The US Government has not issued a travel ban on Sri Lanka but has only issued a warning for its citizens related to the Arugam Bay area, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung clarified today.
Addressing an event in Colombo, Ambassador Chung said misleading reports have been shared claiming that the travel advisory had been issued on the whole of Sri Lanka.
Stating that there are no travel restrictions on Sri Lanka, Ambassador Chung said the warning issued recently is strictly limited to Arugam Bay only.
“I am proud of the U.S. Embassy’s ongoing collaboration with the government of Sri Lanka to respond to a security threat that resulted in our recent security alert, and we pledge that we will continue working together to support the safety and prosperity of Sri Lanka’s citizens and visitors alike.
“One of my duties as U.S. Ambassador is to ensure the safety and security of American citizens here in Sri Lanka. Globally, all around the world, our U.S. embassies operate under what’s called a “duty to warn.” If we become aware of a credible, specific security threat, we are required, required to share that information – with our staff, U.S. citizens, and the host government. Our “no double standard” policy also means that anytime we alert Embassy staff about a specific security concern, we are required to inform U.S. citizens as well. This approach is also standard practice worldwide
“When we became aware of a specific threat in the Arugam Bay area, we shared these known details with Sri Lankan authorities, who responded quickly. We continue to actively coordinate with them on a daily basis and we value our partnership with Sri Lanka’s leadership and security officials, whose commitment to safety and transparency is notable,” she revealed.
Assuring that the recent warning is strictly only for the Arugam Bay area, she further said that the overall security travel advisory on Sri Lanka remains at Level 2.
“I want to also correct some misinformation out there: there is no travel ban on Sri Lanka. Our security alert last week is for Americans to avoid Arugam Bay until further notice, but our overall travel advisory for Sri Lanka remains exactly the same at Level 2, which has been so for many years and this is similar to advisories for many popular destinations including the Maldives, France and Italy. All the same at level 2, Sri Lanka remains at level 2. We know that continued safety and stability are essential for a thriving tourism sector, which we support absolutely, so we’re fully committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to create a secure, welcoming environment for all,” the US Ambassador added.
Her clarification comes after the US Government last week issued a travel advisory to its citizens, stating that it has received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area.
At the time, commenting on the travel advisory, Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said that the surge in Israeli tourists and the occupation of a building in the Arugam Bay area had prompted the US Embassy to issue a travel advisory. (Newswire)
