ANKARA / DİYARBAKIR - The Confederation of Public Workers Trade Unions (KESK) Executive Board issued a written statement today to mark the 6th anniversary of the Soma Massacre.

 

The statement said: "Those who caused worker deaths prepared the ground for losing our 301 mining workers in Soma  exactly 6 years ago because they did not carry out the necessary inspections and expanded precarious working practices."

 

KESK added that the perpetrators were not brought to account. "Those who did not perform the necessary control in the mines from the beginning, those who allowed the killing working conditions in Soma, those who promoted precarious and subcontracted employment, and those who put obstacles in front of unionizing workers were not brought to account in any way."

 

KESK continued: "During this pandemic period, we have seen that this order is a scheme that legitimates the loss of life for more profits. Turkey is one of the countries where death in the workplace has reached extremely high levels."

 

KESK Diyarbakır Branches Platform also made a written statement regarding the anniversary of the Soma disaster, in which 301 workers died. In the statement reminding of the unlawfulness experienced during the trial process, it was stated that even the 301 workers were sent to death, the massacre in the mine remained unpunished, the boss who operated the mine was released from prison and  was given the authority to operate mines. The statement said: "The lives of 301 mine workers were stolen on May 13, 2014. We will never forget these people and we will never let them forget too."