News of the Week: Coal Mine Explosion in Soma, Turkey

{http://www.dw.de/funerals-begin-in-somaturkey-following-the-mining-disaster/a-17640140}

On May 14th, 2014, a major explosion occurred in a Turkish coal mine with a total death count of about 300 people. While the cause of the explosion remains relatively unknown, the real controversy following the tragedy is the response from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The most potent irony behind the ideal is that Ozgur Ozel, Erdogan's opposition, proposed a referendum in late April of this year wanting to reevaluate mine standards after repeated deadly accidents. Seemingly foreshadowing what would follow, Erdogan's government rejected the proposal only to have this horrible accident occur weeks later. Post explosion inspection reveals that the mine ventilation was old and outdated, contrasting Erdogan's reasoning behind his rejection.

Upon arriving at the scene of the mine explosion, Erdogan immediately avoid responsibility, instead blaming the accident on the danger of the mining profession and later accounting it to God's plan. The prime minister and his staff also revealed that overly aggressive tactics towards handling protestors. The protesting roots from a belief that the policies been enacted by Erdogan are authoritarian and his response to this catastrophe has only added fuel to their fire. The prime minister himself was seen putting his arm around the neck of a ex-miner protesting in order to get him to shut up. Further, this same man was later seen being beaten by Erdogan's security guards and being slapped by Erdogan. A photograph came to light following of one of Erdogan's right-hand men kicking a protestor while the man was being held to the ground.

The main issue of ventilation was discovered to be the cause of death - suffocation -  for many of the victims. The workers had just been moved lower into the mine and were working to build a new emergency refuge at the time of the accident. The company owning this specific mine though revealed that while the company works to encourage building this emergency refuges, it is not under Turkish requirement.

References:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/18/world/europe/turkey-mine-accident/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/05/14/312423264/death-toll-passes-200-in-turkish-coal-mine-explosion
http://www.ibtimes.com/soma-mine-disaster-workers-say-turkish-officials-knew-safety-problem-explosion-1586617