Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ADANA217
2005-11-23 07:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:
SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 22, 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 000217
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 22, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for November 22
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
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: PM Erdogan, who visited Hakkari,
Semdinli and Yuksekova yesterday, conducted studies at these
districts under high security measures. PM Erdogan, after
visiting the ruins of the houses and businesses, which was
bombed on November 1 in Semdinli, went to the place of the
bookstore where the November 9 bombing took place.
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: Semdinli people reportedly welcomed PM
Erdogan, who suddenly decided to visit Hakkari, with banners
reading, 'Keep the promises avowed in Diyarbakir', 'if the state
kills people, who are we to confide in?', 'No one can black out
Roj TV", "Prosecute the murderers", "People should not be shot,
and people's voice must be heard." Erdogan, angered by the
banners, reportedly reacted, "How come you prepared these
banners so fast." Police took away a group of person's banners.
PM Erdogan, who addressed a 1000-person group in Semdinli,
wanted the youth to remove the banners, because the reason they
(GoT) were here was "to address the problems in a firm and
unwavering manner." Erdogan later addressed 2000 people in
Yuksekova amidst slogans chanted by the audience. Erdogan said
that his government will make sure that democratic rights
prevail and told the people that his government would solve the
Semdinli incident, but people should not give credence to or
accept the methods of terrorism anymore.
ZAMAN: According to the daily, the people of the region
have trust in the PM Erdogan. PM Erdogan reportedly was able to
win people over, and warn them at the same time. The daily
reported that PM Erdogan promised tradesmen that the GoT will
help them to cover their costs of the damage done to heir
businesses and shops incurred by the November 1 blast.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Van Chapter of Egitim-Sen (Teacher's Union)
attempted to hold a press event when a news article on Zaman
daily, whose content was reportedly against the faculty members
and the students of the Van Centennial University, was
published. Jandarma took strict security measures in the place
where people gathered and did not allow people to make the press
announcement.
RADIKAL / ZAMAN: Eight faculty members, including two
professors, resigned from their posts at Van Centennial
University's Medical School. Rector Yucel Askin is currently
staying in the hospital of the medical school. Zaman daily
cited claims that the doctors working in the hospital were being
subjected to pressure (from unspecified sources). Because of
the resignations, one of the surgical departments of the
University is closed.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The delegation of the Human Rights Association
(HRA),which conducted studies in Semdinli, Yukseokova and
Hakkari for four days, generated a report and held a press
announcement. According to the report, the people in Hakkari
are anxious and uneasy about the situation. The report further
said that no official records were found on the alleged five
wounded police officers of the November 9 incident in state
hospitals or elsewhere. The judicial and the civil
administrative authorities reportedly did not start an effective
and fast investigative process regarding the security forces'
involvement in the incident. The report further complained that
there was disproportionate use of force during the police's
intervention in incidents of public unrest that followed the
November 9 bomb incident.
OZGUR GUNDEM / RADIKAL: The daily claimed that the person killed
during an incident of public unrest yesterday in Mersin was
17-year-old. Radikal daily gives the age of the dead as 18.
Murat Demir was allegedly shot at close range from a civil
police office car yesterday (see press summary 11/21).
Allegedly the police took away the empty bullet shells from the
street during the night. The papers reported two people, aged
15 and 19, wounded as a result of the incidents.
ZAMAN: The daily reported that two police officers were
wounded during the funeral of the person who was killed by
unspecified people during protests in Mersin a day before.
OZGUR GUNDEM: People gathered at the graves of Ahmet and
Ugur Kaymaz to commemorate the first anniversary of the father
and son's death. The attorney of the Kaymaz family claimed that
the court might drag the case out and the prosecution might take
many years. Moreover, prosecutors in Turkey reportedly
generally tend to take sides with the Jandarma, police and
village guards in cases where these security officers are being
tried. Citing some other issues, the daily reported the Kaymaz
family considering whether there is sufficient cause for them to
bring the matter to the attention of the European Court of Human
Rights.
ZAMAN: The police reportedly seized 50 units of A-4
explosives during operations conducted in Mersin, according to
the announcement of the Mersin Governor Atilla Osmancelebioglu.
