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Viewing cable 09ADANA80, TURKEY: SOUTHEAST PERSPECTIVE: POLICE SWEEP NETS DOZENS OF

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ADANA80 2009-12-24 11:02 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Adana
VZCZCXRO5063
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0080 3581102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241102Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4821
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1363
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1127
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1430
UNCLAS ADANA 000080 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PINS PINR PGOV TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY:  SOUTHEAST PERSPECTIVE:  POLICE SWEEP NETS DOZENS OF 
ARRESTS OF FORMER DTP MEMBERS 
 
1. (SBU)  SUMMARY.  Media report police have detained more than 
30 incumbent and former mayors and active party members from the 
recently banned Democrat Society Party (DTP) in raids in 11 
provinces that began the night of December 23.  Consulate 
contacts confirm the Diyarbakir chief public prosecutor ordered 
the raids on the grounds of suspicion of ties to the PKK 
terrorist organization.  As for timing, one contact said the 
detentions were based on evidence gathered from a last wave of 
detentions in May 2009, and that the December 11 Constitutional 
Court ruling that banned the DTP had likely triggered the 
coordinated raids.  A prominent attorney based in Batman told us 
the atmosphere was very tense and public reaction to the arrests 
was unpredictable, warning of potential violence as blocking the 
political path to democracy will leave voters without a 
legitimate means of expression.  Some Kurdish leaders are trying 
to organize a coalition of moderate voices to break the PKK's 
stranglehold on Kurdish public opinion and provide the GoT with 
a new interlocutor.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
2.  (SBU)  According to news reports, police detained greater 
municipality and district mayors representing the now banned DTP 
party in Siirt, Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa, and Mardin. 
Prominent names in Diyarbakir such as the former DTP provincial 
chairman, Human Rights Association chairman, and deputy mayor 
are also on the list of detainees.   At the time of this 
writing, contacts confirm police are continuing to search the 
home of former member of Parliament and prominent Kurdish 
activist Hatip Dicle. 
 
 
 
3.  (SBU)  A prominent human rights attorney in Diyarbakir told 
us police had been searching the Human Rights Association for 
several hours after detaining its president, Muharrem Erbeyli, 
on the night of December 23 at his home.  Our contact expressed 
disappointment that the government was "closing the venues for 
democratic struggle at a time when everybody was talking about 
the democratic opening."  He said this latest round of arrests, 
which he saw as a follow-up to similar detentions in April and 
May 2009, would deal a significant blow to any progress on 
solving the Kurdish issue.  He added targeting the HRA was 
particularly upsetting given the organization's important work 
in advancing human rights in Turkey.  He said the raids were 
likely triggered by the December 11 Constitutional Court ruling 
that banned the DTP. 
 
 
 
4.  (SBU)  An attorney in Batman told us the atmosphere was very 
tense and warned of possible violence, saying  "people who have 
nothing left to lose will resort to violence."  He said the 
sincerity of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 
its determination to continue the democratic opening is now 
seriously damaged, and he thought Kurds would interpret the 
latest detentions as harassment and intimidation. 
 
 
 
5.  (SBU)  COMMENT.  Only two days ago, we spoke to one of the 
now-detained district mayors, who was hopeful that the peaceful 
transition from DTP to its new incarnation as the Peace and 
Democracy Party (BDP) and former DTP Parliament members' 
decision not to resign would buoy what little movement was left 
in the democratic initiative and signal that Kurds were earnest 
in their commitment to democracy.  These detentions will cause a 
significant setback to the initiative and have damaged AKP's 
credibility among Kurds in the southeast.  At the same time, as 
long as PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan's supporters maintain a 
stranglehold on the Kurdish political movement, AKP and other 
mainstream parties will have little room to negotiate with 
Kurdish leaders.  In recognition of this, pro-Kurdish HAKPAR 
(Rights and Freedom Party) Chairman Bayram Bozyel is organizing 
a coalition among HAKPAR, KADEP (Participatory Democracy Party) 
and elements of BDP to provide an intellectual, alternative 
interlocutor for the government.  The GoT should take steps to 
bolster their attempts to patch together a distinct Kurdish 
political voice.  END COMMENT. 
 
DARNELL