Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today,
Fri May 09 2008 12:56:22 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time).
NEPAL
May 07, 2008
This
Travel Warning updates safety and security information for travelers to
Nepal. The Department of State remains concerned about the security
situation in Nepal and urges American citizens to obtain updated
security information before they travel and to be prepared to change
their plans on short notice. This supersedes the Travel Warning for
Nepal issued on February 25, 2008.
Nepal
continues to experience sporadic incidents of terrorism and
politically-motivated violence in major urban areas. In the run-up to
Constituent Assembly elections on April 10, bombings occurred in
various locations around the country, including four bombings in the
capital, Kathmandu, on April 4, in which no one was injured. In
September 2007, near-simultaneous blasts at three locations in
Kathmandu killed three persons and injured scores of commuters and
bystanders, many of them seriously. Nepalese police believe that the
Improvised Explosive Devices were planted intentionally where people
congregate, and in a moving microbus carrying passengers. American
citizens are reminded to remain on high alert, avoid public
transportation (including travel by microbus), and be cautious of
unattended baggage in public places, including airports and bus
depots.
In
November 2006, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed by the
Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), a U.S. designated
terrorist organization. Following that agreement, the former
insurgents joined the interim parliament and, subsequently, the interim
government. However, since the signing of the CPA, the Maoists have
continued to engage in violence, extortion, and abductions. The Young
Communist League, a Maoist subgroup, continues to extort and abuse
people, including threatening Kathmandu-based personnel of a U.S.
Non-Governmental Organization.
Various
armed groups emerged in 2007, primarily in the Terai region along the
southern border with India, and insurgent violence has affected trade
and travel in that area. Ethnic tensions in the Terai region have
spawned violent clashes with police, strikes, demonstrations, and
closures of the border with India. The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends
against non-essential travel to this region.
While
widespread protests have abated, the potential for demonstrations and
disruptions remains high. During demonstrations, protestors have used
violence, including burning vehicles, throwing rocks and burning tires
to block traffic. Given the nature, intensity and unpredictability of
disturbances, American citizens are urged to exercise special caution
during times when demonstrations are announced, avoid areas where
demonstrations are occurring or crowds are forming, avoid road travel,
and maintain a low profile. Curfews can be announced with little or no
advance notice, and American citizens are urged to consult media
sources and the Embassy's website, http://nepal.usembassy.gov for current security information.
Crime
in the Kathmandu Valley, including violent crime and harassment of
women, has continued to increase since April 2006, and police are
unwilling or unable to arrest criminals who claim Maoist affiliation.
Travel via road in areas outside of the Kathmandu Valley is hazardous
due to erratic drivers and frequent road accidents, and should be
avoided. Police have reported a number of robberies by armed gangs; in
some cases victims were attacked and injured. The U.S. Embassy reports
an increase in crime in some popular tourist areas. Visitors to Nepal
should practice good personal security when moving about, especially at
night, and avoid walking alone after dark and carrying large sums of
cash or wearing expensive jewelry. In several reported incidents
tourists have had their belongings stolen from their rooms while they
were asleep. Solo trekkers have been robbed by small groups of young
men, even on some popular trails.
Almost
all U.S. official travel outside the Kathmandu Valley, including by
air, requires specific clearance by the U.S. Embassy’s Regional
Security Officer. As a result, emergency assistance to U.S. citizens
may be limited. Active duty U.S. military and Department of Defense
contractors must obtain a country clearance for official and unofficial
travel to Nepal.
Although
the Government of Nepal no longer considers the Maoists to be
terrorists, the U.S. Government’s designation of the Communist Party of
Nepal (Maoist) as a “Specially Designated Global Terroristâ€
organization under Executive Order 13224 and its inclusion on the
"Terrorist Exclusion List" pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality
Act remain in effect. These two designations make Maoists excludable
from entry into the United States and bar U.S. citizens from
transactions such as contribution of funds, goods, or services to, or
for the benefit of, the Maoists.
For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad†found at http://travel.state.gov.
Americans living or traveling in Nepal are encouraged to register with
the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration
website. The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is
located at Maharajgunj. The telephone number is 977-1-4007200,
4007201. The number for after-hours emergencies is 977-1-4007266,
4007269. The fax number is 977-1-4007281. The Consulate’s e-mail
address is consktm@state.gov and its Internet web page is http://nepal.usembassy.gov. U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s latest Travel Warning for Nepal, Country Specific Information
for Nepal and the Worldwide Caution, available at http://travel.state.gov.
Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling
1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for
callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at
1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal
holidays).
source:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_927.html
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