Two people were detained as a result of the operations.
REID
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 22, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for November 22
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
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: PM Erdogan, who visited Hakkari,
Semdinli and Yuksekova yesterday, conducted studies at these
districts under high security measures. PM Erdogan, after
visiting the ruins of the houses and businesses, which was
bombed on November 1 in Semdinli, went to the place of the
bookstore where the November 9 bombing took place.
RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: Semdinli people reportedly welcomed PM
Erdogan, who suddenly decided to visit Hakkari, with banners
reading, 'Keep the promises avowed in Diyarbakir', 'if the state
kills people, who are we to confide in?', 'No one can black out
Roj TV", "Prosecute the murderers", "People should not be shot,
and people's voice must be heard." Erdogan, angered by the
banners, reportedly reacted, "How come you prepared these
banners so fast." Police took away a group of person's banners.
PM Erdogan, who addressed a 1000-person group in Semdinli,
wanted the youth to remove the banners, because the reason they
(GoT) were here was "to address the problems in a firm and
unwavering manner." Erdogan later addressed 2000 people in
Yuksekova amidst slogans chanted by the audience. Erdogan said
that his government will make sure that democratic rights
prevail and told the people that his government would solve the
Semdinli incident, but people should not give credence to or
accept the methods of terrorism anymore.
ZAMAN: According to the daily, the people of the region
have trust in the PM Erdogan. PM Erdogan reportedly was able to
win people over, and warn them at the same time. The daily
reported that PM Erdogan promised tradesmen that the GoT will
help them to cover their costs of the damage done to heir
businesses and shops incurred by the November 1 blast.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Van Chapter of Egitim-Sen (Teacher's Union)
attempted to hold a press event when a news article on Zaman
daily, whose content was reportedly against the faculty members
and the students of the Van Centennial University, was
published. Jandarma took strict security measures in the place
where people gathered and did not allow people to make the press
announcement.
RADIKAL / ZAMAN: Eight faculty members, including two
professors, resigned from their posts at Van Centennial
University's Medical School. Rector Yucel Askin is currently
staying in the hospital of the medical school. Zaman daily
cited claims that the doctors working in the hospital were being
subjected to pressure (from unspecified sources). Because of
the resignations, one of the surgical departments of the
University is closed.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The delegation of the Human Rights Association
(HRA),which conducted studies in Semdinli, Yukseokova and
Hakkari for four days, generated a report and held a press
announcement. According to the report, the people in Hakkari
are anxious and uneasy about the situation. The report further
said that no official records were found on the alleged five
wounded police officers of the November 9 incident in state
hospitals or elsewhere. The judicial and the civil
administrative authorities reportedly did not start an effective
and fast investigative process regarding the security forces'
involvement in the incident. The report further complained that
there was disproportionate use of force during the police's
intervention in incidents of public unrest that followed the
November 9 bomb incident.
OZGUR GUNDEM / RADIKAL: The daily claimed that the person killed
during an incident of public unrest yesterday in Mersin was
17-year-old. Radikal daily gives the age of the dead as 18.
Murat Demir was allegedly shot at close range from a civil
police office car yesterday (see press summary 11/21).
Allegedly the police took away the empty bullet shells from the
street during the night. The papers reported two people, aged
15 and 19, wounded as a result of the incidents.
ZAMAN: The daily reported that two police officers were
wounded during the funeral of the person who was killed by
unspecified people during protests in Mersin a day before.
OZGUR GUNDEM: People gathered at the graves of Ahmet and
Ugur Kaymaz to commemorate the first anniversary of the father
and son's death. The attorney of the Kaymaz family claimed that
the court might drag the case out and the prosecution might take
many years. Moreover, prosecutors in Turkey reportedly
generally tend to take sides with the Jandarma, police and
village guards in cases where these security officers are being
tried. Citing some other issues, the daily reported the Kaymaz
family considering whether there is sufficient cause for them to
bring the matter to the attention of the European Court of Human
Rights.
ZAMAN: The police reportedly seized 50 units of A-4
explosives during operations conducted in Mersin, according to
the announcement of the Mersin Governor Atilla Osmancelebioglu.
Two people were detained as a result of the operations.
REID