SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000038 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2006 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 16, ¶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 OZGUR GUNDEM: Kurds protested February 15 yesterday, a day which marks arresting of Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya and bringing him back to Turkey in 1999, through more peaceful "but not less intense" activities in many parts of the southeastern Turkey. Many of the Kurds did not go out in the streets, and/or their businesses stayed closed, and/or they fasted throughout the day yesterday reportedly to show their protest in "a unified form of action characterized by peace." The main theme of Kurds in their activities reportedly is to "halt a life which excludes Ocalan" and they are reportedly confining themselves the way Ocalan is confined in his prison. Many of the streets in districts and provinces such as Hakkari, Siirt and Sirnak were reported as empty. OZGUR GUNDEM: Reportedly, people in Beytussebap, Idil, Silopi, and Cizre districts of Sirnak followed PKK's prescriptions (see press summary 02/15),and did not go out in the streets starting from early in the morning yesterday (02/15). Reportedly, security forces oppressed tradesmen in Hakkari's Yuksekova and Semdinli districts to open their businesses and military units reportedly marched in the streets. In Mardin's Nusaybin, Derik and Kiziltepe districts, security forces allegedly noted down names and addresses of the businesses that stayed closed throughout the day. Similar developments reportedly took place in Batman and in some quarters of Adana. Children in Batman hurled stones at shops that were open and a group of people wrote lines reading, "Long live Abdullah Ocalan" in Kurdish on walls. Meanwhile, police reportedly forced people to open their businesses in Van. People in Cizre, who reportedly were committed not to hit the streets throughout the day reportedly, went out later in the day to hold protests upon hearing that Abdullah Ocalan was not allowed to see his attorneys yesterday (02/15). Thousands of people set up barricades on the road to the Idil district and police, special teams and military intervened. Police opened fire in the air and used tear gas on the crowd. The group retaliated with Molotov cocktails. Meanwhile, security forces 
raided some houses and businesses and reportedly detained 8 people. HURRIYET / SABAH / RADIKAL: Mainstream newspapers provided small coverage of the February 19 anniversary that carried much importance for Kurds. Hurriyet daily emphasized that Diyarbakir province did not observe the instructions given by the PKK. Business owners reportedly continued to stay open throughout the day and normal daily life reportedly continued uninterruptedly in Diyarbakir. The dailies mentioned a majority of people as not attending their businesses in Agri, Hakkari, and Siirt. In Batman, people reportedly partially observed such an action. The dailies reported 20 persons in Mersin and 10 persons Sirnak as detained as a result of tension that developed in these provinces. Reportedly, when pro-PKK protestors in Mersin started hurling stones at a municipality bus with ordinary passengers traveling on a street, police intervened. Police reportedly did not allow a 250-person group to hold a demonstration in Sirnak's Cizre district. People, who dispersed in the streets hurled stones at the police officers and this reportedly resulted in detentions. OZGUR GUNDEM: A pipe bomb exploded nearby the military personnel residences of the Batman Air Force Command in Batman. "Youth for Ocalan Initiative" claimed responsibility for the incident. No casualties or material damage was reported. OZGUR GUNDEM: Osman Baydemir reportedly held talks with the UNDP European Desk representatives in New York and told them about the economic and social problems of Diyarbakir province. Baydemir expressed that poverty would be eliminated and socioeconomic development would be achieved if Diyarbakir was supported by micro credits and other development projects. RADIKAL / OZGUR GUNDEM: R.G., a 15-year-old girl in Diyarbakir, whose nose her brothers-in-law had attempted to cut off last year in March (see press summary 05/05 and 05/20 in 2005)on grounds that she was going out too much, decided to withdraw her complaint in the course of trial. Defendants in the case have been released. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Cukurova University accelerated its efforts to strengthen partnerships with EU universities. To achieve that end, the university's International Office invited rectors of the four universities of the EU countries including Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and Czech Republic. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce generated a report on the economic problems of Gaziantep and the region, and will submit this report to Prime Minister Erdogan. The report covers issues such as lowering of production costs, changing the incentive system, concerns over energy supply costs and over issues at the borders. REID