TURKEY: PUBLIC PROTESTS IN SOUTHEAST MULTIPLY TENSIONS OVER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000039 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINS PTER TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: PUBLIC PROTESTS IN SOUTHEAST MULTIPLY TENSIONS OVER ALLEGATIONS OF OCALAN'S MALTREATMENT ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Violent riots, organized marches, and rallies in major cities throughout southeast Turkey over the weekend of October 18 were sparked by an announcement made by Abdullah Ocalan's attorneys that the imprisoned PKK leader had been abused by Turkish soldiers. The Pro-Kurdish DTP party protested the alleged attack on Ocalan, calling it a reflection of the government's approach to the Kurdish people. Security contacts in cities with the highest tensions are bracing themselves for continued violence throughout the week. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) Media report Abdullah Ocalan's attorneys said their client was physically assaulted in his cell and dragged into another room by three soldiers, who then forced him to his knees. The attorneys reported that Ocalan had told the soldiers that he would prefer to be killed rather than be treated in this manner, to which one replied that he shouldn't worry because his death was imminent. ¶3. (U) After convening on Friday, October 17, DTP's central board announced the GOT was fully responsible for the incident -- which they termed a provocation -- and characterized it as a continuation of discriminatory GOT policies towards Kurds. Street protests, rallies, and marches followed that night and throughout the weekend in the cities of Antalya, Adana, Mersin, Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa, Batman, Nusaybin, Siirt, Gaziantep, and Siirt. It is believed that scores of protesters were been detained by police as anti-terror and riot units were dispatched to contend with the unrest. In Diyarbakir, Adana, Sanliurfa and Mersin, the demonstrations were marred by violence. ¶4. (SBU) Adana: Weekend violence erupted in predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods where PKK sympathizers burned tires, set fire to cars, threw Molotov cocktails and stones at riot police. A security contact was unable to confirm the number of detainees, but media report "many" were taken into custody. The anti-terror chief told the Consulate that 40-50 youth were continuing to stage periodic riots in two city quarters. ¶5. (SBU) Diyarbakir: After Istanbul, Diyarbakir is the city with the highest Kurdish population and is a DTP stronghold. High-level DTP members organized a 5,000-strong march on October 18 to protest Ocalan's prison conditions, chanting pro-PKK slogans and waving Ocalan posters. Muharrem Erbey of the Diyarbakir Human Rights Association said the Ministry of Justice's statement denying Ocalan had suffered ill treatment had the effect of fueling tensions, and had provoked violent outbursts in some quarters of the city. He also said six children had been detained after hurling rocks at police. A member of the Diyarbakir Bar Association said at least 30 people had been taken into custody over the weekend, and that the protests were slated to continue, particularly in reaction to PM Erdogan's visit, which many city dwellers view as ill-timed. ¶6. (U) Local pro-Kurdish media outlet Evrensel reported citizens in Diyarbakir protested PM Erdogan's October 20 visit by shuttering businesses, staying indoors, and suspending city services such as trash collection and public transportation. According to the daily, police blockaded the entrance of DTP Kayapinar district party organization's building as well as other points in the city where anti-government protests were staged, and responded with tear gas to demonstrators who erected barricades and piles of burning tires. Media report students at Dicle University set fire to classrooms and broke windows, after PM Erdogan joined the dean for the opening ceremony of the academic year. Security contacts inform us exceptional security measures were taken to protect the prime minister, and did not specify the number of individuals detained on October 20. Security contacts in Diyarbakir and other cities are bracing themselves for continued clashes. ¶7. (SBU) Sanliurfa: Attorney Sabri Cepik told us over the weekend the violence was concentrated in the Suleymaniye suburb where about 400-500 protesters took to the streets. Some members of the group threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the police. Media report a primary school, homes and shops were sustained damaged. Cepik reported all was quiet by October 20. ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: Alleged mistreatment of Ocalan is a frequently used pretext for demonstrations by PKK sympathizers in Turkey. The current demonstrations are also probably designed to reinforce the PKK's recent offensives and to protest the Turkish military's campaign in response. Political considerations may also be at play: disorderly street scenes are a means of motivating DTP supporters in advance of local elections in March. DTP leaders publicly defending Ocalan may also increase the likelihood that the Constitutional Court decides to ban the DTP in a pending indictment. The PKK may be hoping for such an outcome as it would reinforce the "Kurds as victims" narrative. END COMMENT. ADANA 00000039 002 OF 002 . GREEN