A mine exploded in Soma yesterday. Close to 300 miners are now dead. The world media sees this as tragedy, disaster, accident. Prime Minister Erdogan sees it as just one of those “ordinary things.” It’s mining, and shit happens.
No!
Across the country, through the haze of grief and sorrow, Turks are compelled by outrage and fury. They know. “This is not an accident, this is murder.” “We will not refer to it as an accident, we will call what happened a massacre.”
The ways of murdering miners are many. In this instance, it’s the crime of looking the other way, of refusing to inspect. For 19 years, Turkey has refused to sign the International Labor Organization’s No.176 “Security and Health in Mines Agreement”. The agreement places many responsibilities on the government and the employers. For 19 years of deteriorating mine conditions, the Turkish government said, “This can wait.”
Last year, a parliamentarian from the Republican People’s Party submitted a motion to investigate work-related accidents at the coalmines in Soma. All three opposition parties supported the proposal. However, the Justice and Development Party, Erdogan’s party, opposed the motion. Two weeks ago, it was rejected.
They knew the mine was a powder keg set to explode. But what are a few hundred miners in the big equation? And now, the keening women of Soma join the incandescent women of Marikana, in song and sorrow: “The love of my life is gone.”
There was no accident, disaster or tragedy. Instead, there was murder and massacre, and it was dirty and filthy. And there is outrage.
(Photo Credit 1: CNN) (Photo Credit 2: New York Times / Uriel Sinai)
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #mining #Turkey #women @GW_WSTU
@GW_WSTU Director writes: Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma massacre http://t.co/0GFgt8xEWH #Turkey #women #mining
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #women #Turkey #mining
There was no accident, disaster or tragedy. There was murder and massacre, and it was dirty and filthy http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey #women
Outrage: The dirty, filthy Soma massacre http://t.co/12yv4VUgcK
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey #mining #women
For 19 years, #Turkey refused to sign ILO’s No.176 “Security and Health in Mines Agreement”. No accident. Massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI
For 19 years of deteriorating mine conditions in #Soma, the #Turkey said, “This can wait.” No accident. Massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre. That was no accident. http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey #mining
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre. For 19 yrs #Turkey refused to sign ILO mines agreement. http://t.co/yONoIPFovI
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #mining #Turkey
#Turkey: #Soma was no accident, disaster or tragedy. It was a dirty, filthy #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #mining #women
Latest from @danwibg Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma massacre http://t.co/g6OYuT84Pc #Marikana #Turkey
Outrage: The dirty, filthy, and altogether preordained #Soma massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey #women #Marikana
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre was no accident. Everyone knew it was ready to explode http://t.co/yONoIPFovI
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre was no disaster. The State knew the mine was ready to explode http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey
Outrage: In #Some, there was no accident, disaster, tragedy. There was only dirty, filthy #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey
Coal mining is very dangerous, combine that with cost saving measures and it will result in a disaster like this. There should be more mechanization in dangerous mines like coal but it requires a large capital investment and a loss of jobs
What happened in #Soma mine was a #massacre, not disaster, accident, or tragedy http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey #mining
Thanks, Peter, for your comment. I have to say I disagree, in that the point here is not `mine safety’ or `workers’ safety’, but rather the refusal of the Turkish government to agree to international safeguards. Everyone knew the mine was a powder keg, and by everyone, I mean the State, and the State actively looked the other way. That was not a regrettable accident, and painful as it is, it’s not tragedy. It’s a massacre.
#Turkey erupts over #Soman #mining #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey
What happened in #Soma was a dirty, filthy #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey #mining
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #mining #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #Turkey
Outrage: The dirty, filthy #Soma #massacre http://t.co/yONoIPFovI #labor #Marikana #Turkey
Attorneys Working on Soma Case Detained in Police Raid http://bianet.org/english/law/191012-attorneys-working-on-soma-case-detained-in-police-raid
6 Attorneys Working on Soma Case Released After 4 Days of Detention http://bianet.org/english/law/191106-6-attorneys-working-on-soma-case-released-after-4-days-of-detention
Relatives visit graves of killed miners in Soma on fourth anniversary of tragedy http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/relatives-visit-graves-of-killed-miners-in-soma-on-fourth-anniversary-of-tragedy-131741
Ban on ‘Everything Will Be Fine’ Banner in Soma Commemoration in Kadıköy http://bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/208460-ban-on-everything-will-be-fine-banner-in-soma-commemoration-in-kadikoy
6th Year of Occupational Homicide in Soma Mine: ‘Our Struggle will Continue’ http://bianet.org/english/labor/224205-6th-year-of-occupational-homicide-in-soma-mine-our-struggle-will-continue
Soma mine explosion: Court of Cassation reverses own verdict, reduces sentences – english https://bianet.org/english/labor/238326-soma-mine-explosion-court-of-cassation-reverses-own-verdict-reduces-sentences
‘Both 301 miners and the law under debris’ – english https://bianet.org/english/labor/244000-both-301-miners-and-the-law-under-debris
Ongoing search for justice: ‘We haven’t forgotten Soma’ – english https://bianet.org/english/labor/244025-ongoing-search-for-justice-we-haven-t-forgotten-soma
Mining boss in 2014 Soma disaster sentenced to 20 years in prison https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/investigations/mining-boss-in-2014-soma-disaster-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison
Soma mine explosion | Company owner will serve eight days in prison for every killed miner https://m.bianet.org/english/law/260240-soma-mine-explosion-company-owner-will-serve-eight-days-in-prison-for-every-killed-miner