"Dead drivers number 150"
During a press conference in early October, Ali Baraj, president of the Chamber of Turkish Drivers in Mardin, said, "Until today, as many as 150 Turkish truck drivers have died and the government remains indifferent to the problem."
"At the moment, there are 50,000 truck drivers in Mardin and surrounding small towns and all of them make a living carrying loads to Iraq," Baraj said. "Every day, corpses of one or two drivers are returned. The number of dead drivers totals 150. Turkish drivers are dying as often as American soldiers. No one says anything about this.
"We are looking to the government to provide security for our drivers. The bodies of 35 Turkish drivers are waiting in a morgue in Mosul, according to our friends returning from Iraq. Families, that have not had any news from their sons news for one month should have the Mosul morgue checked," he advised.
"The government makes no effort"
The following, published in The Worker's Bulletin,sheds light on the anxiety-filled lives of those working in the border region.
How many years have you struggled with this work?
For 15 years I have worked as a driver. But in recent times I continue to go to Iraq to pay back loans.
The difficulties you encounter in Iraq?
From the Habur Gate to Tikrit, Zaho and Baghdad, we carry loads with the American military escorts in convoys. The American soldiers leave us when we encounter any difficulty. Often we are attacked by stones or by guns. At present we do not understand how to save our lives. We hope that poverty goes blind.
Are you writing in Arabic on the trucks?
No, we are not writing on our trucks. But our companies write slogans in Arabic and this shows that we are working with Iraqi companies. On entering the country, we change our license plates. The owners do this. The companies think they can provide for our security in these primitive ways, but they can't.
'No one is sent to Iraq by force,' Tayyip Erdogan says. Do you believe this? Maybe no one is holding a gun to our heads but they have left us here, hungry, without work. Now there is reason and logic. Who would go to death knowing this? The ones who have nothing lose - us. He (Erdogan) says this because his children are never hungry and have never gone to school with torn clothing.
On the other hand, we must have a signed voucher agreement. The companies, with which we have our contracts, write any amount of money it wants. Our hands are tied. You know that if we want to return, we cannot return. No matter what we choose, both ways are bad, you go or you stay.
Have you ever been attacked?
My convoy was attacked but I escaped injury. My uncle's son was injured. Now he stays in the Tarsus state hospital. He has no social security. The company has no health insurance.
What is the situation of the American soldiers?
The Americans come for the oil. Every day they are confused about what to do. They are bad to the people. They behave like savages. Recently they have even begun behaving badly to us. Even among themselves they are fighting.
Your demands?
First, I want the Habur Gate to be closed. Secondly, we need to talk with people in high places. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has accused us of stopping on the road to eat. But we are there for food for our children. Provide us with other work opportunities and we won't go. Actually, we know why Mr. Gul is curious. We are calling out to Tayyip Erdogan. How can you sleep comfortably while the families are miserable because the drivers are dying in Iraq? We too are this country's people. Why doesn't he want to understand us? How many people must die before you pay attention? (CC/AB/NM)
