Miners Who Lost Their Lives in Occupational Homicide in Soma Commemorated

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Five years ago on May 13, 301 miners lost their lives in an occupational homicide that occurred in a mine in the district of Soma in Manisa.

In the fifth year of the massacre in Soma, several labor unions, professional and human rights organizations have released statements and commemorated the deceased miners.

CLICK - We Commemorate 301 Miners from Soma with Their Names

While the Association for Social Rights (SHD) and Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) have made a call to gather in Altıyol in Kadıköy, İstanbul at 9 p.m. for the commemoration, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) have invited everyone to Beşiktaş Ferry Terminal in Kadıköy for the commemoration.

Call by the Association for Social Rights

In a written statement released by the Human Rights Association (İHD), it has been indicated, "We do not forget the Soma Massacre. We will continue calling the responsible to account until they are punished."

The association has also stated that the occupational safety precautions are constantly postponed by the government.

Releasing a statement to commemorate the deceased miners, the Association for Social Rights has also referred to the train derailments in Çorlu and Ankara and said,

"As for the government, it seems determined to continue its complicity with these 'Malice' companies at the expense of workers' lives."

Concluding its statement, the SHD has made a call to Altıyol, Kadıköy "to raise their legitimate struggle against the cooperation of this party state - bureaucracy - capital - partisan judiciary - partisan media."

Miners commemorated in Ankara

In the fifth year of Soma massacre, DİSK Ankara Regional Representative, KESK Ankara Branch Platform, TMMOB Ankara Provincial Coordination Committee, Ankara Medical Chamber and Ankara Chamber of Independent Accountants and Financial Advisors held a commemorative ceremony at the Miner Monument in Olgunlar Street in Ankara.

Reading out the statement for the press in the ceremony, DİSK Regional Representative ot Ankara Tayfun Görgün referred to the release of Can Gürkan, the owner of Soma Inc., by the court of appeal and said, "After our 301 miner friends, our trust in justice has also been trapped under debris."

Lawyer of families Atalay spoke in Soma

Can Atalay, one of the lawyers of the deceased miners' families, was also in the commemoration held in Soma. Atalay said,

"301 workers, 301 husbands, 301 brothers, 301 fathers... 301 people who died at a moment's notice. If this city called Soma does not insist on calling the ones responsible for the death of 301 workers to account, the next four mines might be a grave to further 301 workers." 

(TP/SD)