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Reviewed: 19 March 2009, 12.22 NZDT
Still current at:
05 July 2009
There is an extreme risk to your security in the northern and eastern areas of Sri Lanka due to the fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan authorities and we advise against all travel to these areas. The northern area encompasses all areas north of the A12 road that runs from Puttalam in the west to Trincomalee in the east, including the Jaffna peninsula. The eastern area comprises the Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts as well as the coastal areas of the Ampara district north of Panama and east of the A25 and A27 roads. That includes the town of Ampara and Arugam Bay.
There is a high risk to your security elsewhere in Sri Lanka, including in the capital Colombo and we advise against all tourist and other non-essential travel due to the threat from terrorism.
The situation in Sri Lanka is unpredictable and the intensity of violence has increased following the Government of Sri Lanka’s withdrawal from the 2002 ceasefire agreement effective from 16 January 2008. Since the beginning of 2008, there have been a number of serious terrorist attacks throughout Sri Lanka, including in Colombo and other areas which might be frequented by tourists. The possibility of further attacks cannot be ruled out.
Significant attacks include those described below:
On 10 March 2009, a suicide bomb attack outside a mosque in the Matara Region in southern Sri Lanka resulted in a number of deaths and injuries. On 20 February 2009, an LTTE air raid in Colombo resulted in a number of injuries. On 2 January 2009, a suicide bomb attack on the Sri Lankan Air Force headquarters in Colombo resulted in a number of deaths and injuries.
In December 2008, a suicide bomb attack in Wattala resulted in a number of deaths and injuries. In October 2008, a suicide bombing in Anuradhapura killed at least 25 people. In June 2008, a roadside explosive device killed at least 21 people and injured over 50 more on a bus near Katubdda (a suburb of Colombo).
In May 2008, a bomb attack near the Hilton hotel in the Fort area of central Colombo killed at least 10 people with 90 others reported to have been injured. In April 2008, a bomb killed 10 people, including a Sri Lankan government minister, at a public event in a stadium near Gampaha, about 30km north-east of Colombo. In February 2008, an explosion on a passenger bus in Mount Lavinia injured 18 civilians and a suicide bomb attack at the central railway station killed 12 and injured 100 civilians.
You should avoid areas where there are Sri Lankan military bases and military operations, including convoys and patrols. Be security conscious at all times. Keep yourself updated on the situation by monitoring local media and follow any instructions issued by local authorities and security forces. You should ensure that you carry some form of official identification with you at all times. The state of emergency declared by the government on 13 August 2005 remains in effect.
New Zealanders travelling or resident in Sri Lanka should have comprehensive medical and travel insurance policies that include provision for medical evacuation by air.
New Zealanders resident or travelling in Sri Lanka are strongly encouraged to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or if already registered, update their details.
See our regional advice for South Asia
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The New Zealand High Commission, New Delhi, India, is accredited to Sri Lanka
Contact details are:
Street address Sir Edmund Hillary Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110 021, India
Telephone +91 11 2688 3170 Facsimile +91 11 2688 3165
Email: newzealandhc@bol.net.in
Website New Zealand High Commission New Delhi [external link]
Office hours Mon – Fri 0830 - 1700 hrs
