Foreigners Evacuate Solomon Islands

South Pacific

Solomon Islands: The Australian navy evacuated hundreds of foreigners from the Solomons, and the U.S. State Department posted a travel warning for the islands after fighting broke out earlier this month between rival ethnic militias on the main island, Guadalcanal. One of the two militias controls Honiara, the capital.

The Peace Corps has withdrawn personnel. The State Department says that Americans who are in the Solomons should consider leaving. The United States has no embassy on Guadalcanal. Americans with emergencies should contact the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Fiji: The standoff resulting from an attempted coup entered its sixth week, cutting heavily into all-important tourist revenue. At press time Wednesday, the prime minister and other officials were still being held hostage by rebels who stormed Parliament on May 19.

The country has been under martial law and the capital under a curfew. The State Department on June 2 upgraded its earlier advisory to a full-blown travel warning. Suva, the capital, is the scene of sporadic gunfire and looting. Most tourist locations have been quiet.

Asia

Philippines: Sites around Manila were hit by bombings and small arms attacks last month, resulting in injuries. A U.S. Embassy employee also received a bomb threat at home. In a security update effective until Aug. 18, the State Department has issued this advice to Americans:

* Avoid travel to the southern and western areas of the island of Mindanao and to the islands of the Sulu archipelago. Bombings and bus hijackings have been attributed to Muslim insurgents in southern Mindanao, and a terrorist group is holding hostages, including several foreign tourists, in the Sulu archipelago.

* Report any security incidents to the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

South America

Argentina: Of the 15,000 members of Rotary International who descended on Buenos Aires for a convention earlier this month, dozens fell prey to the city’s expert thieves. Although warned against it, many delegates walked the streets in groups while wearing their badges, identifying themselves to thieves. Crime has increased in Buenos Aires, but it still lags behind Sao Paulo, Bogota and Mexico City.

Briefly . . .

Northern Ireland: Four tourist vehicles parked outside a Belfast backpackers’ hostel were destroyed by an overnight fire, and police were called to investigate, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported. The three minibuses and a car, bearing Irish Republic plates, had brought to the hostel 39 visitors from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. . . . Israel: The army has lifted a ban on the entry of Israelis and foreign tourists to the West Bank Palestinian cities of Nablus, Janin and Qalqilya.

The U.S. State Department offers recorded travel warnings and advisories at (202) 647-5225; the fax line is (202) 647-3000. Internet address is https://travel.state.gov.

Edward Wright is a former assistant foreign editor at The Times. His column appears monthly.