Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ADANA109
2006-05-16 05:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:
SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 15, 2006
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000109
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 15, 2006
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 15, 2006.
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
CUMHURIYET / ZAMAN / RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: A
clash reportedly took place between soldiers and PKK members in
the Gabar Mountain of Sirnak. Four soldiers and one PKK member
were killed. (This summary is from 05/15 editions.)
SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / RADIKAL / HURRIYET / YENI SAFAK: The
funeral of a commissioned officer from an infantry commando team
who died in the clash in the Gabar Mountain has been held in
Osmaniye's Kadirli district. The funeral of a commissioned
officer who died at the same clash was held in Diyarbakir's
Cermik district the previous day.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily claimed that at least fourteen
soldiers died during clashes that took place in the Gabar
Mountain and rural sections of Bingol on May 11 and 12.
Separately, Turkish Armed Forces launched a new operation in
Agri's Tendurek Mountain.
OZGUR GUNDEM: A group of people held a demonstration against
the military operations launched by Turkey and Iran at their
border areas in Germany's Dortmund city. Meanwhile, the daily
reported that Iran has been oppressing the villagers in villages
of Kamyaran.
ZAMAN / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / EKSPRES / EVRENSEL
/ HURRIYET / YENI SAFAK / CUMHURIYET: A fragmental impact
time bomb, which exploded in a garage of a house in Erzincan
yesterday at 12.30 p.m., killed three children and wounded two
more. The garage reportedly belonged to a person who allegedly
claimed he was receiving threats from the PKK recently.
Separately, an explosion that took place on a railroad between
Elazig and Bingol did damage to a cargo train and a section of
the railroad. Cumhuriyet daily depicts the explosion damage as
minor. (This summary is from 05/15 editions.) 05/16 edition of
Ozgur Gundem daily said that the death toll in Erzincan
explosion increased to four children as it pointed out an
increasing number of attacks targeting children in the region.
The funeral of the children has been held in Erzurum, read
Radikal and Zaman dailies.
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: International Children's
Festival will start in Diyarbakir's Sur district today in memory
of 9-year-old and 6-year-old children who died during the
demonstrations held in Diyarbakir late in March. Children from
Cizre, Adana, Dogubeyazit, Urfa, Batman and Semdinli will attend
the activities that will be held today. The brochures of the
festival have been prepared in Kurdish and its other dialects as
well as in Turkish, in English and in Arabic. (This summary is
from 05/15 edition.) 05/16 edition of Ozgur Gundem reported
that a 25-person group of children traveling from Tunceli to
Diyarbakir for the festival have been stopped by soldiers along
the way on grounds that they had no authorization. As a result
of telephone calls to the Governor's Office, the children were
allowed to travel to Diyarbakir.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The indictment of the lawsuit brought against
Abdullah Demirbas, Diyarbakir's Sur District Mayor, demanded
that the Mayor be discharged from office. The lawsuit has been
brought against the mayor because of an article Demirbas
presented to the European Social Forum in January 2005 under the
title "Municipalities and Local Administrations in Light of a
Multi-Language Environment."
OZGUR GUNDEM: Fifth International Congress on Disappeared
People will start tomorrow in Diyarbakir. YAKAY-DER (Association
of Relatives of the Disappeared) and ICAD (International
Committee against Disappearances) has undertaken to organize the
conference.
ZAMAN / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Police
conducted a crackdown on a 13-person criminal group in Adana
which was being led by a former police officer discharged from
office for abusing the authority invested in him. The gang has
provided fake documents to hold firearms as well as guns to rich
businessmen.
EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE: Abdullatif Sener, State
Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, attended a conference called
"Change in Society and Politics" held by the Chamber of
Pharmacies in Adana, and he also attended the opening ceremony
of Dream Park in Adana. Journalists in the conference
reportedly asked Sener whether he would shift allocation of 15
ADANA 00000109 002 OF 002
trillion YTL to the Adana Municipality which has undertaken the
project of a cultural center that would originally be undertaken
by Seyhan Municiaplity, to which Sener promised a budget amount
of 15 trillion YTL on an unspecified date in past for that same
project. Sener said that he did not remember such a promise.
