstuffs to the town. The government
transmitted approximately USD 300 thousand from
the Disaster Fund. Volunteer physicians went to
Bingol in a military aircraft.



3. Cumhuriyet/Radikal/Milliyet/Hurriyet/Milli
Gazete/Tercuman/Turkiye/Bolge/Evrensel: May 1,
Labor Day, meetings were held throughout the
country under tight security measures. In Adana,
approximately ten thousand people attended the
meeting and stood for a moment of silence for the
earthquake victims in Bingol, and those who lost
their lives in the struggle for democracy and
attaining workers' rights in Turkey. In Malatya,
the police detained 30 demonstrators for opening
an illegal banner in the street. Part of the
meetings in Adiyaman, sanliurfa, Diyarbakir,
Mardin, and Van were cancelled due to the tremor.



4. Bolge: The Security Directorate of Adana said
police arrested 21 suspects, including one person
wanted by Diyarbakir Jandarma Command, and three
thieves, during their searches at tea-shops and
places of entertainment in Adana the previous
evening. Also 14 persons gambling were detained.
Two pistols were seized and legal action was
taken against 14 job sites for operating without
license. In the meantime, the traffic police gave
approximately USD 8,500 of fine to 272 drivers
and banned 28 vehicles from traffic.


ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS



5. Milliyet: The 4th Adana Electric-Electronic
Machinery and Automation Fair opened at the
Organized Industrial Zone. The fair, sponsored by
KOSGEB -Small and Medium Business Support Center-
, will remain open until May 4. Seventy
companies, including one from Japan, have been
MAY 02, 2003
displaying auto spare parts, computers,
electronic goods, and uninterrupted power
suppliers.
HOLTZ