SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 10, 2007

UNCLAS ADANA 000119 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 10, 2007 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for October 10, 2007. 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 ¶2. EKSPRES / ZAMAN: The Adana Governor, Adana Mayor, several district mayors, several Adana deputies, Cukurova Journalists Association in Adana condemned the October 7 PKK attack in Sirnak martyring 13 Turkish soldiers, through messages issued on local dailies. Adana Chamber of Commerce suggested that people hang Turkish flags at heir houses till the end of Ramazan as a way to condemn terrorism. Zaman daily reports that the Seyhan Mayor decided to keep a low-profile in their efforts to celebrate Ramazan in Adana because of the martyring of Turkish soldiers. Meanwhile, RTUK (Higher Board of Radio and Television) made a call to television stations to be more sensitive about airing entertainment programs during a time of sorrow and mourning. ¶3. BOLGE / HURRIYET ONLINE / ZAMAN: A DTP delegation comprised of DTP Siirt deputy, DTP Sanliurfa deputy, two DTP chief executive board members who came to Adana to meet with Adana Provincial Jandarma Commander were told that the commander would not be available to meet them. The deputies came to Adana following detention of five DTP district mayors (from Diyarbakir's Baglar district, Sirnak's Silopi district, Mardin's Kiziltepe district, Sanliurfa's Viransehir district, Adana's Kucukdikili district),two municipality assembly members, DTP Adana Provincial Chairperson and Chairperson of Adana Chapter of Human Rights Association in Adana yesterday afternoon. DTP Adana Provincial Chairperson and Chairperson of Adana Chapter of Human Rights Association were released a while later. The detention grounds were that the detainees held an unauthorized protest against apprehension of a DTP mayor of a township in Yuregir district of Adana who is also the niece of Abdullah Ocalan. The deputies who could not meet the commander decided to follow the arraignment process of the deputies at the court hall of Adana. ¶4. EVRENSEL: DTP Kayapinar Vice-District Chairperson Husniye Duzel in Diyarbakir was detained yesterday on reported grounds that he attended a pro-Ocalan press conference on September 30 in Diyarbakir's Baglar district. Separately, the daily notes that anonymous persons threw stones at the DTP party building in Iskenderun district of Hatay and broke all the windows. SECURITY ¶5. HURRIYET ONLINE / ZAMAN: Turkish Armed Forces stepped up military operations in the Kupeli Mountains in Sirnak where the PKK ambushed and martyred 13 soldiers on Sunday (10/7). The operations have been intensified especially in sections of Gabar, Cudi, and Kato mountains in Sirnak, Siirt and Hakkari in a bid to block the passage terrorists use and to uncover their shelters where vital supplies are being kept. ¶6. ZAMAN: Four PKK members were reportedly caught and apprehended in Adana. The PKK members took part in a pro-PKK protest in a section of the province a while ago and they reportedly damaged four cars with flammable chemicals. CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ¶7. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Sanliurfa police found 14 kilograms of hashish in a car they searched in the province. CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT ¶8. HURRIYET ONLINE: Four American soldiers, who were returning from vacation in Antalya, were wounded when their car had an accident and rolled over. The accident took place yesterday night near Anamur district of Mersin. Because of speeding, the driver, Wooten Daniel (26),lost control of the car as he was turning a bend. The driver along with three other persons in the car, namely Houddleston David (21),Ray Antonio Reyes (24) and Cofey Lillec (22),were wounded. ¶9. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): The Women's Basketball Cup organized by BOTAS basketball team started yesterday in Adana. The sports event will last three days. GREEN