Inspectors Paid By Mining Companies - Soma

"This faculty is occupied," reads a huge banner hanging from the mining department of an Istanbul university, where Turkish students have been holding all-night vigils over a devastating mine disaster that claimed over 300 lives.

What started as a small protest against the prestigious Istanbul Technical University's links with the company that operates the mine in the western town of Soma evolved into a full-fledged occupation on Friday after around 1,000 students chained the doors shut.

The occupation has already born some fruit, with the university announcing it would cut ties with the Soma Komur mining company, which used to have employees on the faculty's advisory board. But that is not enough for the students.

"The faculty is complicit in the deaths of the miners. The mining company delivered a seminar here two weeks before the disaster. We will not leave this building until those responsible are brought to account,"

"We won't be engineers of the murderers. We will be the engineers of the people," reads one piece of graffiti.

Another reads: "The fire of Soma will burn the AKP," referring to the ruling Justice and Development Party.

The middle class of Istanbul can feel far removed from the vast hinterland of Turkey, but this disaster has generated a broad outpouring of anger against officials and the government, who stand accused of negligence over lax safety standards and a heartless response to the country's worst ever industrial disaster.

Both Soma Komur and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have denied any responsibility.

But experts have cast doubt over the objectivity of the ongoing investigation into the disaster, since the inspectors are paid by mining companies.

Mehmet Torun, a former head of the Chamber of Mining Engineers in Soma, told AFP there was a lack of reliable risk assessment in the sector.

"The problem is, inspectors assessing risks in these mines are not independent," he said.

It's a fear shared by the students at Istanbul Technical University.

The disaster triggered violent street protests in several towns and cities against Erdogan, who is already beset by a corruption scandal implicating his key allies.

They came two weeks before the one-year anniversary of nationwide anti-government demonstrations that killed eight people and wounded 8,000 others.

In the university, fresh protests are being planned.

"We will be on the streets on May 31"

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