SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR 6 MARCH, 2007

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR 6 MARCH, 2007

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for March 06,

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

SABAH: Reactions to allegations that Ocalan is being slowly
poisoned by state authorities, the Ministry of Justice sent
three faculty members from the Uludag University to Imrali
Prison to take hair and skin samples from Ocalan for further
analysis to probe the allegations. Government Spokesperson
Cemil Cicek said that they will have refuted the lies about
Abdullah Ocalan's alleged poisoning by the end of the week.


SABAH: The Ankara Prosecutor's Office started an
investigation against Aysel Tugluk, deputy chairperson of DTP,
for her statements over the alleged poisoning of Ocalan.

GUNDEM / EVRENSEL: Gundem daily has launched a campaign
since Saturday (March 3) and has been carrying on its front page
the following statement: "They are poisoning Ocalan. Please
open the doors of Imrali Prison to a commission of independent
doctors." The daily further reports public meetings and
festivities initially intended for March 8 Women's Day in
Sirnak's Cizre district as turning into protests upon
circulation of allegations about the health condition of
Abdullah Ocalan. Police detained 150 of the 200 women holding a
march in Cizre. Activities marking the March 8 Women's Day were
also held in Mardin's Nusaybin and Kiziltepe districts. 6000
people reportedly attended a march that started from Freedom
Avenue and ended in front of the DTP provincial building.
Slogans were as follows: "Turkey is being poisoned," "The
antidote of the poison is the PKK," "Ocalan is the guarantee of
our lives." Some students at Dicle University in Diyarbakir
boycotted classes and meals.

EVRENSEL: When asked about his opinion on DTP- suggested
commission of independent doctors to investigate allegations
about Ocalan's poisoning, SHP national chairperson Karayalcin
said that that suggestion was meaningless. Karayalcin further
stated that the (Turkish) state must protect lives of all the
inmates including Ocalan.

GUNDEM: Ministry of Interior started an investigation
against the Newroz Committee, which is comprised of Diyarbakir
Mayor Osman Baydemir, other DTP mayors and civil society
organizations, allegedly for sending an invitation in Kurdish
for Newroz celebrations to President Sezer, PM Erdogan and Iraqi
President Talabani.

GUNDEM: DTP National Headquarters issued a press release
saying that pressure on the party administrators at national
headquarters, at party organizations in provinces and districts
has intensified nowadays and they had been made target of
hostile intentions.

GUNDEM: The news stories about Ocalan alleging that the
state authorities were poisoning him, the Kurds from different
parts of the world were infuriated. People in Europe reportedly
held protests. Fifty-four mayors (from DTP) and Diyarbakir
Peace Platform made a press announcement yesterday at Diyarbakir
Southeastern Journalists' Association and claimed that the
(Turkish) state was carrying out a slow murder. (This summary
is from March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: Over 5000 people reportedly attended the activities
carried out in a place at the outer edge of the Mountain Cudi in
Sirnak's Silopi district to mark the March 8 World Women's Day.
Women hit the streets with slogans shouting "Down with racism,
militarism and violence." (This summary is from March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: The daily noted that women particularly
emphasized their worries over the health condition of Abdullah
Ocalan. The daily reports further women's activities going on
in Gaziantep, Mardin's Kiziltepe and Nusaybin districts,
Sanli?urfa, Siirt and Van. The daily also claimed that
thousands of people held a protest in Mersin's Gunesli quarter
and shouted slogans saying 'Our health is Ocalan's health.'
(This summary is from March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: Despite that the population of Nusaybin reached to
100,000, there is only one high school in the district. People

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demanded that a second school be built and they protested the
authorities for not undertaking that effort. (This summary is
from March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: Police conducted an unannounced raid at the premise
of Democratic Youth Association in Diyarbakir and seized a
computer, CDs, books and journals. An official from the
association said he will file a complaint with the prosecutor
against the authorities that conducted the raid. (This summary
is from March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: A personnel from the Gundem daily, who was detained
in Sanliurfa for allegedly shouting illegal slogans in a public
meeting called 'Invitation for Peace at the City of Prophets',
has recently been arraigned and arrested. (This summary is from
March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: It is reported that heated negotiations between the
U.S. and Turkey is going on over the use of Incirlik Airbase.
The U.S. is reportedly seeking an expanded use of the base and
the topic of the discussions reportedly also is also related
with the military operations against the PKK and survey flights
into Iran. (This summary is from March 5 edition.)

GUNDEM: Police conducted a raid at six houses of students at
Van Centennial University who are reportedly members of the
university's student association. Thirty students were
reportedly detained on grounds that were not announced by
police. Meanwhile, a Molotov cocktail was left at the door of
the provincial party building of DTP Elazig chapter and the wick
of the device was in a condition ready to be burned.

EVRENSEL: Some mayors, political parties, and organizations
paid a visit to Zulkuf Karatekin, Kayapinar Mayor in Diyarbakir,
who was sentenced to five months in prison for allocating a
municipality vehicle for the use of women's branch of the former
DEHAP (Democratic People's Party),to extend support to him.
ECONOMY

RADIKAL / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / ZAMAN: Agricultural season
started in Adana. Seasonal workers brought their children along
with them from their hometowns in the southeastern region to
work in the fields in Mersin and Adana.

CRIME / LAW ENFORCEMENT

HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / ZAMAN: Police found eight Glock brand
pistols in hidden sections of a private car in Sanliurfa.
Separately, Van police conducted a raid at a house in a village
of Van's Baskale district and found an assassination rifle
during the searches made at the stable and garden of the house.


CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT

HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Ulrich Zachau, Turkey Director of the
World Bank, paid a visit to Business Development Center in
Adana.

SABAH (GUNEY): With support from Social Solidarity and
Cooperation Foundation, Diyarbakir Governor's Office has been
training 200 women to read and write and in Yenikoy quarter's
Women and Children Training Center. The trainees are learning
Turkish as well. In a total of four other centers, a total of
2000 people are being trained.

RADIKAL: At the same school, where boiler of a heating system
exploded and killed two students and wounded 7 people two weeks
ago (see press summary for February 23) in Kilis's Musabeyli
district, this time a teacher and 17 students were poisoned
because of the carbon monoxide gas release from a stove they
were using to heat the classroom.
GREEN