Operation Safe Homecoming

Operation ‘Safe Homecoming’ gets underway – update # 1 of 27 Feb.
Over 530 Indian nationals have arrived home safely from Tripoli in two Air India flights, the second of which landed in the wee hours of the morning today. They are all in good health and cheer. The passengers included a large number of women and children.
The Indian nationals were greeted on arrival by the Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. E Ahamed, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, Secretary MOIA Didar Singh, senior officials of various central Ministries and state governments. Ten state governments have set up help desks at Terminal 2 to assist with food, accommodation, medical check up, transport and further travel arrangements of the passengers to their final destinations. All these facilities are being made available free of charge.
Terminal 2 was reactivated in just 24 hours by DIAL (Delhi International Airport) for the returnees from Libya and will be operational exclusively for handling all future dedicated flights. All concerned Ministries, Central Agencies, and State Governments have worked closely to put the reception arrangements in place, including the security agencies, BCAS (Bureau Civil Aviation Security) and CISF (Central Industrial Security Force).
Last evening, 88 persons have crossed over by road from Libya to Ras Jedir (Tunisia). They were received by officials of Embassy of India, Tunis, who have set up a camp there. All 88, who work for Punj Lloyd, have since been housed in ‘Best Hotel’ in Djerba (Tunisia), from where they are likely to be flown back to India soon. Another 170 persons are likely to reach Ras Jedir today.
Particulars of Embassy officials manning the Ras Jedir camp:
 Counsellor Balachandran Nair +216 9833 3403
 Vijay Khanna + 216 2496 2800 

Contact particulars of Ambassador P.S. Randhawa in Tunis:

 Tel: + 216-71-781229
 Fax: + 216-71-281189
 Email: amb.tunis@mea.gov.in

Government of India has charted a second passenger ship LA SUPERBA with a capacity of 1600. It is presently berthed in Sicily (Italy) and ready to sail to Libya as soon as port preparations are completed.

MV Scotia Prince set sail from Port Said (Egypt) at 2200hrs on 26th Feb and is reaching Benghazi (Libya) tomorrow, 28th February.

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India To Evacuate Citizens From Libya By Air, Sea

The Indian government has issues the following press release:

“In view of the sharp and unprecedented deterioration in the situation inside Libya, the Government has decided to immediately commence evacuation operations for our citizens in that country. Evacuation is being arranged by sea and air. Government has chartered a passenger ferry with capacity to seat 1200 persons for this purpose. The ship, “Scotia Prince” is already in Egypt and readying for sail to Benghazi which will be the initial focus of the evacuation operations. MEA personnel and medical team will be on board to assist the evacuees.

SCOTIA PRINCE is expected to reach Benghazi by the 27th and bring back at least 1200 persons to Alexandria (Egypt) by 1st March 2011. They would be flown home from Alexandria thereafter, by special Air India flights, which are being arranged.
In Tripoli the focus will be on air evacuation. Aircraft are on stand by for this purpose. Libyan landing clearance is awaited and should be received soon. Preparations are also in hand for evacuation of our nationals from cities in the interior where air access is possible subject to Libyan clearance. Indian companies, many of them working in Libya for decades have also offered to work with our Embassy in Tripoli in facilitating evacuation. Ministry of External Affairs is coordinating closely with other Ministries including Defence, Overseas Indian Affairs and Shipping in making evacuation arrangements. Round the clock situation rooms in MEA and our Mission in Tripoli are functioning smoothly and addressing queries from families of our citizens in Libya. Our Embassies in Egypt and Tunisia are also alert to the situation and extending all assistance.

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Obama’s ‘3 a.m. Call’ Moment And How He Completely Murdered It!

State Dining Room

6:33 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Good evening, everybody.  My administration has been closely monitoring the situation in Egypt, and I know that we will be learning more tomorrow when day breaks.  As the situation continues to unfold, our first concern is preventing injury or loss of life.  So I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors.

The people of Egypt have rights that are universal.  That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny.  These are human rights.  And the United States will stand up for them everywhere.

I also call upon the Egyptian government to reverse the actions that they’ve taken to interfere with access to the Internet, to cell phone service and to social networks that do so much to connect people in the 21st century.

At the same time, those protesting in the streets have a responsibility to express themselves peacefully.  Violence and destruction will not lead to the reforms that they seek.

Now, going forward, this moment of volatility has to be turned into a moment of promise.  The United States has a close partnership with Egypt and we’ve cooperated on many issues, including working together to advance a more peaceful region.  But we’ve also been clear that there must be reform — political, social, and economic reforms that meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people.

In the absence of these reforms, grievances have built up over time.  When President Mubarak addressed the Egyptian people tonight, he pledged a better democracy and greater economic opportunity.  I just spoke to him after his speech and I told him he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise.

Violence will not address the grievances of the Egyptian people.  And suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away.  What’s needed right now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people:  a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens, and a path of political change that leads to a future of greater freedom and greater opportunity and justice for the Egyptian people.

Now, ultimately the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people.  And I believe that the Egyptian people want the same things that we all want — a better life for ourselves and our children, and a government that is fair and just and responsive.  Put simply, the Egyptian people want a future that befits the heirs to a great and ancient civilization.

The United States always will be a partner in pursuit of that future.  And we are committed to working with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people — all quarters — to achieve it.

Around the world governments have an obligation to respond to their citizens.  That’s true here in the United States; that’s true in Asia; it is true in Europe; it is true in Africa; and it’s certainly true in the Arab world, where a new generation of citizens has the right to be heard.

When I was in Cairo, shortly after I was elected President, I said that all governments must maintain power through consent, not coercion.  That is the single standard by which the people of Egypt will achieve the future they deserve.

Surely there will be difficult days to come.  But the United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free, and more hopeful.

Thank you very much.