Category: Human Rights

Cruise Ship Leaves 80-Year-Old Woman Behind, Daughter Seeks Answers

Staff ReporterLaw/Legal, Human Rights 0

Family members are calling for a coronial inquest after an 80-year-old woman was allegedly left behind by her cruise ship on a remote Australian island, leading to her death.

The family of an 80-year-old woman who was found dead after allegedly being abandoned by her cruise ship is demanding a coronial inquest into her death. They describe the incident as “a failure of care and common sense.” Suzanne Rees was on a luxury 60-day cruise in Australia when she was reported missing on Saturday night. Her body was discovered the following day.

Rees was last seen participating in a group hiking tour on Lizard Island, located approximately 200 miles north of Cairns. According to reports, she did not return to the Coral Adventurer cruise ship, which departed the island around 6 p.m. on Saturday. Witnesses indicated that they heard radio commotion and observed the ship returning to the island via a vessel tracker.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which serves as the national maritime safety regulator, confirmed it was notified of the incident by the cruise ship around 10 p.m. local time on Saturday. Following this notification, AMSA initiated a response and began assisting Queensland Police in the search for Rees.

An AMSA spokesperson stated that they are working closely with Queensland authorities, including Queensland Police and WorkSafe Queensland. “AMSA will make an assessment as to whether there was any non-compliance associated with the passenger not being counted onto the ship and, if necessary, will take action to address them,” the spokesperson said. “AMSA intends to conduct inquiries on board the vessel when it arrives in Darwin. We are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding why the passenger may not have been accounted for during boarding. AMSA offers its condolences to the family and loved ones of the person who has passed. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”

Katherine, Rees’ daughter, expressed her frustration in an interview with ABC Australia, stating, “From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense.” She added that, according to police, it was a particularly hot day, and her mother felt unwell during the hike. Rees was reportedly advised to descend the hill without an escort, after which the ship left the island without conducting a passenger count.

The family is seeking answers regarding whether Rees’ death could have been prevented. The Coroner’s Court of Queensland has confirmed that her death has been referred for investigation. Once the coroner’s investigation is complete, a decision will be made regarding the potential for a formal inquest into the circumstances surrounding her death.

AMSA has not provided specific details about the timing of the vessel’s arrival or the next steps in the investigation, as it remains active. Mark Fifield, CEO of Coral Expeditions, expressed condolences to Rees’ family, stating, “The Coral team have been in contact with the woman’s family, and we will continue to offer support to them through this difficult process. While investigations into the incident are continuing, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred and are offering our full support to the woman’s family.”

The operation of the cruise ship is regulated under the Australian Navigation Act 2012 and relevant workplace laws, according to AMSA. The tragic incident has raised serious questions about passenger safety and the protocols in place to ensure that all individuals are accounted for during excursions.

Source: Original article

Tibet’s Struggle for Identity: 75 Years After Occupation

Staff ReporterGlobal, Human Rights 0

Seventy-five years after the Chinese invasion, Tibet remains under siege but unbroken, as Tibetans worldwide reflect on the events of October 7, 1950.

BEIJING – Seventy-five years after the Chinese invasion, Tibet continues to endure under oppressive circumstances, yet remains resilient. This sentiment was echoed in a report released on October 8, as Tibetans across the globe commemorated the events of October 7, 1950. On that day, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China entered Tibet’s eastern province of Kham, marking the beginning of what many describe as occupation rather than liberation.

The report from the Tibet Rights Collective vividly described the invasion, stating, “Tibet’s mountains were shaken when eighty thousand Chinese troops descended upon the plateau like a dark wave, overpowering the 8,000-strong Tibetan army defending their homeland. It was a day an ancient, peaceful civilization was invaded, silenced, and scarred.”

In 1951, the Seventeen-Point Agreement was signed under duress, promising Tibet autonomy, religious freedom, and dignity. However, the report asserts that “China promised peace — and delivered chains.” Over the decades, the consequences of this agreement have been dire, with more than 6,000 monasteries destroyed, scriptures burned, and countless monks imprisoned. The report lamented, “The world stayed silent — but the mountains remembered.”

Today, nearly one million Tibetan children are reportedly held in Chinese state-run boarding schools, separated from their families, monasteries, and cultural heritage. In these sterile environments, the Tibetan language has been replaced by Mandarin, and party slogans have supplanted compassion. As a result, many children grow up unable to communicate with their grandparents, leading to a profound estrangement from their own identity.

The report also referenced a 2025 study titled “Weaponizing Big Data: Decoding China’s Digital Surveillance in Tibet,” which outlines how biometric data, DNA, and facial recognition technologies are utilized by Beijing to implement predictive policing. This system aims to suppress dissent even before it is articulated.

The United Nations has characterized these actions as cultural erasure, with the clear objective of raising a generation that views Tibet not as their homeland, but as merely a “region of China.” The report emphasized that this is not education; it is a form of assimilation, contributing to the gradual erasure of an entire civilization, one child at a time.

Furthermore, the report highlighted the environmental impact of Chinese policies on the Tibetan Plateau, often referred to as the Third Pole. It noted that the region is melting under the pressures of militarization and exploitation. China’s dam projects on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River pose significant threats to the water lifeline of South and Southeast Asia.

Despite these challenges, the Tibetan diaspora, spanning from India to Europe and the United States, continues to raise awareness about the situation. The report concluded with a powerful reminder: “You can occupy a country, but not its conscience.”

As the world reflects on the 75th anniversary of the invasion, it is evident that while Beijing may control the land, the spirit of Tibet lives on in those who refuse to forget.

Source: Original article

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