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Manifestation In Berlin: In Solidarity With Demonstrators In Columbia

GERMANY. Berlin: The uncalm situation in Berlin in May will continue for a while. Following the May Day rallies, on 5 May, a manifestation arranged by the Colombian community started from the Columbia Embassy at Taubenstrasse.

The long queues did not stop the people from matching in the rain and wind, as they solidarily marched to the Bradenburg Tor, an iconic 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin. 

Unlike the May Day protesters who threw bottles, firecrackers, and stones at police in the Neukölln neighborhood, people in the manifestation were more peaceful. They made statements in their way: Colombia flags, mottos that “#SOSColombia”, “Resiste Columbia”, and music and dance. Some people even reminded people to keep social distance by opening their arms. But this is quite difficult in the protest.

Read also: Drug Overdose Deaths Spike In British Columbia Amid COVID-19

The Colombian government recently attempted to introduce a set of tax and health care reforms. The tax reform would debilitate the already weakened middle and lower classes. The health care reform aims to privatize the sector in the middle of the pandemic.

Under the rising discontent, anxiety, and sadness, the outrage towards the Colombian police and authorities was mainly triggered by the human rights violations by the armed forces during the general strike in Columbia where 24 people were killed while another 142 were injured. Nine victims of sexual harassment were recorded, and another 176 were in arbitrary detention according to Columbia NGOs. 

The Berlin manifestation was in solidarity with the protests in Columbia. The bad weather did not stop the queue from marching. People from other Latin American countries also joined the demonstration. 

Cruises Suspended During Pandemic, Leaving Crew To Search For New Work

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INDONESIA. Ary was a cleaning crew on a cruise ship when more than 2,000 passengers disembarked from San Diego in March. “We are doing a temperature check every day, washing hands often, wearing N95 masks every time outside the cabin, sanitizing all around the ship including inside our cabins,” he said in an interview with Transcontinental Times from Manila Bay.

Swimming pool on Ary’s ship. Photo Credit: Yiyao Yang


After an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Diamond Princess cruise ship on 3 and 9 February 2020, with 172 passengers and crew testing positive, crew members are now required to follow a very strict sanitation plan onboard. These added sanitation measures became a burden, given that the workload is already high for crew members. The more luxurious the cruise, the better service they have to provide, which means more safety precautions.

The ship became empty when all cruises ceased as a result of the pandemic.

Read also: World Maritime Day 2020: Theme, Significance, History, And Quotes To Honor Sailors

Social distancing had to be obeyed everywhere at all times. “Only two people at the same time are allowed inside one elevator,” Ary said.

The cruise ship was sailing to Manila and then to Indonesia, the home of Ary. However, he said that he would have rather stayed on board. “I feel safe here.”

The view from Ary’s ship. Photo Credit: Yiyao Yang

While the cruise industry hosts approximately 93% Caucasians according to the statistics provided by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), on most cruise ships, the crew are from a range of lower-wage countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. Many of them work to support their families in their native countries.

The ship docked in Indonesia, and Ary and his coworkers got tested and immediately quarantined in a hotel. His test was negative, so he left the “isolated and safe” ship for his hometown. “I will try to find some other jobs while waiting for the next contract,” he said. No one knows when the next contracts will come leaving both the ships and the crew land-bound, for now.