Protest at Spain's lower house headquarters denounces neglect over Adamuz and Valencia 'dana' tragedies

Heavy silence fell over Plaza de las Cortes in Madrid on Wednesday, 15 April. At the gates of Congreso, 46 empty chairs represented the victims of the Adamuz train accident. United by the cry for "justice and truth", the protesters denounced institutional neglect and demanded the immediate creation of an independent commission of inquiry, directly blaming the Ministry of Transport for the lack of safety measures.

The tragedy claimed 46 lives 87 days ago. The causes are still under investigation. The deceased's loved ones and accident victims took their outrage to the steps of the lower house to criticise a "series of irresponsible actions" that they consider entirely avoidable.

The victims directly accuse Minister of Transport Óscar Puente and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for the accident, demanding resignations and political dignity in the face of what they describe as a railway system that "is not safe".

Their manifesto criticises the lack of network oversight (one of the hypotheses the Guardia Civil and the rail accident committee are investigating), the lack of coordination in initial assistance, the "delay" with which the emergency services provided support on the night of the accident and the use of victims as a "political weapon" in parliamentary debates, stating that the quality of democracy is defined by how the state treats those whose lives have been cut short.

The manifesto accuses Puente of knowing that the safety system is incapable of detecting serious anomalies at speeds exceeding 206km/h, turning the trains into "ghost trains" in the eyes of the government.

The protesters state they will not accept being treated as "cases to be closed" by insurance companies and warn that they will remain united "above and beyond ideologies" until politicians assume responsibility. The manifesto ends with harsh criticism that declares the politicians "dangerous".

Under the slogan "don't turn the page", groups representing the victims of the 'dana' storm and the subsequent flood in Valencia joined the Adamuz protesters on Wednesday. Their aim was to create a mutual support network and denounce the "institutional neglect" they have suffered since the flooding struck the region of Valencia on 29 October 2014.

Spokespeople for the main victims' associations, strongly criticise head of the opposition Alberto Núñez Feijóo and former president of the regional government of Valencia Carlos Mazón. They condemn the fact that Mazón, who has resigned from his post, still recieves parliamentary immunity.

 "They have never cared about the victims," the representatives state.

Victims' associations have also met with the various political groups that have promoted the commission of inquiry to try to clarify what happened, demanding a real commitment to people's safety and measures adapted to climate change. Those affected feel "neglected" in the face of the possibility of similar incidents recurring and are seeking firm political commitment.