‘For further action’
After the reports from the Labor Ministry, Energy Ministry and Court of Accounts, there is also the report of the State Supervisory Council (DDK). In a report dated June 8, 2011, the miners’ murders were foreseen. This report was sent to the Energy Ministry then to the Office of the Prime Ministry “for further action.”
The report first lists technical shortcomings in mines: “There is no risk assessment; production is forced. Measures against the risk of firedamp are inadequate; the workers do not have CO masks. Gas monitoring and warning systems and ventilation are inadequate. There are problems with electronic equipment. Rescue chambers are scarce and rescue services are inadequate.”
Also, “Employers regard on-the-job training as loss of time and unnecessary cost.”
Mine owners are after profits, well, what about the state? The report said, “Public control is far from being effective and is gravely weak. It is a must that checks should be increased with regards to occupational safety. Measures are inadequate.”
For these to be corrected, the Energy Ministry sent the warnings of this state agency to the Office of the Prime Ministry, “for further action.” The Prime Ministry did not take any steps pertaining to this report, which was sent three years ago. And then, in Soma, 301 people lost their lives.
It was him who said so yesterday anyway, “If a sheep is lost near the Tigris River, I am responsible for that.” These words throw his followers a curve; it is obvious who is responsible.
Resignation nonsense at CHP
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies Şafak Pavey and Sabahat Akkiraz have selected a strange option after Soma: Resigning from the membership of Parliament. Akkiraz said the government would not take political responsibility in Soma, so, she did not need a seat to be beside those who lost their lives in Soma. Oh, what a bright idea.
It is true that the government is trying to put the responsibility on others, even the media. If they felt responsible, the energy and labor ministers should have resigned a long time ago; however, even if the world collapses, the AKP (Justice and Development Party) does not care.
Since they will not resign, why should CHP deputies resign? What nonsense. After she resigns how will she be beside the victims? What about other ways excluding resigning? For instance, carrying government-Soma relations to Parliament from a thousand different angles? The duty of the opposition is to call the government into account, how will that be done after resigning?
While all the scandals of the disaster and its aftermath are out there, the mention of resignation is changing the agenda. Absolute nonsense.
Thousands of initiatives from the opposition
Soma reveals a fact. The opposition that is said to be non-existent, also with the help of AKP propaganda, is actually there. Questions, motions for research and criticism outside of the agenda are all there but the AKP hegemony prevents all of them. Soma has also revealed another fact: The government is making incredibly vital mistakes.
A total of 2,354 actions from the opposition called the government into account; but only 22 of them (not even 1 percent) have been accepted. The AKP does not allow investigations in any way. It excludes democratic supervision.
We are not experiencing an opposition problem; we are suffering from a self-ordained government. And then, these disasters happen…