Adana Mayor Aytac Durak reminded Sener of his promise. Sener,
with a reported stern face, asked to Durak, "Is this what you
know about politics?" Bolge daily pointed out to the close
affinity of Sener and Ozturk, and the tension between Sener and
Durak. (This summary is from 05/15 and 05/16 editions.)
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Van Women's Association will offer
16-week training to women on following topics: human rights,
constitution, civil code, feminism, sexuality, children's
rights, fertility, violence, and strategies that could be
developed against violence.
SABAH (GUNEY): A fire that broke out in a forest area in
Hatay's Samandag district burned 148 acres of forest land.
SABAH (GUNEY): In order to find out about the causes of
violence at schools, Egitim-Sen's (Teacher's Union) Diyarbakir
branch conducted a study among students which revealed that
200,000 of 257,000 primary school students are addicted to
inhalants and drugs in Diyarbakir.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Egitim-Sen's Siirt branch has been offering
reading-writing and computer courses for children under "Winning
the Children Who Have Been Victims of Internal Displacement Back
to Society" project.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Investigation has begun against DTP founding
member Selim Sadak, DTP Nusaybin district chairperson Halim Dag,
DTP Mardin deputy provincial chairperson Cebrail Sayar, and DTP
member Alaaddin Sinayic on grounds that they delivered Kurdish
speeches during the opening of a party building in Mardin's
Nusaybin district on April 23. (This summary is from 05/15
edition.) Separately, following a series of investigations
against members of the organizing committee of Newruz
celebrations on March 21 in Van, the 05/16 edition noted that an
investigation has been filed against former DEHAP Van provincial
chairperson and his wife allegedly on grounds that they attended
the celebrations.
ZAMAN: The newly elected provincial chairperson of MHP
(Nationalist Movement Party) in Diyarbakir delivered a speech to
extend thanks to the party base in Kurdish during the party
congress.
EVRENSEL: Seyhan Municipality's cleaning services workers in
Adana have been continuing their strike (see press summary
05/11).
YENI SAFAK / EVRENSEL: The hailing and rains last week did
great damage to the cultivated fields in Diyarbakir's Bismil,
Dicle and Cinar districts.
RADIKAL: GATA military hospital in Ankara has also opened its
doors to civilian mine explosion victims.
REID
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR MAY 15, 2006
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for May 15, 2006.
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
CUMHURIYET / ZAMAN / RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: A
clash reportedly took place between soldiers and PKK members in
the Gabar Mountain of Sirnak. Four soldiers and one PKK member
were killed. (This summary is from 05/15 editions.)
SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / RADIKAL / HURRIYET / YENI SAFAK: The
funeral of a commissioned officer from an infantry commando team
who died in the clash in the Gabar Mountain has been held in
Osmaniye's Kadirli district. The funeral of a commissioned
officer who died at the same clash was held in Diyarbakir's
Cermik district the previous day.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily claimed that at least fourteen
soldiers died during clashes that took place in the Gabar
Mountain and rural sections of Bingol on May 11 and 12.
Separately, Turkish Armed Forces launched a new operation in
Agri's Tendurek Mountain.
OZGUR GUNDEM: A group of people held a demonstration against
the military operations launched by Turkey and Iran at their
border areas in Germany's Dortmund city. Meanwhile, the daily
reported that Iran has been oppressing the villagers in villages
of Kamyaran.
ZAMAN / RADIKAL / CUMHURIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM / EKSPRES / EVRENSEL
/ HURRIYET / YENI SAFAK / CUMHURIYET: A fragmental impact
time bomb, which exploded in a garage of a house in Erzincan
yesterday at 12.30 p.m., killed three children and wounded two
more. The garage reportedly belonged to a person who allegedly
claimed he was receiving threats from the PKK recently.
Separately, an explosion that took place on a railroad between
Elazig and Bingol did damage to a cargo train and a section of
the railroad. Cumhuriyet daily depicts the explosion damage as
minor. (This summary is from 05/15 editions.) 05/16 edition of
Ozgur Gundem daily said that the death toll in Erzincan
explosion increased to four children as it pointed out an
increasing number of attacks targeting children in the region.
The funeral of the children has been held in Erzurum, read
Radikal and Zaman dailies.
