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After Mine Disaster, a Painful Awareness of What Has Been Lost After Mine Disaster, a Painful Awareness of What Has Been Lost
(4 months later)
KOSELER, Turkey — The framed photograph showed the smiling faces of 22 men, most of them coal miners, and Ali Toprak pointed first to the unlucky and then the lucky. KOSELER, Turkey — The framed photograph showed the smiling faces of 22 men, most of them coal miners, and Ali Toprak pointed first to the unlucky and then the lucky.
“That’s Niyazi, he had two children,” he said. “He was strong and tall, a senior miner. Very nice man.”“That’s Niyazi, he had two children,” he said. “He was strong and tall, a senior miner. Very nice man.”
He pointed to his brother-in-law, Selahattin.He pointed to his brother-in-law, Selahattin.
“He was a really good friend. He had two children in high school.”“He was a really good friend. He had two children in high school.”
And on Mr. Toprak went, reciting the names of the dead, until he turned to the living, pointing them out too, one by one, his finger moving across the photograph.And on Mr. Toprak went, reciting the names of the dead, until he turned to the living, pointing them out too, one by one, his finger moving across the photograph.
“He survived. It was his day off.”“He survived. It was his day off.”
“He was on vacation.”“He was on vacation.”
“He had broken his finger. He was on leave.”“He had broken his finger. He was on leave.”
This little village, with a population of 430 and nestled in a mountain valley in the middle of one of Turkey’s lushest agricultural regions, lost 14 men in last week’s coal mining disaster, when a fire tore through a mine in the nearby town of Soma, killing 301 people in what became modern Turkey’s deadliest industrial disaster.This little village, with a population of 430 and nestled in a mountain valley in the middle of one of Turkey’s lushest agricultural regions, lost 14 men in last week’s coal mining disaster, when a fire tore through a mine in the nearby town of Soma, killing 301 people in what became modern Turkey’s deadliest industrial disaster.
A narrow and winding road amid breathtaking green scenery, with a solitary cow here and there, connects Koseler to Soma. It is a distance of about 50 miles, but can take as much as two hours each way to drive, a commute the miners took six days a week, setting out in the morning darkness just as the mosque’s muezzin began the call to prayer.A narrow and winding road amid breathtaking green scenery, with a solitary cow here and there, connects Koseler to Soma. It is a distance of about 50 miles, but can take as much as two hours each way to drive, a commute the miners took six days a week, setting out in the morning darkness just as the mosque’s muezzin began the call to prayer.
It is in villages here and across this Aegean coastal region that people are beginning to grapple with their losses, and consider the costs of a new way of life that emerged over the past decade. The rise of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party, or A.K.P., has brought rapid industrialization, privatization and economic prosperity.It is in villages here and across this Aegean coastal region that people are beginning to grapple with their losses, and consider the costs of a new way of life that emerged over the past decade. The rise of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party, or A.K.P., has brought rapid industrialization, privatization and economic prosperity.
The dominant narrative, for a time, was the swift ascent of Turkey on the global economic stage. With demand for energy to fuel the economic expansion soaring, coal became important, providing more opportunities to men in places like this.The dominant narrative, for a time, was the swift ascent of Turkey on the global economic stage. With demand for energy to fuel the economic expansion soaring, coal became important, providing more opportunities to men in places like this.
But there were losses too, of rural traditions, social cohesion — and now lives.But there were losses too, of rural traditions, social cohesion — and now lives.
Koseler’s pain tells a tiny version of that story. Over the past decade the men, for generations farmers who grew tobacco, wheat and barley, put down their pitchforks and found work in the nearby coal mines on the promise of more money and greater security in the form of health insurance and pensions.Koseler’s pain tells a tiny version of that story. Over the past decade the men, for generations farmers who grew tobacco, wheat and barley, put down their pitchforks and found work in the nearby coal mines on the promise of more money and greater security in the form of health insurance and pensions.
One reason for the shift, residents say, was a decline in the price of tobacco, the main crop here. But the men of this village, founded three centuries ago by nomads from Central Asia, also wanted to join the rush to prosperity occurring across Turkey., They sought other things too, like better clothes and modern kitchen appliances, and better educations for their children, many of whom now study in the nearby coastal city of Izmir. They also wanted more leisure time, and the predictable — though long — hours in the coal mines afforded time for family vacations at the sea.One reason for the shift, residents say, was a decline in the price of tobacco, the main crop here. But the men of this village, founded three centuries ago by nomads from Central Asia, also wanted to join the rush to prosperity occurring across Turkey., They sought other things too, like better clothes and modern kitchen appliances, and better educations for their children, many of whom now study in the nearby coastal city of Izmir. They also wanted more leisure time, and the predictable — though long — hours in the coal mines afforded time for family vacations at the sea.
“In the past it was fine for us, but in recent years we needed more money,” said Mr. Toprak, who is the village mukhtar, an elected leader akin to a mayor, and drove the bus that took the miners to work each morning.“In the past it was fine for us, but in recent years we needed more money,” said Mr. Toprak, who is the village mukhtar, an elected leader akin to a mayor, and drove the bus that took the miners to work each morning.
On Saturday, having already buried their dead, people gathered in the village center, outside the mosque, to eat and mourn together. Young boys hurried about with platters of rice and beans and chicken, and served tea.On Saturday, having already buried their dead, people gathered in the village center, outside the mosque, to eat and mourn together. Young boys hurried about with platters of rice and beans and chicken, and served tea.
One of the mourners, a coal miner from a nearby village named Mehmet Ince, stood next to a walnut tree and a berry patch. He is a former farmer who has worked in the mines for nine years now, and has two more years until retirement.One of the mourners, a coal miner from a nearby village named Mehmet Ince, stood next to a walnut tree and a berry patch. He is a former farmer who has worked in the mines for nine years now, and has two more years until retirement.
“I am scared now; my psychology has been affected,” he said. Mr. Ince, 49, said that his bosses gave him time off after the tragedy, but that he would eventually return to work. Despite the dangers, he also considered the benefits.“I am scared now; my psychology has been affected,” he said. Mr. Ince, 49, said that his bosses gave him time off after the tragedy, but that he would eventually return to work. Despite the dangers, he also considered the benefits.
“If someone is working in the mines and he gets married, they give him time off,” he said. “If his wife has a child, they give him time off.”“If someone is working in the mines and he gets married, they give him time off,” he said. “If his wife has a child, they give him time off.”
As lifestyles changed, some rural traditions remained. Even today, if the mosque’s minaret needs repairs, someone steps forward to sell a sheep or goat to pay for them. But other things, more subtle things, have inexorably changed, since the times when farming dominated.As lifestyles changed, some rural traditions remained. Even today, if the mosque’s minaret needs repairs, someone steps forward to sell a sheep or goat to pay for them. But other things, more subtle things, have inexorably changed, since the times when farming dominated.
“Before it was more relaxed,” said Omer Bicak, 34, who works as a bus driver and whose uncle and several cousins died in the mine disaster. “People were healthier. People were happier. Then, they would spend more time with each other. Now, no one has time for each other.”“Before it was more relaxed,” said Omer Bicak, 34, who works as a bus driver and whose uncle and several cousins died in the mine disaster. “People were healthier. People were happier. Then, they would spend more time with each other. Now, no one has time for each other.”
Nearly 90 percent of the village supports Mr. Erdogan and his party, said Mr. Toprak, and few blame the government for the disaster. Many, though, blame the company, and say they long felt that safety standards at the mine were lacking. Mr. Erdogan’s government, too, has sought to put the blame on the company, and on Sunday several people, including mine executives, were arrested as part of the investigation of the disaster.Nearly 90 percent of the village supports Mr. Erdogan and his party, said Mr. Toprak, and few blame the government for the disaster. Many, though, blame the company, and say they long felt that safety standards at the mine were lacking. Mr. Erdogan’s government, too, has sought to put the blame on the company, and on Sunday several people, including mine executives, were arrested as part of the investigation of the disaster.
“We were always scared that something like this would happen,” said Fatma Toprak, 66, whose nephew died in the mine.“We were always scared that something like this would happen,” said Fatma Toprak, 66, whose nephew died in the mine.
The dead were all men, and it is the women who were left behind. To dent their pain some of them have been taking sedatives.The dead were all men, and it is the women who were left behind. To dent their pain some of them have been taking sedatives.
“It’s all these young brides and children now left alone,” said Ms. Toprak.“It’s all these young brides and children now left alone,” said Ms. Toprak.
On Saturday, Tayyibe Cakir sat near the mosque with her 3-year-old daughter and considered the loss of not just her husband but also her father.On Saturday, Tayyibe Cakir sat near the mosque with her 3-year-old daughter and considered the loss of not just her husband but also her father.
Her husband began working in the mines just a few years ago, and he hated the work, she said, but went anyway because they wanted a new, and nicer, house.Her husband began working in the mines just a few years ago, and he hated the work, she said, but went anyway because they wanted a new, and nicer, house.
The mine was so terribly hot that even in the cold of winter, she said, he asked her not to heat their home. Ms. Cakir refused to allow her daughter to see his body. The child now sleeps clutching a photo of her father.The mine was so terribly hot that even in the cold of winter, she said, he asked her not to heat their home. Ms. Cakir refused to allow her daughter to see his body. The child now sleeps clutching a photo of her father.
“We knew it was dangerous,” she said through tears, “but we were really desperate and had to continue.”“We knew it was dangerous,” she said through tears, “but we were really desperate and had to continue.”