TURKEY: VIOLENCE SUBSIDES BUT UNREST AND TENSIONS SPREAD

UNCLAS ADANA 000072 SIPDIS SENSITIVE NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CASC TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: VIOLENCE SUBSIDES BUT UNREST AND TENSIONS SPREAD THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST REF: A. ADANA 60 ¶B. ADANA 64 ¶C. ADANA 67 ¶D. ADANA 68 ¶1. (SBU) Civil unrest in Turkey's southeast (reftels) has subsided, though problems continue throughout the region. While no new deaths were reported on April 4, security forces continue to detain and arrest protestors, and tensions remain high in many southeast towns that have been affected over the past few days by violent civil unrest. . ¶2. (SBU) A contact in Diyarbakir told us that the situation there has mostly returned to normal, with all shops and schools open. A large police presence remains throughout the city, especially in front of banks and police stations. The director of GUN TV, which launched limited Kurdish broadcasting on March x, told us that their broadcasting continued unhindered throughout the unrest in Diyarbakir. He emphasized that people were still tense and were expecting a democratic solution to the problems of Kurds, since the violence had not been productive for either side. ¶3. (SBU) Our contact in Kiziltepe told us that the situation there remains very tense, with large numbers of police and jandarma deployed throughout the city. All schools and shops in the city were closed on April 3, and most shops remained closed on April 4. Many families have elected to not send their children to school, according to our contact. ¶4. (SBU) The mayor of Viranshehir, a small town about half way between Mardin and Sanliurfa, told us that on April 3 he had been fired upon by village guards while he was talking to a crowd in an attempt to disperse them. He said that a group of five thousand marched peacefully on April 3. Schools and some businesses were closed. He described the situation as calm and normal on April 4. ¶5. (U) The press reported that a large crowd in Sanliurfa threw stones at, and attempted to set on fire, a PTT (Post, Telephone and Telegraph) branch building. The crowd dispersed when security forces intervened. ¶6. (SBU) The media reported that a large crowd set up barricades, burned tires and chanted pro-PKK slogans on April 3 in various locations throughout Adana. The crowd dispersed when police intervened. The Chief of the Riot-Police in Adana told us on April 4 that clashes between protestors and police have occurred every night in parts of Adana over the past few days. ¶7. (U) The Batman Director of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) was arrested on April 3 for inciting violence, according to the press. REID