Eight people have been arrested by a Turkish court last Monday following the deadliest mining disaster in Turkey’s history. Among these people are the general manager and Chief Executive of the mine, which is located in Soma, a city in the far west of the country. The tragedy, thought to be caused when a coal fire filled the mine with carbon monoxide, has sparked outrage and protests throughout Turkey, aimed at both the Turkish Prime Minister and the executives in charge of safety at the mine site. The mining company is being accused of sacrificing safety standards for the sake of company profits, while the PM has taken heat for the country’s lax safety standards and close relationships with high ranking industry executives. Both the mine officials and the PM have denied any negligence.
Turkey, where economic growth over the last decade has greatly outpaced safety standard evolution, has one of the world’s worst industrial accident records. This disaster has left 301 confirmed dead and is not an isolated incident; however it seems to be the catalyst for an organized push by the citizens to implement stronger safety laws. There have been protests in Soma and other Turkish cities, including riots where people have been throwing stones and fireworks at the police. At least 40 people have been detained for actions relating to the protests so far.
Detractors of the PM have been quick to blame him for privatizing mines which were previously state owned, selling them to profit minded entrepreneurs who have been accused of taking advantage of the relaxed security standards in order to maximize their profits. However, the PM and the mine owners have denied any blame, saying that there were no loopholes in the mining safety regulations and that the mine passed all its biyearly safety inspections.
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