SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 0179 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, JULY 08, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for July 08, 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. Gunaydin, Hurriyet, Bolge / Cukurova University staff gathered around the meeting area and protested against the US Government because of the detainment of the eleven Turkish soldiers in Suleymaniye. About 500 protesters shouted, "Turkish boys can't be detained", " US, Don't try our patience.", " We are not your colony, take your hands off us". Nurses and doctors from the University Hospital also joined in the meeting. ¶3. Hurriyet, Turkiye / Turkish Nationalist Association gathered in Ataturk Park, which is opposite the US Consulate in Adana. People protested the detainment of the eleven soldiers by US soldiers. The group walked towards the US Consulate and wanted to lay two black wreaths. Police didn't let the group lay them. During the argument one of the wreaths broke. The police took the other one inside the barriers. ¶4. Bolge / Mahmut Teberik, the head of the Mechanical Engineers Association announced that they can't tolerate such a bad and irresponsible attitude towards their country and soldiers and said the US should apologize. ¶5. Bolge / Mehmet Tanriverdi, The head of the Chamber of Commerce in Kahramanmaras opposed to the new decision by the Government to charge the East and the Southeast more than the other regions due to the large number of unpaid electricity bills in the area. He said "it's not fair on the honest citizens who pay their bills regularly". ¶6. Bolge / Village guards in Diyarbakir and Urfa said they are worried about their future if the village guard positions are cancelled due to the new Harmonization Package. They said they will have no jobs and no guns and this will cause a big threat for them. ¶7. Turkiye / Habur Border gate is open again after four days of problems. ¶8. Turkiye / Turkish Security Forces in Adana took extra precautions for the protection of the US Consulate in Adana. ¶9. Evrensel / Villagers who protested the government officials' bad treatment by walking towards Iraqi Border returned to their villages after the transfer of the soldiers blamed for the mistreatment. ¶10. Milliyet / Well known artist Safa Bute could not transfer money to the organizers of the Art Exhibition in Italy where he is going to represent Turkey next week, because his name has Arabic origin. The Bank said this is a routine thing they do after September 11. ¶11. Sabah / Zeki Akkoyun, the factory owner who hired Yilmaz Cakmak to kill Hasan Balikci, the electrical engineer who reported against him (he was using unauthorized electricity in his factory) was apprehended in a holiday village in Antalya. HART