Turkey long a graveyard for miners

[canavare]

On May 13, some 201 coal miners were killed and hundreds were trapped at a mine in the western province of Manisa’s Soma district after a fire broke out following an explosion in a power distribution unit.

In a statement released early May 14, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız also expressed concerns that the death toll could rise as over 300 workers could still be trapped inside, according to reports.

_http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-long-a-graveyard-for-miners.aspx?pageID=238&nID=66443&NewsCatID=341

The accident and the massive number of deaths have sparked widespread anger as many denounced the insufficiency of safety measures, accusing the government and mine companies of "negligence." Protests, including a demonstration outside mine owner Soma Kömür İşletmeleri A.Ş. in Istanbul's Levent neighborhood scheduled for 12:30 p.m., are planned for around the country during the day and into the evening.

"The mining accident that we have seen at this private facility today is truly a work-related murder of the highest degree. We are currently facing the worst work-related murder in the country's history," said the former head of miners' union Maden-İş, Çetin Uygur.

The head of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), Kani Beko, said there were a large number of subcontracted workers present in the mine. "There are second- and third-tier subcontractors working in this mine. I hope that the death toll will not climb further, but I am not optimistic. There is a massacre that happened following the explosion inside," Beko said.

On April 29, the CHP reportedly submitted a motion to Parliament to investigate work-related accidents at the mine in Soma, only for the proposal to be rejected with votes from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

_http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/fire-continues-in-coal-mine-where-at-least-205-workers-died-as-3-days-of-mourning-is-declared.aspx?pageID=238&nID=66438&NewsCatID=341

AK Party blocked Soma mine inspection proposal

Lawmaker with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Özgür Özel told media that the ruling party rejected a parliamentary inquiry proposal regarding coal mine work safety in Soma 20 days ago.

Özel said the proposal carried the signature of 60 lawmakers and that it asked to focus on coal mine accidents in Soma. He noted that the proposal also had the backing of opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). "It was obvious that such an incident would happen," Özel said.

_http://www.todayszaman.com/news-347730-death-toll-in-mine-blast-exceeds-200-many-still-trapped.html

 

[un chien anadolu]

On April 29, the CHP reportedly submitted a motion to Parliament to investigate work-related accidents at the mine in Soma, only for the proposal to be rejected with votes from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

_http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/fire-continues-in-coal-mine-where-at-least-205-workers-died-as-3-days-of-mourning-is-declared.aspx?pageID=238&nID=66438&NewsCatID=341

AK Party blocked Soma mine inspection proposal

Lawmaker with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Özgür Özel told media that the ruling party rejected a parliamentary inquiry proposal regarding coal mine work safety in Soma 20 days ago.

Özel said the proposal carried the signature of 60 lawmakers and that it asked to focus on coal mine accidents in Soma. He noted that the proposal also had the backing of opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). "It was obvious that such an incident would happen," Özel said.

_http://www.todayszaman.com/news-347730-death-toll-in-mine-blast-exceeds-200-many-still-trapped.html

Sadly the real number of the deceased is/will be way above the official number. According to the witnesses rescued from the mine it's between 300-400. It's Not An Accident, It's Murder!

A photo showing the identification of the deceased

 

[canavare]

There is a media blackout and media manuplation by AKP government. Additionally social media portals like youtube and twitter are still under ban and government controlled ISP TT is decreasing the speed of internet (probabily) to minimize the reactions on social media. As usual a considerable amount of police and military force was sent to the region to supress any potential protest.

On Tuesday, May 13, at 15.00, Turkey witnessed one of the greatest workplace murders in its history. More than 700 mine workers were trapped in Soma Coal, a private lignite mine in Soma, in the western province of Manisa. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has tried to minimize the figures, while deploying hundreds of military troops and police forces to the town and the miners’ village of Eynes to head off possible unrest. Ten hours after the explosion, Energy Minister Taner Yılmaz declared the death toll as 166, but the numbers are expected to rise. The Disaster and Emergency Directorate (AFAD) declared on Wednesday, at 2.30 that 265 bodies had been reached at the moment. Calls for immediate action are rising everywhere in the country

The government tried to manuplate death toll figures.

While hundreds of mine workers were trapped underground, the AKP government tried to minimize the death toll figures for a number of hours by declaring that only five were killed in the explosion. However, toward midnight, a widespread news blockage by the mainstream media broke down, and Mr. Uygur’s statement regrettably proved to be real.

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız, who initially said the “death toll figures are not important,” was forced to declare the number of killed mine workers first as 151, then as 166 following Manisa Mayor Cengiz Ergün’s statement that the death toll had already reached 157. Minister Yıldız continued to dismiss the non-official statements, by saying: “Even though the previous information given by the unauthorized persons about the death roll correspond to our present data, this does not make them right.”

Oxygen masks on dead miners’ faces

_http://www.sendika.org/2014/05/turkeys-neoliberal-death-roll-hundreds-of-miner-died-in-great-soma-massacre/