Advertise On EU-Digest

Annual Advertising Rates

5/17/14

Turkey: Crazy Erdogan? Turkey's PM Loses his Grip

The Turkish Medical Association may have been right when it announced it was "terribly worried … about the emotional well-being of [Turkish] Prime Minister Erdogan." (March 16) (Image: WAFF)

The PM reinforced the medical opinion when he broke from reality in his remarks on the major mine disaster in Soma, Turkey. Erdogan casually dismissed the tragedy of the 282 dead miners.
"I went back in British history. Some 204 people died there after a mine collapsed in 1838. In 1866, 361 miners died in Britain. In an explosion in 1894, 290 people died there. Take America with all of its technology and everything ... In 1907, 361 [miners died there]. These are usual things.” PM Erdogan, Soma, May 14, 2014
Erdogan made this statement while over a 100 miners remained trapped in the collapsed mine.

Instead of consoling the survivors, their families, and friends, the PM reduced the deaths to a numerical equation. By Erdogan's logic, since the historical incidents cited all had more deaths, the Soma losses of 201 (at the time he spoke) were in the normal range; "usual things," as the PM said.

It got worse. On the same day, May 14, Erdogan and his entourage dished out more disrespect for the miners and their community.

Read more: Crazy Erdogan? Turkey's PM Loses his Grip

No comments: