Çayırhan miners march to Ankara against privatization

Miners working at the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant have decided to take action again following their 10-day resistance last November. Opposing the privatization and asset sale of the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant, the miners are marching to Ankara. 

The large-scale march of the miners, who set off from Beypazarı in the morning with applause, continues. 

The miners announced their decision to march with the following statements: 

"We are marching to Ankara to put a stop to the sale and privatization of the Çayırhan thermal power plant and mining fields!

For the future of our country, we are continuing our struggle against the asset sale together with our workers and the local people!

Against the sale of the Çayırhan thermal power plant and the privatization process of the mining fields, we are starting our march to the Privatization Administration in Ankara following the press statement we will make in Beypazarı, together with our mining and energy workers."

WHAT HAD HAPPENED? 

Hundreds of miners working at the Ankara Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant had locked themselves in the mine for days and staged a protest against the privatization decision taken by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Following the workers' march to the ministry, the ministry decided to postpone the proposal in question, and the miners ended their protests. 

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar had stated that they had transferred all power plants in Turkey to the private sector after 2002, saying, "This system works this way. Therefore, there is not much point in keeping this place separate, but let no harm come to the rights of the workers here. Both workers and politicians called. That is what I told them as well. Let us eliminate the issues where there are rights and concerns. Let this place resume production as soon as possible." 

News Source: 12punto