August 2009

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As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 29 destinations: Sri Lanka, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Mali, Chad, Nepal, Lebanon, Georgia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Colombia, Madagascar, Algeria, Eritrea, Syria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Philippines, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Iran and Afghanistan. 

For details, call the State Department at 202/647-5225 or visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/warnings.html.

In an alert issued June 19 and set to expire Sept. 30, the Department of State wrote of current quarantine measures imposed by the government of China in response to the 2009-H1N1 pandemic.

These include placing passengers arriving from an area where outbreaks of 2009-H1N1 have occurred and who exhibit fever or flu-like symptoms (plus those sitting in proximity) into 7-day quarantine. In some instances, children have been separated from their parents; Chinese medical personnel might administer medications to minors without first consulting their parents.

More than 21,000 people in Vietnam have contracted dengue fever so far in 2009 and 20 have died. This is a 46.7% increase in infections over last year’s numbers.

Spain and France have once again had warning from the Basque separatist group ETA of possible attacks on tourists and Britons seeking summer homes. ETA claims that outsiders are wiping out traditional culture and “colonizing” the Basque region.

For over a decade, ETA has issued warnings and carried out bombings at seaside towns and resorts, primarily in Spain. The recent threat includes the Basque country in southwestern France.

Russian law enforcement and the US Embassy in Moscow received word of threats by a Russian nationalist group to target market areas in Moscow frequented by Central Asian and Caucasian immigrants. The information mentioned the Cherkizovkiy Market as a possible target. 

Port Moresby and the city of Lae in Papua New Guinea suffered riots in May as many Chinese-owned stores were ransacked and looted during three days of violence.

PNG Prime Minister Somare cited anger about corruption that has allowed a sudden rise in illegal immigration, with growing resentment against Chinese nationals who purchased small businesses, plus claims of unfair employment practices.

The killing of a Sikh religious leader in Vienna, Austria, on May 24 resulted in two days of rioting by supporters in several cities in India. Thousands of passengers were stranded when railways were closed in the Punjab region due to the riots. The rioting abated after security forces came out and a curfew was imposed. 

Months of protest from indigenous peoples of the Amazon regions of Peru ended in mid-June when the Peruvian congress overturned two contentious laws that were to encourage foreign investment in energy development of the Amazon.

The 10 months of protests ended after a violent clash between police and protesters on June 5 which resulted in at least 34 deaths. President Garcia apologized and asked congress to reconsider the plans.

Other demonstrations continue around the country on issues like highway improvements, mining and hydroelectric plans.

In Honduras on June 30, on orders of the Supreme Court, the military ousted President Zeleya and exiled him from the country. He had been seeking a constitutional amendment to allow him a second term. 

An interim president was selected by Congress to act until January 2010. Some street protests were put down by government forces. The OAS insisted that Zeleya be reinstated.