For Iraq

BY AHMET TAN
AKSAM- Three Turkish truck drivers were killed in Iraq yesterday. One of them was executed cruelly, the other was shot in his car and the last one died in the hospital where he was treated. They all went to Iraq for a modest living only. 35-year-old driver Ismail Karaboga from Sanliurfa was shot in Iraq almost 20 days ago but he was saved in an injured situation. He wasn’t as ill fated as other drivers. Following the first medical attention, he was sent to Sanliurfa and he underwent an operation. When he could recover a little, he addressed bureaucrats, saying, ‘Either ensure our lives’ safety, or close the borders for trucks.’ These words didn’t reach Ankara. If Ankara could have heard him, maybe his colleagues wouldn’t have died.
Families of truck drivers who died yesterday are waiting for the victims’ corpses. Meanwhile, families of truck drivers who work in Iraq and those who are preparing for working in Iraq expect determined and serious steps from Ankara. Turkish trucks’ passage to Iraq without ensuring certain guarantees should be prevented. This guaranty is firstly the protection of truck drivers’ lives. Truck drivers who live in southeastern Anatolia go to Iraq to work for very low salaries and without a security due to the unemployment in the region. A state’s most important duty is to protect its citizens’ life safety. In addition, certain firms which work with Iraq have to fulfill certain commitments and poor truck drivers shouldn’t be left to the cruel arms of free competition. Truck drivers should have a life insurance, their families should be paid compensation, the future of their wives and children should be taken under guarantee and if necessary, special guards should accompany these drivers. Mr. Karaboga listed these measures. I’m sure our officials have or should have more radical measures to add to them.