Attack at Sri Lanka Resort Sets Back Country’s Efforts to Revive Tourism

Asia

Sri Lanka: A fatal attack on a group of foreign tourists has undercut Sri Lanka’s efforts to attract tourism in one area even while its army battles rebels in others. Late last month, gunmen believed to be army deserters raided a beach resort in Hungama, on the southwest coast about 120 miles south of Colombo, killing a German man, raping a woman and holding a dozen German tourists at gunpoint for several hours.

The government stepped up security at two hotels managed by Germans and Italians in Hungama. While not advising Americans against travel to Sri Lanka, the State Department warns against going to the north, east and far southeast of the island nation. In addition, “extreme caution” is advised in Colombo because of possible terrorist activity.

Central America

El Salvador: In the wake of a devastating earthquake, the State Department has posted a travel warning for El Salvador, cautioning Americans against going to the Central American nation. The Jan. 13 quake killed hundreds and left tens of thousands of people homeless. Washington has authorized the departure of U.S. government personnel not involved in recovery efforts and all government dependents. The announcement warns of continuing “widespread disruption of communications, transportation and public services such as electricity and water.”

Europe

Italy: In its first security closure since the Persian Gulf War, the U.S. Embassy in Rome was abruptly shut down for three days earlier this month while workers put up a barrier to add several feet to the space separating the building from the street. An embassy official spoke of a “very specific threat.” Italian media cited reports that a team of three Algerians, including a suicide bomber, had planned to attack the embassy on a Friday, the day of the shutdown.

During the closure, security was also stepped up at Rome’s international airport and at U.S. consulates and American and NATO military bases throughout Italy.

The embassy is on the Via Veneto, a street once known primarily for its night life. Through most of the 1980s, however, many of its cafes, airline offices and embassies were the target of terrorist bombs.

Switzerland: As Seattle can attest, meetings of global economic groups such as the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund often are disrupted by protesters, sometimes with violent results. As a result, warnings are posted for the ongoing talks by the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alpine resort town of Davos.

At press time Wednesday, hundreds of activists were vowing to demonstrate against the forum, and police were stiffening security to protect delegates. The State Department advises Americans “to exercise caution and consider deferring travel to Davos” during the talks, which end Wednesday. Other areas of Switzerland are not expected to be affected.

Briefly . . .

Nepal: Maoist groups may target Americans for violence in coming weeks, the State Department has warned. Each February, Maoists in Nepal mark the anniversary of their insurgency, and Americans in that country should be especially security-conscious next month. . . . India: Eleven people were killed earlier this month when militant separatists stormed the high-security Srinagar airport in the disputed Kashmir region. Terrorism is common in the area, and one terrorist group has called for a ban on Americans, including tourists, in Kashmir. The State Department calls Srinagar and the Kashmir Valley “very dangerous places.” . . . Algeria: Four Russian citizens were found dead in a forest about 370 miles east of Algiers with their throats slit, apparently by Muslim militants. The Russians, engineers working at a steel plant, had gone mushroom picking. They were the first foreign victims of Algeria’s long-running civil war in four years. . . . Indonesia’s most volatile volcano began spewing hot rock and ash earlier this month, and hundreds of thousands of people on the main island of Java have been told to be ready for possible evacuation. Eruptions of Mt. Merapi, about 25 miles north of the tourist city of Yogyakarta, killed 60 villagers in 1994 and destroyed several small farms in 1998. . . . Africa: “Numerous” cases of malaria have cropped up among Europeans returning from visits to Africa, the World Health Organization reports, reminding travelers to begin taking the proper antimalarial medication before leaving home. While on the trip, mosquito repellent and insecticide-treated mosquito nets offer added protection. . . . Congo: The Central African nation, red-flagged with a State Department travel warning since 1997, became even more unsettled this month with the assassination of President Laurent Kabila. The State Department noted that U.S. citizens have sometimes been targeted for arrest or other harassment, and the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, the capital, cautioned Americans to stay indoors. . . . Guyana: National elections are scheduled for March 19. Previous elections have been marked by sometimes violent demonstrations, and the State Department advises Americans in Guyana to be alert and to monitor news broadcasts closely.

Hot spots: The State Department has dropped the African nation of Eritrea from its list of places considered risky for Americans and has added El Salvador (see above). Others on the travel warning list are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Colombia, Congo (formerly Zaire), Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Yemen and Yugoslavia.

The U.S. State Department offers recorded travel warnings and advisories at (202) 647-5225, Internet https://www.travel.state.gov.

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