Deputies Head to Soma For Investigation

Members of the Parliamentary Research Commission set up to research mining accidents, first and foremost the workplace murder in Soma mine and to spot necessary job security precautions came to Manisa.

Commission Chair Justice and Development Party (AKP) Aksaray MP Ali Rıza Alaboyun, stating they would conduct research in Soma with commission members for two days, said that while they wanted to see the scene of the accident, they would not be able to enter the mine for a few months for technical reasons. 

"We’re not here to conduct an investigation, only research"

Alaboyun expressed that they would first visit Soma residents and pay their condolences to the families, and then see the scene of the incident and listen to surviving workers. He also stated that they are not an investigatory commission, but there to conduct research.

"Afterwards we will invite government institutions one by one and hear from them in Ankara. Perhaps they will help us see what can be done from now on in the mining sector. And perhaps we will put a scattered legislation together, or be able to propose new legislation, a new bill. 

"We’re a research commission, not an investigation commission. Sometimes they get us confused with an investigation commission. We are not going to serve here as prosecutors. We are going to do research and expose the events in all their facets, as they are. All the information, documents, and evidence we expose might strengthen the hands of the prosecutors and investigators. 

All councilmembers are from AKP

AKP Aksaray MP Ali Rıza Alaboyun was elected as council chair, AKP Bartın MP Yılmaz Tunç as deputy chair, AKP Balıkesir MP Ali Aydınlıoğlu as spokesman, and AKP Adana MP Fatoş Gürkan as secretary.

In the first meeting of the commission, opposition parties had criticized the fact that all members of the council are from AKP. (NV/PU/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.