Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ADANA31
2005-02-18 08:30:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:  

SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2005

Tags:  PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA 
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UNCLAS ADANA 000031

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2005


This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 16,

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

OZGUR GUNDEM / CUMHURIYET: According to a report prepared by
Mesut Deger, Diyarbakir's CHP (Republican People's Party) MP and
a member of the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission, 30,000
people lost their lives as a result of terror-related incidents
during various State of Emergency periods in the (southeastern)
region between July 10, 1987 and December 30, 2002. The report
states that of those 30,000, 23,000 were members of the
(outlawed PKK terrorist) organization and 5000 were security
officers.

CUMHURIYET: Former Van Security Director Zeki Catalkaya will
reportedly replace Diyarbakir Security Director Orhan Okur, in
order to solve the ongoing dispute between Okur and Diyarbakir
Governor Efkan Ala about how EU harmonization laws should be
implemented. It is highly likely that Okur will be appointed to
the office of Canakkale Security Director.

BOLGE / ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET / HURRIYET / EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM
/ EKSPRES: During outlawed unauthorized demonstrations held on
the sixth anniversary of Turkey's capture of Abdullah Ocalan, 50
people were taken into custody and 10 people (Zaman reports 30
people) were wounded in Diyarbakir. Turkish National Police
used construction vehicles to demolish a barricade built by
demonstrators in Mersin. One person reportedly died when guns
were fired during the tumult in Mersin. The police filmed
(allegedly for the purpose of gathering intelligence) tradesmen
in Siirt who closed their businesses as an expression of their
protest. Police and small groups of protesters engaged in
scuffles in the streets of Batman, Mardin and Hakkari.

ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM / EKSPRES: People excavating sand in a
quarry in Tarsus township of Mersin found the lower jawbone of a
dinosaur that is estimated to be 150 or 200 million-years-old.
The fossil was handed over to the Tarsus Museum Directorate. A
paleontologist from the Natural History Museum in Ankara,
however, stated that the bone could not belong to a dinoasour,
but rather to an elephant, which is only 10 or 15 million years
old.

SABAH (GUNEY): Sabah Guney reports that Kizilay (Turkish Red
Crescent) supplies would be gravely inadequate in the event of a
disaster, such as an earthquake. Although Adana was selected by
the organization as its Disaster Handling and Logistics Center
of the Mediterranean Region, there are only 600 tents, which can
provide shelter to only 2400 people, and no blood is currently
available in the blood supplies of the organization, according
to Sabah Guney.

HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): President of the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus Rauf Denktas paid a visit to Cag University in
Mersin. During his meeting with students, Denktas warned them
about the danger of underhanded schemes being devised to remove
Turkey's presence in Cyprus.




REID