AUSTRALIA’S CURRENT TRAVEL ADVICE ON SRI LANKA IS NOT FULLY CORRECT AND PREJUDICIAL TO SRI LANKA’S TOURISM AND OTHER INTERESTS
Posted on May 10th, 2011
MEDIA RELEASE 17ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SRI LANKA SUPPORT GROUP, CANBERRA
Following are the major errors in the AustraliaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s current Travel Advice on Sri Lanka:
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- The overall level of advice ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”high degree of cautionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. This should be toned down to at least ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Exercise CautionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Large demonstrations were planned in Kandy on 1 May 2011ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ no demonstrations were planned or held on this day
- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Visitors to Sri Lanka must avoid military and government installationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Banning the visit of Military installations is ok but not government installations. Otherwise,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they cannot even enter the airport, train stations, immigration offices and any government department
- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Attacks also occurred in the past against infrastructure, in markets and on public transportƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” no such attacks have happened since May 2009
- Refers to a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”dangerous security situationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” delete ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”dangerousƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ as there is no dangerous situation in the country now
- States ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”A general terrorist threat remains andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ isolated attacks are possibleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” This is wrong. This is correct only prior to May 2009
- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Security forces haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wide ranging powers including the authority toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ impose curfewsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Wrong. Curfew is imposed by the Government, not the security forces. To our knowledge no curfew had been imposed since 1983
- States ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Australian currency and travellers cheques are not accepted in many countriesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢; May be so, but they are accepted in Sri Lanka
- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Penalties for drug trafficking are severe and include death penaltyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Wrong, according to our information
10.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Death penalty may also be applied for murder and rapeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Wrong, according to our knowledge it only applies to murder
11.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Non-Sri Lankan citizens of Sri Lankan heritage have been detained on occasion by the Sri Lankan Police or security forcesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Wrong, accordingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to our information and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ knowledge
Prior to visiting another country, many Australians refer to the Travel Advice about the country issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hence we consider it is time that Australia amends its Travel Advice and tones it down, to be consistent with the Travel Advices issued by other countries including the US and the UK.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ According to the UK, it is totally ok to visit Sri Lanka, without any restrictions.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Our above representations were made to the Hon Kevin RuddƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s officeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on Thursday 5 May 2011 at a meeting held in Canberra.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President
Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra (tel: 0435758833)
srilankasupportgroup@bigpond.com
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