Netherlands 23 december till 2 January, Den Haag & Amsterdam

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen
Zwarte Pad, zwarte paarden (Black path, black horses)

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen
Gevers Deynootweg

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen
Zwarte Pad, HTM Tram 9, Vrederust

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen
Zwarte Pad, HTM Tram 1, Delft Tanthof

To see more Belgium and Netherlands public transport pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622685920411/

To see more Belgium and Netherlands gurdwara pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622147381380/

More Belgium / Netherlands pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Post-NCTC, govt mollifies Mamata on Farakka barrage

Vibha Sharma, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 23. With the Farakka barrage issue threatening to become another flashpoint between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Congress-led Centre, the government today decided to set up an inquiry committee to ascertain what went wrong and where to placate its temperamental ally.

Water Resources Minister Pawan Bansal said the inquiry committee under the chairmanship of the Central Water Commission head would ascertain reasons that led to the damage of two sluice gates at the barrage, fix responsibilities for the lapse and give a detailed report in 15 days.

Banerjee, who yesterday brought to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s attention that the leakage at Farakka Barrage was letting out excess water to Bangladesh, had also demanded a high-level inquiry by the Centre.

In a letter to the PM earlier, she even alleged the Centre deliberately kept the damage to two sluice gates a secret, resulting in more water supply to Bangladesh than its share — a stance, which, after her not-so-favourable National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) posture, was threatening to worsen the relationship between the Congress and its West Bengal ally.

“It seems there is a deliberate and highly irresponsible move to keep the matter a secret.Only when the level of the Bhagirathi (in Murshidabad) started falling did we realise that something was amiss,” she had said in the letter.

While a team headed by CWC member AK Ganju is already at the site to oversee repairs, the government is planning a review of all 108 gates of the barrage to ensure that the incident is not repeated.

Admitting that the incident was indeed a “wake-up call”, officials also blame the strong presence of Trinamool Congress, Congress and Left unions at the site for the situation deteriorating to current levels. “The incident is a wake-up call. Farakka project is managed by the Centre, so the responsibility for the lapse is obvious. However, there is a complete lack of work culture due to the presence of unions. Due to the peculiar situation at Ground Zero, officials consider Farakka a punishment posting. Still, it is quite strange that no one noticed the damage or asked money for repairs,” officials say.

According to Mamata, with the sluice gate completely broken down, 80,000 cusecs of water, instead of the agreed 30,000 cusecs, was being released to the neighbouring country. This, she said, was affecting supply of drinking water, shipping movement and electricity generation.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120224/main3.htm

Dawn – Pakistan too vital to be shunned, says Clinton

London, 24 February 2012. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said after a meeting with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar here on Thursday that Pakistan was too important for her country to turn its back on.

Ms Clinton and Ms Khar spoke for an hour and a half on the sidelines of a conference on Somalia, in the first step towards thawing relations that were frozen in November when US air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

The US secretary of state said at a press conference that there would still be “ups and downs” in the relationship but that neither side could afford to shun the other.

“Building and sustaining a relationship based on mutual interest and mutual respect takes constant care and work, from both sides. I’m sure we will continue to have our ups and downs. But this relationship is simply too important to turn our back on — for both nations. And we both remain committed to continue working to improve understanding and cooperation.”

She said she had discussed with Ms Khar tackling violent extremism, supporting Afghan-led reconciliation and improving ties between their countries.

She spoke of “difficult times which I admit we are in”, adding that there had been “a lot of swirling in the air of who said what when that does not accurately reflect the state of the relationship”.

The meeting was an important chance to “keep the lines of communication open” and “the work hasn’t stopped”, she added.

Ms Clinton said she and the Pakistani foreign minister had a “constructive discussion on our common concerns” and both were committed to working to improve the strained ties. “We are continuing to do a lot of work together.”

She called for the resumption of a full range of formal contacts after Pakistan’s parliament completed a review of ties between the two countries.

Ms Clinton outlined to Ms Khar a series of steps the United States would like to see once the review was completed.

A US official said the steps included visits by top American diplomats, including the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman, Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides and the administrator of the US Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah, along with a return to trilateral talks with Afghanistan.

The official said the US would respect the parliamentary review but wanted to prepare for a return to “structured conversations” once it was completed.

US officials claimed “the foreign minister was very welcoming” when Ms Clinton told her that “we had to get ready to get back into business with Pakistan and that that was particularly important (on) areas such as counter-terrorism, working together on some of the regional questions, very much to include Afghanistan”.

“We respect the parliament’s right to consider US-Pakistan relations. We certainly respect the parliament’s right to take the time to do this in a sensible way,” an official said. (Agencies)

Anwar Iqbal in Washington adds:

The US State Department described the meeting between Hillary Clinton and Hina Rabbani Khar as ‘very positive’ and ‘constructive’.

State Department’s deputy spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing that despite a delay in finalisation of recommendations by Pakistan’s parliament, the US assistance to Pakistan had continued, as had “cooperation on many levels”.

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/pakistan-too-vital-to-be-shunned-says-clinton.html

The Tribune – Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service; A fruitless confidence building measure?

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 22. Even as the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus, launched amid much fanfare on March 24, 2006, has failed to deliver, no corrective measures are in sight to make the bus service a preferred option for passengers wishing to pay obeisance at the holy shrine in the neighbouring country.

In the last almost six years, the bus service has reduced to just a confidence building measure between the two countries with no real benefit to the people.

The service was aimed at facilitating a hassle-free ride for Sikh pilgrims to the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev. However, it never served the purpose primarily due to lack of visa centre at Amritsar and requirement of security clearance from the police for the passengers. Any passenger who wants to board the bus from Amritsar needs to undertake a 500-km journey to New Delhi to get the visa, besides taking security clearance from the police. Interestingly, the criterion for security clearance doesn’t apply to those boarding Lahore bus from New Delhi.

Though India and Pakistan governments have initiated various measures to cut the losses being accrued by the bus service, but nothing has been done to remove these two major hurdles. Many a times, the bus undertakes the journey with less than 10 passengers on board. Besides, there have also been instances when an empty bus plied on the route.

Less than a year after its launch, Pakistan proposed to club the two bus services, Amritsar-Lahore and Amritsar-Nankana Sahib, in January 2007 to cut the losses. Subsequently, the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus started taking a halt at Lahore from February 2008. At present, the bus plies from Amritsar to Lahore on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, while it travels to Nankana Sahib every Friday with a halt at Lahore.

Last year only, distressed over heavy losses incurred in running the bus on a lease basis, the state government had introduced its own buses on the route. The bus, having a price tag of Rs 78 lakh, was purchased by the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC). Prior to it, the state government had hired a Volvo bus from Ludhiana-based Libra transport company for Rs 1.7 lakh per month. The state exchequer had suffered a financial dent of around Rs 1.5 crore on this count from 2006 to 2011.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120223/punjab.htm#12

The Tribune – Status of mercy plea petitions; Submit details in 3 days, SC tells states

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, February 22. The Supreme Court today set a stiff three-day deadline for the states to provide details of the mercy petitions of death row convicts pending with Governors for a decision on whether they should be hanged or kept behind bars for life.

A Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhaya passed the order while hearing the plea of Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, sentenced to death for the 1993 bomb attack on the then Youth Congress president MS Bitta, for commuting his sentence in view of the over 10 years of delay in rejecting his mercy plea.

The Bench had sought details of the mercy petitions to ascertain the reasons for the delay and decide whether the affected convicts were entitled to commutation in view of the years spent in jail, agonizingly waiting for a decision on their mercy pleas.

Earlier, the apex court had expressed its displeasure over the fact that some of the death row convicts were able to get political or community support for their pleas, while others suffered in silence.

Listing Bhullar’s case for next hearing on March 1, the Bench clarified that the Home Secretaries of the states were responsible for providing the details.

The Bench is simultaneously hearing a case relating to three convicts – Santhan, Murugan and Arivu – sentenced to death for their involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120223/punjab.htm#1

The Asian Age – Italy moves Kerala HC to quash FIR

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi. 23 February 2012. Amidst a deepening row between India and Italy, New Delhi has once again asserted that the law of the land will take its course in the case involving two Italian Marines, who allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen last week. The Marines mistook the fishermen from Kerala for pirates as their boat approached Italian merchant vessel Enrica Lexie on which they were stationed.

The firm stand on Indian law prevailing was repeated once again both by the Centre and the Kerala government. Union minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur told Italian deputy foreign minister Steffan de Mistura as much when he met her here on Wednesday for over an hour.

Mr Mistura, who has been rushed to India following the arrest of the two Marines after they were charged with murder, reached Kochi later in the day. In the capital, he told reporters that “we want truth to prevail”. He said the truth will help us in finding a proper way to handle the matter.

With India and Italy in a tussle over which country’s law should prevail in dealing with the incident and Mr Mistura contending that there was “agreement on three points”, Ms Kaur said, “The only agreement is that the law will take its own course….. As far as the law point is concerned, they have their interpretations and we have our interpretations.”

In Kerala, where public sentiment against the killings is high, chief minister Oommen Chandy said on Wednesday, “the government’s stand is it will proceed with the investigation. It is the right and power of the state.”

