Cablegate: Southeast Turkey Press Summary for October 4, 2005

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ADANA 000170

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU ADANA
SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 4, 2005

This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for October 4,
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

YENI SAFAK: Non-Governmental Organizations from around the
country came together at the "Platform for Non-Governmental
Organizations" to pay a visit to southeastern Turkey, to express
their sentiments of solidarity and to see the problems and
issues themselves on a local level (see press summary 10/03).
Diyarbakir's Deputy Mayor Ilhan Diken welcomed the "hands
extended to create solidarity", and said that they were ready to
go hand-in-hand with anyone who is willing to solve the issues
of the region in a peaceful and democratic manner.

YENI SAFAK: The daily cites Le Figaro and draws attention to the
U.S. response regarding Israel's cordial relationships with the
Kurds in Iraq.

RADIKAL: A DNA test that compared the DNA of a dead baby,
given birth by a 13-year-old rape victim in Kulp district of
Diyarbakir, (Note: she was killed in the name of honor by her
uncle's sons upon the decision of the family, later. End Note.),
and the DNA of a suspected perpetrator of the rape, who was
judged by, and put to death in accordance with a decision made
by a family assembly, revealed that the suspected person was in
fact innocent.

OZGUR GUNDEM: Activists from Izmir's Bergama community, who
previously become known publicly for their struggle against a
gold mining company using cyanide in its mining operations in
western Turkey, were joined by European Parliamentarian Feleknaz
Uca and architect Bilge Contepe and others to protest against a
dam project in Batman's Hasankeyf district. When completed, the
reservoir created by the dam will submerge the ancient city
Hasankeyf.

OZGUR GUNDEM: Ceyhan Security Directorate Anti-Terror Branch
detained Sima Dorak, one of the founding members of the DTH
(Democratic Society Movement) in Adana on grounds that Dorak was
among those who dropped roses into Adana's Seyhan River while
chanting pro-Ocalan slogans (see press summary 08/03).

OZGUR GUNDEM: Two bombs, placed next to a building in
Hakkari's Yuksekova district, went off successively and wounded
four police officers, who arrived at the scene following the
initial blast.

OZGUR GUNDEM: A total of 127 refugees have been caught at
road checkpoints in Van's Muradiye district and Igdir's Tuzluca
district.

SABAH (GUNEY) / BOLGE / EKSPRES: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
came to Adana Airport to change planes on his one-day trip to
Hatay province. Sezer attended the Mustafa Kemal University's
academic-year opening ceremony in Hatay. Reportedly, Sezer,
criticized attempts that aimed to prevent Istanbul's Bilgi
University conference from discussing Armenian issues.

RADIKAL: As a result of an explosion that occurred in a
section of East Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, which is 16
kilometers away from the Gurbulak border gate in Agri province,
the use of the pipeline was stopped. BOTAS (Petroleum Pipeline
Corporation) said the cause of the explosion was most probably a
gas leakage.

REID

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