SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY,

UNCLAS ADANA 0257 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY, OCTOBER 2, 2003 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for October 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. Cumhuriyet, Sabah / The fuel tank of a helicopter based at the Diyarbakir Jandarma Air Group Command exploded during landing in Diyarbakir. Eleven people were injured during the accident. ¶3. Turkiye / Cicegi Tay was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for keeping 5kg of marijuana in her house. Tay reported that she grows marijuana in her garden for her own consumption, not for sale. ¶4. Turkiye / Riza Mete, head of the Adana Medical Doctors' Association, stated that doctors are being accused of causing the deterioration of the national health system, which he says doesn't really exist. Mete announced that all practicing physicians in Adana would close their private clinics for two days as an action to remind the government of the problems of the health system. ¶5. Turkiye / Fifteen people from Somalia, who apparently entered Turkey illegally, had an accident in Altinozu, Hatay when trying to escape from the Jandarma. The Somalis are reported to have entered Turkey across the Syrian border. ¶6. Turkiye / Mehmet Gulec in Nusaybin, Mardin province received a sack full of counterfeit Euros and US Dollars from Hamburg, Germany. Police detained Gulec for questioning. ¶7. Ekspres / Anti-War groups gathered in Adana's Inonu Park to protest against the possibility of sending Turkish troops to Iraq. A box was placed in the park for people to deposit mock protest votes. ¶8. Milli Gazete / Elazig Jandarma Forces found 454 items of historical value in Agadibek, Maden, Elazig province. Jandarma detained an individual identified as "O.A" for questioning. ECONOMIC ¶9. Zaman / Turkish Airlines is starting a direct flight between Adana-Izmir and Izmir-Adana today, October 2, 2003. As we covered in our September 16, 2003 press summary, flights will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays departing from Adana at 11:50 a.m. and departing from Izmir at 9:30 a.m. REID