SRI LANKA TRAVEL WARNINGUK PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT1 June 2006 Sri Lanka
SUMMARY- We advise against all travel to the north or east of Sri Lanka. If you are in the north or east, you should leave. For the purpose of this travel advice we consider the north to be all areas north of the A12 road (which runs from Puttalam in the west to Trincomalee in the east) including the Jaffna peninsula; and we consider the east to be the districts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, as well as coastal areas of Ampara district north of Pottuvil and east of the A25 and A27 roads.
- There are reports of continuing fighting between the Sri Lanka government forces and the Liberation Tigers Eelam (LTTE) throughout the north and east. This has included the use of ground forces, artillery fire, mines, air and naval attacks. Further fighting could occur with little or no warning.
- There is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka and a risk of British nationals and other foreigners becoming indiscriminately caught up in attacks. Terrorist attacks have also taken place in central and southern Sri Lanka in or close to areas and travel routes popular with tourists. Please see the Terrorism section of this travel advice for more details.
- You should follow local developments closely, be aware of your surroundings and alert to changing situations. You are strongly advised to comply with government and security force instructions. Avoid large gatherings particularly political meetings or demonstrations.
- We strongly recommend that all British nationals who are resident and/or working in Sri Lanka, or visiting for over one month, should register with the British High Commission in Colombo.
- About 90,000 British nationals visit Sri Lanka each year. The main type of incident for which British nationals require consular assistance in Sri Lanka is for replacing lost or stolen passports and ill health.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.
SAFETY AND SECURITYTerrorism There is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka. Terrorist attacks against government and civilian targets have taken place throughout the country, including in areas and on travel routes popular with tourists. There is a continuing risk of British nationals becoming indiscriminately caught up in terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE "the Tamil Tigers") are engaged in a long running armed insurgency against the Sri Lankan authorities. They have carried out a significant number of terrorist attacks including against civilian targets. In March and April 2007, the LTTE used light aircraft to attack the military area of Bandaranaike International Airport and targets in the Colombo area. There was widespread disruption in Colombo City and at the airport as a result. The Sri Lankan government has cancelled night flights to or from Bandaranaike International Airport between 2230 and 0430. You should check with your airline or travel agent for the latest information about flight schedules. On 28 May 2007, a bomb attack on a vehicle transporting members of the security forces killed and injured civilians in Ratmalana, a suburb of Colombo. This follows a similar attack on 24 May, on a bus carrying naval personnel on a civilian road near Colombo's port. In April 2007, a civilian bus was attacked in Ampara District, killing at least 15 people. Two civilian buses were attacked in January killing more than 20 people and injuring many others: one about 20 miles east of Colombo on the road to Kandy and the other near the town of Hikkaduwa. In December 2006, a suicide attack against a senior government official in central Colombo, killed two and injured 15 people. In October 2006, attacks occurred on the Dambulla-Habarana highway (about 10 km from the Habarana resorts) and in the port of Galle. You should avoid military bases and buildings, which have frequently been the target of attacks. Crime Violent crimes against foreigners are relatively infrequent, although there have been reports of sexual offences and muggings. When travelling around Sri Lanka, you should make arrangements through reputable travel companies (such as those identified in your guidebook or local listings information) and exercise appropriate caution. Women should take care when travelling alone. There has been an increase in the number of reported thefts from hotels and guesthouses. You should take sensible precautions to safeguard your valuables, especially passports and money. There are reports of credit card fraud. Political Situation There is political violence throughout the north and east of Sri Lanka, with attacks on the security forces and violence between different armed groups (also see the Terrorism section of this travel advice). There is heightened security, including in Colombo and southern Sri Lanka and the security forces are a visible presence. Road checkpoints are increasingly common. The government of Sri Lanka's security legislation provides wide-ranging discretionary powers, which have recently been strengthened. There have been detentions, particularly of people of Tamil ethnicity. You should ensure that you carry some form of identification with you at all times. If you are a British national and are detained, you should ask the authorities to contact the British High Commission. You are strongly advised to comply with government and security force instructions. There have been a number of "hartals" (widely-enforced general strikes) and curfews in the north and east. You should avoid political gatherings or demonstrations. You should also avoid military bases and buildings, which have been the most frequent target of attacks. You should follow local developments closely, be aware of your surroundings and alert to changing situations. Local Travel We advise against all travel to the north or east of Sri Lanka. For the purposes of this travel advice we consider the north to be, all areas north of the A12 road (which runs from Puttalam in the west to Trincomalee in the east), including the Jaffna peninsula. We consider the east to be the districts of Trincomalee Batticaloa, as well as coastal areas of Ampara district north of Pottuvil, and east of the A25 and A27 roads. Commercial flights in and out of Jaffna are not operating on a regular basis. The A9 road, which runs east from Jaffna, is closed. There