BARTIN - Independent Mining Union lawyer Yağız Timocin, who condemned the statements of Erdoğan regarding the mine massacre in Amasra, said, "This is not destiny. What happened there is a massacre, a murder. It was committed with possible intent."

 

In the massacre that took place as a result of the "grizu explosion" in the Turkish Hard Coal Institution (TTK) Amasra Establishment Directorate mine located in the Amasra district of Bartın, 41 workers lost their lives. Calling the Soma Massacre  the destiny of miners, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the same statement in Amasra.

 

Independent Mining Union lawyer Yağız Timocin, who came to Amasra after the massacre, evaluated the discourses of the government and the processes operated from deaths deemed "destiny" to the workers, to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA).

 

CAPITAL INTEREST

 

Saying that the mining industry is the most dangerous business in Turkey, Timocin reminded the previous similar explosions. Timocin stated that measures were not taken against such situations and that the Ministry of Labor, İŞ-KUR and SGK did not take any steps towards the measures and applications, and said, “The energy sector is a large, profitable sector where capital focuses on it carefully. Today, especially the Amasra, Zonguldak region is a bit secondary. Soma Basin and Kınık Basin lead the way in the energy sector. These are the regions that the capital follows with great interest and profit ambition. Both the government and the administration are deprived of any behavior that will harm the profit and comfort of the capital, the bosses and the energy sector.”

 

'MURDER WITH PROBABLE INTENT'

 

Timocin reminded the report submitted by the Court of Accounts to the Parliament on the mining operation in 2019 before the massacre in Amasra. Noting that the report includes the determination of the risk of gas discharge and firedamp explosion in the mine belonging to the TTK, Timocin said: “Today, the word 'destiny' was used again. In the squares, in the courthouses, in the courtrooms, everywhere we say: This is not destiny. Although an event is foreseen, thought about and known, it is possible to act without caring about it. It was known to the authorities that this would happen. The Court of Appeals said so. From the stories we heard here, we know that miners have more problems, we think that even that Court of Accounts report is not an adequate report. The sad case that took place here is a massacre, a murder. It has been committed with caste.”

 

THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MASSACRE MUST BE PROSECUTED

 

Stating that they will closely follow the investigation and prosecution processes for the prosecution of those responsible for the policies of impunity, Timocin said, “As volunteer lawyers in these processes, we will follow the process without seeking any profit. Precautions had to be taken. During the soma process, we witnessed that many evidences and documents were blacked out by the company and the authorities. We do not want the same to happen in this process. First of all, we want to take measures against this. In the next process, of course, there is a long process where justice never comes. In the Soma Case, we saw a process in which members of the Court of Cassation, whom we had perhaps never met, were replaced and the judiciary was overtly intervened. Those responsible are out. They slept for 8 days per person. Shaking their hands, those who are responsible are outside… We will use every method, both legal and democratic, to prevent this from happening again."

 

MA / Yusra Batihan