Soma accident not fate, says top cleric


ANKARA — Mehmet Görmez, head of tha Presidency of Religious Affairs, Turkey's top religious authority, delivered a sermon after Friday prayers in Ankara, with special focus on the Soma mining accident. Görmez said the accident could not be seen as fate, and called for all those responsible to be punished."People who left this world in the mine taught us two lessons: It is sacred to earn a living with honest means and by laboring, and it is a great evil to exploit the labor, to violate people's rights," Görmez said in his sermon. "Muslims are required to be aware of their responsibilities and they are obliged to take precaution in jobs risky for human health. Fate and mortality do not mean that humankind is free to ignore their responsibility and free to neglect his or her duties.As our Prophet [Muhammad] said, Muslims do their work 'to the best of their ability and in an infallible manner,' " Görmez said, apparently in reference to officials responsible for the operation and inspection of the mine.