Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ADANA59
2007-04-20 09:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:
SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 19, 2007
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UNCLAS ADANA 000059
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 19, 2007
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 19,
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:
ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / SABAH / HURRIYET / RADIKAL: Three
people were killed and two people were wounded in an attack
carried out at a Bible publication house in Malatya yesterday
afternoon. One of the victims was a German national. At the
site of the incident, police detained four people they
suspected. The publication house manager said that they were
being threatened, but he said he cannot name any definite
organization that targeted them. Malatya Governor Halil Ibrahim
Dasoz, Security Director and the Chief Prosecutor visited the
site of the incident. Ahmet Guvener, the priest of the
Protestant Church in Diyarbakir, told Sabah daily that they
themselves had received many threats on allegations that they
were conducting Christian missionary activities, and, the local
media in Mardin portrayed them (the Christians) in a manner that
would spark hostile intentions among circles in the community
(against Christians.)
BOLGE / ZAMAN: Under leadership of the Cukurova Journalists'
Association (CJA),a march was held in Adana by the members of
the local press to protest the three assailants' attack carried
out on two journalists during a TV program on Saturday (04/14)
at the premise of the Akdeniz TV station. DYP and CHP
provincial chairmen attended the march, as well. Adana Governor
Ilhan Atis paid a visit to the CJA and said that that incident
did great harm to the image of the province. The Governor and
CJA chairperson paid a visit together to the journalist who was
hospitalized.
EVRENSEL: People protested the authorities in Agri's Patnos
district for not reissuing green cards to them after their cards
expired. The authorities reportedly set a precondition for
green card holders to pay a certain municipal tax on
environmental and cleaning services before they can be reissued
green cards. (Note: Green cards are issued for people whose
income level is lower than the minimum income level in Turkey
and green cards provide free access to certain medical services.
End Note.)
EVRENSEL: DTP members in Gaziantep condemned the censure of
the Gundem, Guncel and (Kurdish) Azadiya Welat newspapers and
branded such censuring policies as antidemocratic. Political
parties and some organizations in Adana and Sirnak's Silopi
district protested the oppression extered on Kurdish media.
ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / SABAH / RADIKAL: The court acquitted four
police officers who were being prosecuted in a heavy penalty
court in Eskisehir on charges of killing a father and his
12-year-old son, namely Ahmet and Ugur Kaymaz, in Mardin's
Kiziltepe district in November 2004. The court regarded the
killing as self-defense by the officers. The Kaymaz family
members protested the verdict and said that they would take the
case to the appellate court.
RADIKAL: PM Erdogan lodged a complaint with the prosecutor's
office against Gaye Erbatur, Adana deputy from CHP, on grounds
that Erbatur allegedly sent e-mail messages to faculty members
of Cukurova University in Adana which described Erdogan "as a
yokel who is the enemy of secularism and Ataturk."
SECURITY:
ZAMAN / SABAH: A soldier from Third Commando Brigade Command
died during a military operation that was going on in Sirnak's
Guclukonak district against the terrorists.
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT
BOLGE: The daily reports that street dogs in the Cukurova
University in Adana are posing a rabies threat. A university
staff member was recently bitten by a dog with rabies and she
was only saved from contracting the disease because the dog's
fangs did not tear the victim's skin. The dog reportedly died
because of the disease. The authorities in the university said
the necessary precautions concerning stray dogs will be taken.
GREEN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 19, 2007
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for April 19,
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:
ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / SABAH / HURRIYET / RADIKAL: Three
people were killed and two people were wounded in an attack
carried out at a Bible publication house in Malatya yesterday
afternoon. One of the victims was a German national. At the
site of the incident, police detained four people they
suspected. The publication house manager said that they were
being threatened, but he said he cannot name any definite
organization that targeted them. Malatya Governor Halil Ibrahim
Dasoz, Security Director and the Chief Prosecutor visited the
site of the incident. Ahmet Guvener, the priest of the
Protestant Church in Diyarbakir, told Sabah daily that they
themselves had received many threats on allegations that they
were conducting Christian missionary activities, and, the local
media in Mardin portrayed them (the Christians) in a manner that
would spark hostile intentions among circles in the community
(against Christians.)
BOLGE / ZAMAN: Under leadership of the Cukurova Journalists'
Association (CJA),a march was held in Adana by the members of
the local press to protest the three assailants' attack carried
out on two journalists during a TV program on Saturday (04/14)
at the premise of the Akdeniz TV station. DYP and CHP
provincial chairmen attended the march, as well. Adana Governor
Ilhan Atis paid a visit to the CJA and said that that incident
did great harm to the image of the province. The Governor and
CJA chairperson paid a visit together to the journalist who was
hospitalized.
EVRENSEL: People protested the authorities in Agri's Patnos
district for not reissuing green cards to them after their cards
expired. The authorities reportedly set a precondition for
green card holders to pay a certain municipal tax on
environmental and cleaning services before they can be reissued
green cards. (Note: Green cards are issued for people whose
income level is lower than the minimum income level in Turkey
and green cards provide free access to certain medical services.
End Note.)
EVRENSEL: DTP members in Gaziantep condemned the censure of
the Gundem, Guncel and (Kurdish) Azadiya Welat newspapers and
branded such censuring policies as antidemocratic. Political
parties and some organizations in Adana and Sirnak's Silopi
district protested the oppression extered on Kurdish media.
ZAMAN / EVRENSEL / SABAH / RADIKAL: The court acquitted four
police officers who were being prosecuted in a heavy penalty
court in Eskisehir on charges of killing a father and his
12-year-old son, namely Ahmet and Ugur Kaymaz, in Mardin's
Kiziltepe district in November 2004. The court regarded the
killing as self-defense by the officers. The Kaymaz family
members protested the verdict and said that they would take the
case to the appellate court.
RADIKAL: PM Erdogan lodged a complaint with the prosecutor's
office against Gaye Erbatur, Adana deputy from CHP, on grounds
that Erbatur allegedly sent e-mail messages to faculty members
of Cukurova University in Adana which described Erdogan "as a
yokel who is the enemy of secularism and Ataturk."
SECURITY:
ZAMAN / SABAH: A soldier from Third Commando Brigade Command
died during a military operation that was going on in Sirnak's
Guclukonak district against the terrorists.
CULTURE / SOCIETY / ENVIRONMENT
BOLGE: The daily reports that street dogs in the Cukurova
University in Adana are posing a rabies threat. A university
staff member was recently bitten by a dog with rabies and she
was only saved from contracting the disease because the dog's
fangs did not tear the victim's skin. The dog reportedly died
because of the disease. The authorities in the university said
the necessary precautions concerning stray dogs will be taken.
GREEN