Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ADANA213
2005-11-22 14:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:
SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2005
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000213
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for November 18,
2005. 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
ZAMAN / YENI SAFAK: Cemil Cicek, Minister of Interior, drew
attention to the role DEHAP (Democratic People's Party) played
in the latest incidents in Semdinli and claimed that DEHAP had
never done anything good to solve the issue. According to Cemil
Cicek, those people who are disturbed about the stability and
peace in Turkey are using terrorist organizations to disrupt
peaceful conditions.
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / YENI SAFAK: Cicek wanted people to be
confident that the bombing incident in Semdinli will not be
covered up and will be investigated.
RADIKAL: A Parliamentary Commission Delegation will be
visiting Semdinli on November 22. The delegation cancelled a
planned trip to Semdinli a day earlier due to the cancellation
of flights due to adverse weather conditions.
RADIKAL: PM Erdogan is expected to visit Semdinli, Yuksekova
and Hakkari following the visits to these districts of the
Minister of Interior and Minister of Justice (on an unspecified
date).
YENI SAFAK / CUMHURIYET: Tension in Semdinli is subsiding,
according to the Yeni Safak daily. Hakkari Mayor Metin Takce
dismissed allegations that tension was stirred up among the
people of Semdinli by certain people during the incidents.
Tekce denied the Hakkari Governor's claims that people were
readily following the district mayor's instructions. Tekce
branded such claims as attempts to make mayors vulnerable as
targets of hostile intentions. Tekce drew attention to the fact
that people in Yuksekova and Hakkari never used firearms against
the security forces. Tekce demanded that the soldiers and
police opening fire on people should be prosecuted.
ZAMAN: Kursat Gulsen, an attorney from Ankara Bar
Association, will defend the two junior officers, who are
accused of being involved in the latest November 9 Semdinli
incident. Because of the controversy over whether Jandarma
Command was involved in the selection of the previously
announced attorney or not, the defendants changed their attorney
to Gulsen.
ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM: A mine planted on a railroad 25
kilometers away from Van went off and caused one of the cars of
a train to derail. No casualties were reported.
CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / RADIKAL / HURRIYET / ZAMAN / YENI
SAFAK: Funerals of two of the three demonstrators, who died
during the public unrest that broke out in Yuksekova on
Wednesday, was held in Yuksekova without incident. Yet, a
barely controlled tension marked the mood of the people during
the funerals, according to Radikal daily. The people walking
towards the cemetery and carrying the coffins told the
journalists to report the true numbers of people who attended
the funeral and claimed that over 100,000 people were there.
Yet, Zaman daily reporter said that this number was exaggerated.
Radikal daily reported that the population of Yuksekova was
nearly 100,000, and over 50,000 people reportedly attended the
funerals. During the funerals, "so-called confederation flags"
were flown and people chanted slogans in support for the
terrorist organization PKK and its jailed leader Abdullah
Ocalan. People demanded that the Hakkari Governor resign.
During his address to the crowd, Selim Sadak, former DEP deputy,
called on PM Erdogan and all the other circles sensitive to this
issue, to come to Semdinli.
SABAH / HURRIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / CUMHURIYET / RADIKAL / ZAMAN /
YENI SAFAK / BOLGE / EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY): Two F-16
airplanes reportedly flew low four times over the people walking
towards the funeral place. Reportedly, one of the local people
said, "We are not terrorists. I have five sons. Two of them are
in the mountains (enrolled in the ranks of the PKK) and two of
them are doing their military service. We do not want to see
brothers killing each other." Meanwhile, a funeral of a
soldier, who was killed by a mine blast in Van's Baskale
district, was held in Adana's Kozan district. The soldier's
mother sang Kurdish mourning songs during the funeral. Adana
Deputy Governor and the Security Director attended the ceremony
as well.