has been civil unrest in the east, including in Pottuvil, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. There are reports of heavy fighting throughout the north and east. This has included the use of ground forces, artillery fire, mines, air and naval attacks. Further fighting could occur with little or no warning. Much of the north and east of Sri Lanka remains heavily land-mined, particularly around the A9 road from Vavuniya to Jaffna. Travel off main roads should be avoided. Always take notice of signs warning about the danger from landmines and do not step off metalled roads. Road Safety You should be prepared for the unexpected. Erratic driving and bad road conditions contribute to frequent traffic accidents, often involving pedestrians. Buses are generally badly maintained and bus drivers often have little or no training. Bus crashes are a regular occurrence. In April 2005, 35 bus passengers were killed when a train hit a bus after the bus driver ignored a level crossing signal. Alternative forms of transport should be used where possible. Taxis and hire cars are inexpensive in Colombo and tourist areas. Motorised rickshaws are readily available for hire in towns and villages, and most drivers are reliable. However, you should exercise caution, for example by changing to a different rickshaw if you have any concerns about the driver or standard of driving. Women, in particular, should be wary of travelling on their own in a rickshaw at night. You should comply with instructions at all roadblocks and security checks. Rail Safety There have been a number of derailments affecting both tourist trains and commuter trains. Sea Safety There have been attacks against ships in and around Sri Lankan waters. Mariners are advised to take appropriate precautions. The coastline and adjacent territorial sea of the Trincomalee, Mullaittivu, Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mannar administrative districts in the north and east have been declared restricted zones by the Sri Lankan authorities and should be avoided. The Sri Lankan navy has fired on unauthorised ships in these areas. Entry into Sri Lankan waters, at any point, requires prior permission. LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMSYou are subject to local laws in Sri Lanka and violating them may result in a jail sentence. There are severe penalties for all drug offences and crimes related to the abuse of children. Convicted offenders may face lengthy jail sentences. Foreign nationals have been detained by the police after taking photographs of buildings or vehicles used by VIPs. Use of video and/or photography is prohibited near military bases and government buildings. Same sex relations are illegal. Although Sri Lankan attitudes to informal European styles of dress are generally relaxed, you should consider religious and other sensibilities. Do not enter a Buddhist temple wearing headgear or with bare legs or shoulders and always remove footwear. You should avoid posing for photographs standing in front of a statue of the Buddha. Nude or topless sun-bathing is generally not allowed. You can be fined if you ignore instructions not to smoke or drink in public. ENTRY REQUIREMENTSVisas are required for Sri Lanka. If you are a British national visiting for tourism for 30 days or less, you can obtain a visa on arrival, but this cannot be extended. If you stay longer than your visa allows, you are liable to a fine and possible detention. All other visas, including for those undertaking voluntary activity and paid or unpaid work, should be obtained at a Sri Lankan High Commission/Embassy before you travel. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your intended stay. Please contact your nearest Sri Lankan diplomatic representation for the latest information. HEALTHWe strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Emergency medical treatment is not easily available outside main cities, and you may have to be brought to Colombo for treatment. Medical facilities are not always of a standard expected in the UK, particularly outside Colombo. Treatment in private hospitals can be expensive and the options for repatriation to the UK or neighbouring countries in an emergency are limited and very expensive. Dengue fever, Chikungunya and malaria - serious mosquito borne diseases - occur in Sri Lanka. More than three-quarters of British travellers who contracted malaria in 2005 did not take preventive measures, such as malaria prevention tablets. However, malaria can occur despite appropriate prevention, and therefore you should promptly seek medical care in the event of a fever or flu-like illness in country or in the first year following your return from travelling to a malaria risk country. Before travelling you should seek medical advice about the malaria risk in Sri Lanka. There are no medicines to prevent Dengue fever or Chikungunya. It is, therefore, important that you should take precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes while in Sri Lanka. Further information about insect bite avoidance can be found on the National Health Travel Health Network and Centre at: http://www.nathnac.org/travel/misc/travellers_mos.htm. You should seek medical advice before travelling and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on health, check the Department of Health's website at: www.dh.gov.uk. Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) There have been no reported cases of Avian Influenza (also known as Bird Flu) in Sri Lanka during the current series of outbreaks. But the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed cases elsewhere in the region. NATURAL DISASTERSThe December 2004 tsunami killed more than 30,000 people and caused large-scale damage along the eastern, southern and south western coastline of Sri Lanka. Most hotels and other tourist accommodation in the south and south-west have reopened. If you are planning to travel to areas which may have been affected by the tsunami, check with your tour operators and/or hotel to make sure that tourist facilities are available. Monsoon rains have cause brief but swift flooding in many places in Sri Lanka. Five people were killed during these floods in May 2007. In the hill country there have been some landslides that have closed roads and destroyed some buildings. You should seek advice about travelling conditions during the monsoons. | 
