11 years have passed in Soma, justice has not been served… 'If we died, they would make our corpses work'

Hazal Güven - 12punto.com.tr

Exactly 11 years ago, 301 workers lost their lives due to a fire in a coal mine in the Soma district of Manisa. The incident, which went down in history as the industrial accident with the highest loss of life in the history of the Republic of Turkey, turned out shortly after to be less of an industrial accident and more of a massacre that happened in plain sight.

Can Gürkan, the owner of the mine that became a grave for workers due to lack of precautions, lack of inspections, and greed for more profit, served 8 days in prison for each worker who died. At this point, there is not a single detained defendant left in the case. However, the pain of the miners' relatives who lost their loved ones remains as fresh as if it happened yesterday.

Mustafa Kaya was one of the workers who had been working at the Soma Coal Mine for 5 years until the day of the disaster. He lost his life in the fire. Kaya’s wife, Naciye Kaya, spoke to 12punto on the 11th anniversary of the massacre about the years that have passed, the legal struggle, and her experiences. Stating that her husband had been poisoned by gas multiple times before the incident, Kaya said the following:

‘IF WE DIED, THEY WOULD MAKE OUR CORPSES WORK’

“In the month before the incident, he was constantly coming home poisoned by gas. We would take him to the hospital. They would give him oxygen. He was constantly drinking salty ayran. He would say the mine was very hot. He said the coal was coming out very hot. His supervisors would say, “If it suits you, you work. If it doesn’t, take your bag and leave.” He was constantly telling us this at home. He had told me, “If we died, they would make our corpses work.” There was constant pressure. They massacred 301 people because of people’s greed for money.”

What would you say about the trial process? At this point, there are no detained defendants left…

“The court process took a very long time. We went back and forth for nothing. My brother had also died in a mine before. In another mine. There wasn’t even a detainee there. I think the reason there was an arrest here was because the number of people who lost their lives was 301. If there hadn’t been this many deaths, I don’t think there would have even been a detainee. What happened, happened thanks to our struggle.”

‘THOSE LOOKING AT SOMA THINK ‘I’LL SERVE 3-5 DAYS AND GET OUT’’

“Afterwards, the trial of public officials began. Nothing was going to come out of that either. The inspector comes and says, “What am I doing here?” He asks the judge. I mean, 301 people died in a mine you inspected a month ago. The man can still ask this insensitively. We knew nothing would come of it, and that’s what happened. The trial of public officials was for show.”

“Our husbands, our loved ones will not come back. But if they had given a deterrent sentence, at least they would have prevented these massacres and lack of inspections. Now, those looking at Soma think, “What will happen, I’ll serve 3-5 days and get out.””

You also have two children. How did life continue for you after you lost your husband?

“It has been 11 years. Come and ask us how these 11 years passed. 11 years passed while seeking justice in Turkey’s rotten justice system. But unfortunately, we could not achieve justice in any way. I have two children. When the accident happened, my daughter was 16 and my son was 14. They grew up. Both of them got married. Their father couldn’t see it. I have two grandchildren.”

‘I BECAME BOTH A MOTHER AND A FATHER’

“I had to be strong. I had two children and they were in their full adolescence. I went through a very difficult process. My son didn’t talk to anyone for 2 months at that time. My daughter, on the contrary, became very aggressive. The effects are still continuing. I became both the man and the woman of the house. You become unable to think of anything other than your children and your home. You put yourself aside. I was no longer myself. I am both a mother and a father. I really struggled a lot.”

Immediately after the disaster, we saw two names by the side of the workers. One was Selçuk Kozağaçlı and the other was Can Atalay. Today, there is not a single detainee left in the case, but Kozağaçlı and Atalay, who acted as lawyers for the workers, are in prison…

‘I WAS HAPPY THINKING SELÇUK KOZAĞAÇLI WOULD BE WITH US TODAY’

“I was so happy when I heard that Selçuk Kozağaçlı was released. I wish they were released. Both Can Atalay and Selçuk Kozağaçlı. They helped us so much. They were like an older brother, like a father to us. When I heard that Selçuk Kozağaçlı was released, I was sure as I am of my own name that he would come here today. I thought he would definitely come and be with us on the anniversary, that he wouldn’t leave us alone. But unfortunately, the rotten justice system made such a decision.”