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Viewing cable 06ADANA68, TURKEY: TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH WHILE UNREST SPREADS THROUGHOUT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ADANA68 2006-04-03 13:47 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Adana
VZCZCXRO0464
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV
RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDA #0068/01 0931347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031347Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4075
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0624
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0540
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0162
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0094
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 0672
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000068 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CASC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH WHILE UNREST SPREADS THROUGHOUT 
SOUTHEAST 
 
REF: A. ADANA 60 
 
     B. ADANA 64 
     C. ADANA 67 
 
ADANA 00000068  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Violent civil unrest abated in Diyarbakir and 
Batman over the April 1-2 weekend, but picked up elsewhere in 
southeast Turkey.  The press reported that  demonstrators in 
Kiziltepe set fire to the ruling Justice and Development Party 
(AKP) provincial offices and two banks, while police shot and 
killed two protestors.  After the in-hospital death of three 
demonstrator previously wounded during unrest in Diyarbakir, the 
death toll in Turkey's southeast has risen to twelve, since 
demonstrations began on March 28 in Diyarbakir protesting the 
killing of PKK members in Mus (see reftels).  The media report 
that a PKK-affiliated group issued an April 2 warning that it 
will attack tourist sites.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) A Consulate Adana contact in Kiziltepe told us that the 
city was quiet on April 3, with some shops opening for business 
at mid-day, but the mood was still tense.  Another contact told 
us that people were fearful of what might happen next.  A 
sub-governor told our contact and other people to avoid leaving 
their homes.  Both contacts told us that two people had been 
killed, 20 people have been wounded and as many as 300 people 
detained over the weekend.  One contact confirmed press reports 
that one of the people killed during the weekend unrest was 
Ahmet Arac, the son of main opposition Republican People's Party 
(CHP) Kiziltepe  General Secretary Ramazan Arac.  Both our 
contacts in Kiziltepe expressed concern that the violence and 
unrest would continue to spread to other cities.  Our contact 
said that the police required the relatives of the two people 
killed to hold quiet funeral ceremonies at night to avoid 
sparking further unrest. 
 
3. (U) Elsewhere in the southeast over the April 1 and 2 
weekend, civil unrest in solidarity with the recent unrest in 
Diyarbakir continued in some places and abated in others, 
although overall tension remained high throughout the southeast 
region: 
 
--The media reported that in Diyarbakir businesses opened, but 
tensions remain high.  Since public demonstrations ceased on 
March 31, police have reportedly been conducting unannounced 
raids on homes and businesses.  More people have reportedly been 
detained as a result of these raids. The press reported that 236 
of 546 people detained to date have been ordered held in custody 
and then reportedly transferred to already overflowing jails in 
Mardin and Nusaybin. 
 
--Similarly, in Batman businesses opened, but the mood remains 
tense.  The Batman mayor announced that the windows in 500 
businesses throughout the city had been smashed during the 
unrest, for a cost to the city of approximately 20 million 
Turkish Lira (approximately 15 million USD). 
 
--Press reports from Hakkari's Yuksekova district said that 
police attempted to disperse an unruly, stone-throwing crowd on 
April 1.  Jandarma forces were called into town.  Shots were 
fired at security forces from an unspecified shooter, with one 
bullet hitting a police vehicle, according to the press.  Eight 
people have reportedly been arrested on charges of assisting and 
harboring terrorists and causing damage to public property. 
 
--In Sirnak's Silopi district, located on the border with Iraq, 
police intervened with tear gas and opened fire on protestors 
attempting to lay a black wreath at the AKP's provincial 
headquarters building, according to the media. 
 
--In Van, police intensified security measures after receiving a 
tip that pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP)  members 
would hold a press conference and some groups would carry out 
demonstrations.  The press reported that a 100-vehicle military 
convoy, including tanks and other armored military vehicles, 
passed along the main street of the province. 
 
--The media reported that in Adana, police, using water canon 
and tear gas, dispersed a crowd, comprised mostly of children, 
who shouted pro-PKK slogans and burned tires.  Some shops 
reportedly did not open on April 2. 
 
--April 3 press reports said that 1000 members of the Democratic 
People Initiative gathered in front of the local DTP 
headquarters in Agri.  The group marched to, and threw stones 
 
ADANA 00000068  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
at, the AK Party Provincial headquarters building.  Police 
intervened with tear gas and water canon.  No arrests were 
reported. 
 
4. (U) The press reported on April 3 that the PKK-affiliated 
Freedom Falcons of Kurdistan (TAK) issued a warning on April 2 
for foreigners to not come to Turkey, and threatened to carry 
out attacks on travel agencies, hotels, tourist destinations and 
leisure places across Turkey. 
REID