SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 26, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000092 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 26, 2006 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 26, ¶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 NTVMSNBC ONLINE: Indictment has been prepared against ten of 370 people who were arrested because of the demonstrations that took place between March 28 and 30 in Diyarbakir. The indictment prescribes heavy sentences including life in prison for defendants who have allegedly undertaken activities on behalf of the terrorist organization. MILLIYET ONLINE / NTVMSNBC ONLINE: Iraq reportedly sent two diplomatic notes to Turkey to stop the alleged military incursions into Iraqi territory during military operations against PKK members. The first note has reportedly been sent to the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad. BOLGE: Members of a group of non-governmental organizations gathered in front of the Human Rights Association in Adana and marched to AKP provincial party headquarters to protest two issues: the visit of Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice to Turkey and the new Anti-terror Law. EKSPRES / BOLGE / SABAH (GUNEY): The funeral ceremony of a 21-year-old private, who died during a military operation in Sirnak (see press summary 04/24) where 3 terrorists have been killed, was held in Adana's Sabanci Mosque yesterday. Adana Governor Cahit Kirac and 6th Army Corps Commander paid condolences to the family of the private. OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily claims that tension broke out between military members and the family during the funeral of the private in Adana because the family allegedly held the opinion that soldiers killed their son. Family members reportedly wanted to see the body of their dead and were not allowed to do so. BOLGE / EKSPRES: Dr. Renate Schimkorei, German Embassy's Economy and Commerce Undersecretary, and Dr. Katrin Seifert, Head of Middle-East Europe and Middle East Section of Germany's International Migration and Development Center paid a visit to Adana Chamber of Industry. SABAH (GUNEY): Ali Kavak, Chairperson of Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, criticized Ministry of Agriculture's decision that obliges the exporters to have their products examined at laboratories for remnants of chemicals in them (see press summary 04/25) before exporting them. Kavak said that that procedure would cause serious inconveniences for exporters. SABAH (GUNEY): Two groups of people attacked one another in front of the residence of Adana Governor Cahit Kirac because of a hostility caused by a girl. One person has been wounded and five people have been detained as a result of the incident. SABAH (GUNEY): Gaziantep Police searched a truck that came to Turkey from northern Iraq and discovered 6103 boxes of cigarettes in hidden sections of the vehicle. Two people have been detained in connection with the smuggling. OZGUR GUNDEM: Seventy-seven refugees, who have entered the country illegally, were caught during a search conducted on a truck in Siirt's Baykan district. 72 of the refugees are reportedly Afghan origin and five of them are Pakistanis. CNNTURK ONLINE / OZGUR GUNDEM: Nearly 100 people got sick in the last ten days in Hakkari's Yuksekova district because of brucellosis, typhoid fever and sore throat. Thirty patients whose conditions are serious have been transferred to Van Centennial University's Hospital from Yuksekova State Hospital (VSH). Reportedly, Ministry of Health cautioned VSH staff not to disclose information to the public concerning the issue. CNNTURK: Hatay Governor announced that PKK terrorists attacked a quarry in a village of Hatay's Iskenderun district. The quarry reportedly belongs to one of Iskenderun's Iron and Steel Factories, namely Yazicilar. Terrorists set fire to burn four machines and they held five people hostage for nearly two hours. MILLIYET ONLINE: Former DEP deputy and Kurdish activist Leyla Zana, who went to Iraq to hold talks with Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, have met mith Barzani, and reportedly sought support from him to resolve the Kurdish issue. OZGUR GUNDEM: People in Semdinli reportedly have been ADANA 00000092 002 OF 002 experiencing a sort of uneasiness, they have been thinking that mysterious incidents and oppression will surge in the coming days, and they have not been feeling safe since the start of military activity in the region. OZGUR GUNDEM: Nine out of 24 people, who were detained on April 23 in Sanliurfa, have been arrested. Separately, three people, two of whom were students, who were arrested on January 26 in Diyarbakir for attempting to gather signatures in support of Abdulah Ocalan, have currently been sentenced to six and three months in prison respectively on grounds that they were members of the terrorist organization PKK. OZGUR GUNDEM: A man has was struck by lightning in an area of Agri's Diyadin district. Two people have been wounded. OZGUR GUNDEM: A barber's business has been set on fire in a reported sabotage attempt in Hatay's Iskenderun district. OZGUR GUNDEM: A 28-year-old women has been killed with a shot to her head in Sanliurfa's Viransehir district. OZGUR GUNDEM: A hostility between members of two families resulted in a gun attack which killed two unrelated passers-by in Diyarbakir's Ergani district. REID