YENI SAFAK: According to the daily, Huseyin Celik, Minister of
Interior, is among those people Yucel Askin, the rector of Van's
Centennial University (VCU),illegally collected information
against during the period Celik was working as a faculty member
at VCU (see press summary 11/17).
RADIKAL: When reporters asked Celik questions on the case of
Yucel Askin, Celik said, "I would not want to make further
comments now that could hurt a person who is in hospital and is
in misery." (Note: Another meaning of the word used in Turkish
for 'a person in misery' implies 'a fallen person' who lost
grace and experienced defeat. End Note.)
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / BOLGE / EKSPRES: Tacidar Seyhan, CHP deputy
from Adana, brought the issue of a teacher, who allegedly
delivered a test "having the logo of the AKP (Justice and
Development Party) on it" to the primary school students in
Adana, to the agenda of the Turkish Parliament. Seyhan demanded
an investigation be brought against the teacher who allegedly
tried to inflict the image of a political party on the minds of
small children. Zaman daily claimed that the teacher only used
the drawing of an electric lamp to teach the students the
concept of "light."
RADIKAL: According to allegations that lately surfaced in the
Kilis province, the Kilis Jandarma Commander and the Kilis
Governor have allegedly protected and covered to date the
criminals who killed Ekrem Cetin, Kilis mayor, and his son, the
CHP provincial chairperson in June. A relative of Ekrem Cetin
drew attention to similarities between aspects of this incident
and the Semdinli incident.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
ZAMAN: Seyhmus Akbas, National Chairperson of the GUNSIAD
(Federation of Southeastern Industrialists and Businessmen
Associations) said that people behind the incidents in Semdinli
and Hakkari did not want peace and stability to be permanently
established in the region. Akbas conveyed the frustrations and
worries of the region's businessmen over the latest
developments.
2. SABAH (GUNEY) / EKSPRES / ZAMAN: An Adana business
delegation returned from their business trip to Syria. Adana
Governor Cahit Kirac, Adapazari Chamber of Commerce, and
businessmen from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
participated in this trip, as well.
REID
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for November 18,
2005. 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
ZAMAN / YENI SAFAK: Cemil Cicek, Minister of Interior, drew
attention to the role DEHAP (Democratic People's Party) played
in the latest incidents in Semdinli and claimed that DEHAP had
never done anything good to solve the issue. According to Cemil
Cicek, those people who are disturbed about the stability and
peace in Turkey are using terrorist organizations to disrupt
peaceful conditions.
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / YENI SAFAK: Cicek wanted people to be
confident that the bombing incident in Semdinli will not be
covered up and will be investigated.
RADIKAL: A Parliamentary Commission Delegation will be
visiting Semdinli on November 22. The delegation cancelled a
planned trip to Semdinli a day earlier due to the cancellation
of flights due to adverse weather conditions.
RADIKAL: PM Erdogan is expected to visit Semdinli, Yuksekova
and Hakkari following the visits to these districts of the
Minister of Interior and Minister of Justice (on an unspecified
date).
YENI SAFAK / CUMHURIYET: Tension in Semdinli is subsiding,
according to the Yeni Safak daily. Hakkari Mayor Metin Takce
dismissed allegations that tension was stirred up among the
people of Semdinli by certain people during the incidents.
Tekce denied the Hakkari Governor's claims that people were
readily following the district mayor's instructions. Tekce
branded such claims as attempts to make mayors vulnerable as
targets of hostile intentions. Tekce drew attention to the fact
that people in Yuksekova and Hakkari never used firearms against
the security forces. Tekce demanded that the soldiers and
police opening fire on people should be prosecuted.
ZAMAN: Kursat Gulsen, an attorney from Ankara Bar
Association, will defend the two junior officers, who are
accused of being involved in the latest November 9 Semdinli
incident. Because of the controversy over whether Jandarma
Command was involved in the selection of the previously
announced attorney or not, the defendants changed their attorney
to Gulsen.
ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM: A mine planted on a railroad 25
kilometers away from Van went off and caused one of the cars of
a train to derail. No casualties were reported.
CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / RADIKAL / HURRIYET / ZAMAN / YENI
SAFAK: Funerals of two of the three demonstrators, who died
during the public unrest that broke out in Yuksekova on
Wednesday, was held in Yuksekova without incident. Yet, a
barely controlled tension marked the mood of the people during
the funerals, according to Radikal daily. The people walking
towards the cemetery and carrying the coffins told the
journalists to report the true numbers of people who attended
the funeral and claimed that over 100,000 people were there.
Yet, Zaman daily reporter said that this number was exaggerated.
Radikal daily reported that the population of Yuksekova was
nearly 100,000, and over 50,000 people reportedly attended the
funerals. During the funerals, "so-called confederation flags"
were flown and people chanted slogans in support for the
terrorist organization PKK and its jailed leader Abdullah
Ocalan. People demanded that the Hakkari Governor resign.
During his address to the crowd, Selim Sadak, former DEP deputy,
called on PM Erdogan and all the other circles sensitive to this
issue, to come to Semdinli.
SABAH / HURRIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / CUMHURIYET / RADIKAL / ZAMAN /
YENI SAFAK / BOLGE / EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY): Two F-16
airplanes reportedly flew low four times over the people walking
towards the funeral place. Reportedly, one of the local people
said, "We are not terrorists. I have five sons. Two of them are
in the mountains (enrolled in the ranks of the PKK) and two of
them are doing their military service. We do not want to see
brothers killing each other." Meanwhile, a funeral of a
soldier, who was killed by a mine blast in Van's Baskale
district, was held in Adana's Kozan district. The soldier's
mother sang Kurdish mourning songs during the funeral. Adana
Deputy Governor and the Security Director attended the ceremony
as well.
YENI SAFAK: According to the daily, Huseyin Celik, Minister of
Interior, is among those people Yucel Askin, the rector of Van's
Centennial University (VCU),illegally collected information
against during the period Celik was working as a faculty member
at VCU (see press summary 11/17).
RADIKAL: When reporters asked Celik questions on the case of
Yucel Askin, Celik said, "I would not want to make further
comments now that could hurt a person who is in hospital and is
in misery." (Note: Another meaning of the word used in Turkish
for 'a person in misery' implies 'a fallen person' who lost
grace and experienced defeat. End Note.)
RADIKAL / ZAMAN / BOLGE / EKSPRES: Tacidar Seyhan, CHP deputy
from Adana, brought the issue of a teacher, who allegedly
delivered a test "having the logo of the AKP (Justice and
Development Party) on it" to the primary school students in
Adana, to the agenda of the Turkish Parliament. Seyhan demanded
an investigation be brought against the teacher who allegedly
tried to inflict the image of a political party on the minds of
small children. Zaman daily claimed that the teacher only used
the drawing of an electric lamp to teach the students the
concept of "light."
RADIKAL: According to allegations that lately surfaced in the
Kilis province, the Kilis Jandarma Commander and the Kilis
Governor have allegedly protected and covered to date the
criminals who killed Ekrem Cetin, Kilis mayor, and his son, the
CHP provincial chairperson in June. A relative of Ekrem Cetin
drew attention to similarities between aspects of this incident
and the Semdinli incident.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
ZAMAN: Seyhmus Akbas, National Chairperson of the GUNSIAD
(Federation of Southeastern Industrialists and Businessmen
Associations) said that people behind the incidents in Semdinli
and Hakkari did not want peace and stability to be permanently
established in the region. Akbas conveyed the frustrations and
worries of the region's businessmen over the latest
developments.
2. SABAH (GUNEY) / EKSPRES / ZAMAN: An Adana business
delegation returned from their business trip to Syria. Adana
Governor Cahit Kirac, Adapazari Chamber of Commerce, and
businessmen from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
participated in this trip, as well.
REID