In the meantime, the Italian government, which is trying to leave no stone unturned to “rescue” the arrested duo, also moved the Kerala high court on Wednesday seeking the quashing of the murder charges against the Marines. In yet another development in this case, a Kerala court directed the owners of Enrica Lexie to furnish 25 lakh as bank guarantee after the family of one of the dead fishermen moved a petition seeking 1 crore as compensation. It also directed that the ship should not be allowed to leave port until this guarantee is deposited.

Speaking for his government, Mr Mistura said the “tragic incident needs to be analysed properly and we can continue having a proper dialogue about finding a solution to it”. After his meeting, he said there was agreement on three points — the Italian government was “terribly sad” over the deaths, the incident took place in international waters and that the probe “will assert the exact position”.

http://www.asianage.com/india/italy-moves-kerala-hc-quash-fir-927

Netherlands 23 december till 2 January, Den Haag & Amsterdam [23/02]

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen, Zwarte Pad
Citroen Deux Chevauz

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen, Zwarte Pad
Zwarte Pad, zwarte paarden (Black Path/Black Horses)

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen, Zwarte Pad
Zwarte Pad, zwarte paarden (Black Path/Black Horses)

26 December, Den Haag, Scheveningen, Zwarte Pad
Dunes

To see more Belgium and Netherlands public transport pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622685920411/

To see more Belgium and Netherlands gurdwara pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622147381380/

More Belgium / Netherlands pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Put NCTC move on hold, Mamata tells Manmohan; PC told to address states’ concerns: PM

Anita Katyal, Our Political Correspondent

New Delhi, February 22. After writing a strong protest letter, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the creation of the proposed anti-terror body should be put on hold till the Centre completes its consultation with the chief ministers who have raised objections on this issue.

Emerging from a meeting with the Prime Minister at his residence this evening, Mamata Banerjee told media persons that she had conveyed her concerns about the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre which is to become operational from March 1 as she firmly believes it will disturb the federal structure of the country.

Urging the Centre to respect the rights of the states, the TMC chief said the executive order sanctioning the NCTC should be suspended.

Referring to the PM’s contention that the proposal for a joint intelligence force was actually cleared by the NDA regime in 2001, Mamata queried, “Where was the need to implement the recommendation of 2001 after 11 years.”

Mamata said she had also expressed her apprehension that the NCTC would have overarching powers to arrest anybody without the prior consent of a state government.

An official statement put out by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after the meeting said the PM assured the Chief Minister that he had requested Home Minister P.Chidambaram to find ways to take the concerns of the state governments on board on the issue of the NCTC.

Mamata had raised strong objections to the creation of the NCTC in separate letters to the Prime Minister last week on the plea that it would violate the principles of federalism and infringe on the rights of state governments. Among those who opposed the anti-terror body included non-UPA CMs of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Tripura, Uttarakhand and MP.

However, the Centre’s troubles mounted when key allies – the Trinamool Congress and subsequently, the National Conference – also criticised the Centre’s move.

This is not the first time that the UPA ally has joined hands with the Opposition in objecting to the government’s policies.

Mamata had supported the BJP in opposing the FDI in retail trade and had again sided with it in blocking the Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

The Prime Minister had written to the chief ministers yesterday and assured them that the powers of state governments would not be encroached upon and that the Home Minister would consult them before the Centre formally notifies the NCTC on March 1.

In forming the NCTC, it is not the government’s intent in any way to affect the basic features of the Constitutional provisions and allocation of powers between the states and the Union, the PM had underlined.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120223/main4.htm

BBC News – Thousands of ‘ignored’ Afghans ‘struggle to survive’

Thursday, 23 February 2012. About 500,000 Afghans displaced by war are struggling to survive and are ignored by their government and foreign donors, Amnesty International says.

A report by the human rights group says that at least 28 children have died in harsh winter conditions in camps around the capital Kabul.

It says that the government estimates that more than 40 people have frozen to death in camps across the country.

The Afghan government has so far not commented on the details of the report.

“Thousands of people are finding themselves living in freezing, cramped conditions and on the brink of starvation, while the Afghan government is not only looking the other way but even preventing help from reaching them,” said Amnesty Afghanistan researcher Horia Mosadiq.

“Local officials restrict aid efforts because they want to pretend that these people are going to go away. This is a largely hidden but horrific humanitarian and human rights crisis.”

The report, entitled – Fleeing war, finding misery: The plight of the internally displaced in Afghanistan – says that there are up to 35,000 displaced persons in 30 slum areas in Kabul alone.

It says that most slum residents fled their homes to escape conflict which has spread to parts of the country previously considered peaceful.

Civilian deaths have increased every year since 2007, the report states.

It calls on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes by all parties to the conflict.

The report also call on international donors – which it says fund over 90% of Afghanistan’s total public expenditure – to ensure that their humanitarian assistance addresses the needs of internally displaced people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17128669