SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADANA 000027 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2007 This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for February 23, ¶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 HURRIYET: A private TV channel in Denmark reportedly made propaganda of the PKK and broadcast a 45-minute program that included an interview with the PKK leader Murat Karayilan and that depicted sections of daily lives of the terrorists. EVRENSEL / GUNDEM: As the debates over cross border military operations against the PKK are going on in Turkey, the dailies report allegations that the U.S. has implicitly given the green light to Turkey in that regard but cautioned Turkey to be sensitive about the issue. An anonymous source who is affiliated with the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq, revealed that Joseph Ralston, US special envoy for countering the PKK, informed the Kurdish authorities in a January 29 meeting in Arbil about the US's position regarding a cross-border operation against the PKK. SABAH / EVRENSEL / ZAMAN:US Airbase Commander Michael Moseley, who was asked whether not being able to use the Incirlik Airbase in Adana during the war badly affected the plans of the U.S., reportedly admitted that everything would run more smoothly and fast if the U.S. was bale to use the base. Meanwhile, Zaman daily printed an article that appeared in the Washington Times that pointed out the detrimental affects an Armenian resolution by Congress would have on the status of Incirlik Airbase if the U.S. Congress ratified the resolution. GUNDEM: The investigation into an announcement the DTP Adana provincial party organization made on December 2, 2006 supporting the PKK cease-fire declaration ended. A lawsuit will be brought against Kerem Ugur, the former chairperson of the party, and Abdullah Izgi, accountant of the organization, for using a courtesy title before the name of Abdullah Ocalan and for calling the PKK members "guerillas." BOLGE: Seven of the twelve official cars recently purchased for the governors employed in the eastern and southeastern regions have been equipped with armor. The company that undertook the job claimed that they were able to do the job well in Turkey for a cheaper price. EVRENSEL / GUNDEM: The dailies report allegations of a columnist from Yeni Safak daily who claimed that credible sources gave him the information that an assassination targeting Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir could be carried out. Taha Kivanc, Yeni Safak columnist, reportedly criticized Diyarbakir Security Directorate for its habitual neglect in ensuring the safety of Baydemir. According to Evrensel daily, the press allegedly made deliberate reports about Baydemir in a fashion that held him as a target of hostile intentions, following the incidents that erupted in March 2006 in Diyarbakir during which Baydemir reportedly played an important role in quelling violence. GUNDEM: The daily claims that Kurdish language is in better condition in the UK than in Turkey or Syria where millions of Kurds are living. A state authority called Transport for London published brochures also in Kurdish language to make people aware of the traffic rules in the city. GUNDEM: According to the daily, unidentified people, who are introducing themselves as pollsters for the Sur Municipality in Diyarbakir, have been conducting polls about DTP and mayors from DTP. There are questions such as "What is DTP offering you?" and "Why are you casting votes for DTP?" in the questionnaire forms. GUNDEM: Police, who took statements of the tradesmen who closed their shops for one day on February 15 in Agri's Dogubeyazit district upon instructions from the prosecutor's office, asked questions to the people, such as "Do you like Abdullah Ocalan?" EVRENSEL: In line with the decisions taken in January, DTP will hold an extraordinary congress on February 28 in Ankara and the agenda of the party will be the upcoming election. ZAMAN: DTP, which foresees the fact that it would not be ADANA 00000027 002 OF 003 able to pass the 10 per cent national election threshold in the next elections, is reportedly planning to support independent candidates in the next elections who will join the party following the elections. SABAH / OZGUR GUNDEM: Interrogations of the 20 people, including the provincial party leader Ibrahim Sunkur, whom the Van police detained on February 18 (see press summary for February 20) lasted four days and finally the detainees have been arraigned, reports Ozgur Gundem daily. Ibrahim Sunkur, who got sick while he was under detention and was hospitalized, reportedly recuperated. Documents containing illegal symbols, and brochures seized at the DTP Van premises have been brought to the prosecutor's office. ZAMAN: Chairperson of the Jurists Association criticized the verdict issued by two separate courts that fined former Van Prosecutor Ferhat Sarikaya to pay a total of 10,000 YTL for statements Sarikaya included in the indictment of the Semdinli incident against two officers, which allegedly breached the personal rights of those officers. SECURITY GUNDEM: War planes taking off from 8th Main Base Command in Diyarbakir flew low over Sirnak's Cizre district and reportedly caused panic among people. GUNDEM: The daily reports that the extent of the military operation that was started three days ago in the Amanos Mountains (see press summary for February 21) has been widened. Many soldiers have recently been deployed in some villages of Iskenderun following the deployments in Hatay's Smandag, Dortyol and Erzin districts. CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Jandarma teams seized 62 kilograms of hashish they found in the hay storage space in a village. Three people have been detained. CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT BOLGE: Kemal Sag, CHP deputy from Adana, brought the scandalous maltreatment case that erupted in Adana's Mental Ilnesses Hospital to the Turkish Parliament, and directed questions to the attention of the Minister of Health. HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Sixth Armored Command in Bitlis's Tatvan district delivered aid including apparel and stationery to 209 students in a primary school in Tatvan. EKSPRES / BOLGE: Adana Bar Association and the Association's Commission for Women and Family Law made a press announcement that as a result of the efforts of an attorney from the Adana Bar Association who suggested in a national meeting of a Commission for Law Concerning Women which gathered under Turkey's Bar Associations, that separate private guest rooms should be made available at police stations for women who have been victims of violence and who have no place to return to after they lodge complaints with the police. GUNDEM: The daily claims most of the damage caused by the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Elazig province on Wednesday (02/21),was to public buildings such as schools, governor's office, post office and banks. Three schools, whose buildings were seriously damaged, were closed. According to the daily, village houses, however, proved resistant to the quake. RADIKAL: Turkish Red Crescent started delivering tents, heaters, and supplies to the people whose houses have been damaged by Wednesday's 5.9-magnitude earthquake. GUNDEM: Women's activists in Adana, Mersin and Sirnak announced their programs about March 8 World Women's Day. Women will reportedly be holding activities against racism, militarism and violence against women this year. HURRIYET / SABAH / ZAMAN / RADIKAL: The boiler of a heating system at a primary school in Kilis's Musabeyli district exploded and killed two students and wounded 7 people. The school's Parents' Association representative said that they have sent petitions many times to the education directorates of the district and the province to demand renewal of the boiler which ADANA 00000027 003 OF 003 was very old. GUNDEM: A mother in Sanliurfa's Viransehir district gave birth to a child without legs and only one arm. The parents of the child, who are relatives themselves, claimed that the doctor did not inform them about any abnormality in the earlier stages of pregnancy. GREEN