EVRENSEL / OZGUR GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: International Children's
Festival will start in Diyarbakir's Sur district today in memory
of 9-year-old and 6-year-old children who died during the
demonstrations held in Diyarbakir late in March. Children from
Cizre, Adana, Dogubeyazit, Urfa, Batman and Semdinli will attend
the activities that will be held today. The brochures of the
festival have been prepared in Kurdish and its other dialects as
well as in Turkish, in English and in Arabic. (This summary is
from 05/15 edition.) 05/16 edition of Ozgur Gundem reported
that a 25-person group of children traveling from Tunceli to
Diyarbakir for the festival have been stopped by soldiers along
the way on grounds that they had no authorization. As a result
of telephone calls to the Governor's Office, the children were
allowed to travel to Diyarbakir.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The indictment of the lawsuit brought against
Abdullah Demirbas, Diyarbakir's Sur District Mayor, demanded
that the Mayor be discharged from office. The lawsuit has been
brought against the mayor because of an article Demirbas
presented to the European Social Forum in January 2005 under the
title "Municipalities and Local Administrations in Light of a
Multi-Language Environment."
OZGUR GUNDEM: Fifth International Congress on Disappeared
People will start tomorrow in Diyarbakir. YAKAY-DER (Association
of Relatives of the Disappeared) and ICAD (International
Committee against Disappearances) has undertaken to organize the
conference.
ZAMAN / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Police
conducted a crackdown on a 13-person criminal group in Adana
which was being led by a former police officer discharged from
office for abusing the authority invested in him. The gang has
provided fake documents to hold firearms as well as guns to rich
businessmen.
EKSPRES / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE: Abdullatif Sener, State
Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, attended a conference called
"Change in Society and Politics" held by the Chamber of
Pharmacies in Adana, and he also attended the opening ceremony
of Dream Park in Adana. Journalists in the conference
reportedly asked Sener whether he would shift allocation of 15
ADANA 00000109 002 OF 002
trillion YTL to the Adana Municipality which has undertaken the
project of a cultural center that would originally be undertaken
by Seyhan Municiaplity, to which Sener promised a budget amount
of 15 trillion YTL on an unspecified date in past for that same
project. Sener said that he did not remember such a promise.
Adana Mayor Aytac Durak reminded Sener of his promise. Sener,
with a reported stern face, asked to Durak, "Is this what you
know about politics?" Bolge daily pointed out to the close
affinity of Sener and Ozturk, and the tension between Sener and
Durak. (This summary is from 05/15 and 05/16 editions.)
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Van Women's Association will offer
16-week training to women on following topics: human rights,
constitution, civil code, feminism, sexuality, children's
rights, fertility, violence, and strategies that could be
developed against violence.
SABAH (GUNEY): A fire that broke out in a forest area in
Hatay's Samandag district burned 148 acres of forest land.
SABAH (GUNEY): In order to find out about the causes of
violence at schools, Egitim-Sen's (Teacher's Union) Diyarbakir
branch conducted a study among students which revealed that
200,000 of 257,000 primary school students are addicted to
inhalants and drugs in Diyarbakir.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Egitim-Sen's Siirt branch has been offering
reading-writing and computer courses for children under "Winning
the Children Who Have Been Victims of Internal Displacement Back
to Society" project.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Investigation has begun against DTP founding
member Selim Sadak, DTP Nusaybin district chairperson Halim Dag,
DTP Mardin deputy provincial chairperson Cebrail Sayar, and DTP
member Alaaddin Sinayic on grounds that they delivered Kurdish
speeches during the opening of a party building in Mardin's
Nusaybin district on April 23. (This summary is from 05/15
edition.) Separately, following a series of investigations
against members of the organizing committee of Newruz
celebrations on March 21 in Van, the 05/16 edition noted that an
investigation has been filed against former DEHAP Van provincial
chairperson and his wife allegedly on grounds that they attended
the celebrations.
ZAMAN: The newly elected provincial chairperson of MHP
(Nationalist Movement Party) in Diyarbakir delivered a speech to
extend thanks to the party base in Kurdish during the party
congress.
EVRENSEL: Seyhan Municipality's cleaning services workers in
Adana have been continuing their strike (see press summary
05/11).
YENI SAFAK / EVRENSEL: The hailing and rains last week did
great damage to the cultivated fields in Diyarbakir's Bismil,
Dicle and Cinar districts.
RADIKAL: GATA military hospital in Ankara has also opened its
doors to civilian mine explosion victims.
REID