Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for Sepember 02, 2005
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ADANA 000158
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR SEPEMBER 02, 2005
This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for September 02,
2005. 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, SECURITY, HUMAN RIGHTS
HURRIYET (CUKUROVA): Mehmet Aslan, Chairperson of Gaziantep
Chamber of Commerce, said that inconveniences related to
infrastructure at the Habur Border Gate were causing
difficulties for trade with Iraq.
CUMHURIYET / SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE: The dailies reported a
Jandarma official tearing the terrorist organization's
"so-called" flag from a terrorist's coffin in the Kahramanmaras
province, and telling the relatives of the dead that he would
file a complaint against them for placing the flag on the
coffin. Related to this incident, Sabah Guney's front page
carried the headline, "The Military is Firm and Decisive."
(Note: The terrorist was killed in a military operation in
Batman's Besiri district. See press summary 08/29. End Note.) A
group of people in Diyarbakir waited for the car, which carried
the terrorist's coffin on its way to Kahramanmaras. When
tension escalated as the group chanted slogans in support for
Abdullah Ocalan, the police intervened, used pepper gas, and
dispersed the people. Intermittent incidents continued until
late at night.
ZAMAN / OZGUR GUNDEM: An amoebic dysentery epidemic affected
60 people, mostly children, in Mazgirt district of Tunceli.
Reportedly, the cause of the epidemic was water from the city
water system.
OZGUR GUNDEM: A truck driver, who was attempting to steal
oil from the [Kirkuk-Yumurtalik] oil pipeline, was caught and
arrested in Osmaniye.
ZAMAN / CUMHURIYET / HURRIYET / OZGUR GUNDEM: A person died in
a bomb blast in Bursa's Osmangazi district. Security
Directorate suspects a suicide bomber.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The daily announced the name of a terrorist,
who was killed in a clash that occurred in Van's Baskale
district on August 28. Separately, the paper announced that the
Turkish Armed Forces launched military operations in Diyarbakir,
Siirt and Sirnak provinces.
OZGUR GUNDEM: Hak-Par (Rights and Liberties Party) is
reportedly planning to hold an anti-PKK meeting in Ankara on
September 4.
OZGUR GUNDEM: The mayor of Hakkari's Yuksekova district was
not allowed into a reception celebrating August 30 Victory Day,
even though his name appeared on the guest list.
CUMHURIYET: People suspect that bird flu is the cause of an
epidemic causing the large-scale deaths of wild birds around Van
Lake.
CUMHURIYET: In a press announcement, Hatay AKP (Justice and
Development Party) deputy Mehmet Soydan responded to criticisms
made by other AKP deputies about the "1st Meeting of
Civilizations", an event that will be held in Hatay province
between September 25-30. Soydan said that 45 ambassadors would
attend the event. According to Soydan, the event will show the
world that people belonging to diverse religious and ethnic
origins are able to live harmoniously in Hatay.
REID