|
|
Welcome
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This Travel Warning was issued on May 25, 2008, to provide an update on the security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). American citizens traveling to or residing in the CAR should exercise extreme caution. This supersedes the Travel Warning for the CAR issued August 9, 2007. American citizens who travel to or reside in the Central African Republic (CAR) should exercise extreme caution, especially outside the capital city of Bangui. Armed rebel groups, bandits, and poachers present real dangers and the Central African government is unable to guarantee the safety of visitors in most parts of the country. The U.S. Department of State advises American citizens who are not affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts to avoid travel to northwestern and northern CAR, particularly the areas bordering Chad, due to insecurity caused by banditry and clashes between government and rebel forces. In addition, the embassy recommends that Americans traveling outside the capital not travel with any armed escort, as an armed escort may cause problems with local authorities or draw fire from rebel troops. In the northwestern prefecture of Ouham and Ouham-Pende, roadblocks by rebels and by government forces pose a serious and continuing threat to aid workers and travelers. Fighting between rebels and government forces continues sporadically, and efforts to broker a peace agreement or ceasefire between the parties have not succeeded to date. An expatriate aid worker was killed in an attack on a well-marked vehicle north of Bocaranga in June 2007, and local citizens continue to be kidnapped and held for ransom on a regular basis. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies operating in that area share information on security incidents and the NGOs generally abide by the UN travel restrictions. U.S. Government employees on temporary duty and other contract visitors to the U.S. Embassy are allowed to visit the northwestern or northeastern CAR prefectures only on a case-by-case basis and with specific authorization of the Chief of Mission.
Rebels and armed men are also present in the northeastern Vakaga prefecture, and pose a threat to all travelers in that area. A peace agreement with one group of rebels is in place, but splinter groups and other armed men pose a threat to travelers. The firing on a medical convoy of well-marked NGO vehicles, which led to one patient’s death in March 2008, resulted in the temporary suspension of most humanitarian activities in the Vakaga prefecture outside Birao. Highway bandits (“coupeurs de route” in French, “zaraguinas” in Sango) pose a serious threat to travelers throughout the country. Two World Health Organization physicians were murdered by unidentified assailants outside Bossembélé in April 2006. There have been repeated attacks on Central African and expatriate travelers on the Berberati-Carnot-Baoro-Bouar-Bozoum road. Poachers and armed men also pose a threat to game hunters in the north central CAR, in and around the Parc National de Bamingui-Bangoran. A French hunter was murdered and three others wounded in an attack on a hunting party outside the town of Ndele in April 2007. The poachers in this area are heavily armed, often with automatic weapons, and outside local and national government authority.
The Central African government is
unable to guarantee the safety of visitors to any part of the country
including the capital. Outside the capital many areas are lawless; some
rebel groups remain active in the western, northern, northeastern, and
southeastern provinces despite a cease-fire signed in early February. The
U.S. Embassy advises its personnel to exercise caution in traveling to all
parts of the country. Two World Health Organization physicians were murdered
by unidentified assailants in central CAR in April 2006. In the past two
months, visitors traveling with armed escorts experienced several attacks.
The Embassy now advises Americans traveling outside the capital not to
travel with a CAR military escort, or any armed escort, as the armed escort
may draw fire from rebel troops.
In Bangui, tensions remain high due
to unpaid civil servant salaries and skirmishes between government forces
and opposition groups, as well as due to aggressive police actions. There
are approximately 300 peacekeeping troops from neighboring member countries
of the Economic and Monetary Union of Central Africa (CEMAC) that move in
and out of the capital. CAR security forces, sometimes with French military
assistance, staff checkpoints throughout the city. Some crimes are
perpetrated by uniformed CAR security and military personnel.
The U.S. Embassy in the CAR is
located at Avenue David Dacko, B.P. 924, Bangui; tel. (236) 61-02-00; fax
(236) 61-44-94. For additional information on safety and security in the
CAR, contact the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon,
at telephone (237) 223-4014, (237) 223-0512, or 223-0581; fax (237)
223-0753; web site
http://yaounde.usembassy.gov/. Americans may also
obtain updated information from the American Embassy in N'djamena, Chad, at
telephone (235) 51-70-09, 51-92-33 or 51-90-52; fax (235) 51-56-54; web site
http://ndjamena.usembassy.gov/.
Haben Sie eine sichere
Reise! |
Copyright (c) 1999-2008 by Sunburst Worldwide
Insurance Services.
East Asia /
Pacific - Japan
|
irectory
If you have any questions, please contact our friendly
specialists.