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