Travel Update-Weekly Edition

State Dept Travel Warnings and Public announcements - For the full announcements or further detail on Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, please see  http://travel.state.gov/travel

Chad - On June 23 the U.S. Department of State issued a Travel Warning, which reads in part as follows: "This Travel Warning provides an update on the security situation in Chad. The Department of State continues to advise American citizens to defer travel to Chad, and American citizens residing in Chad should exercise extreme caution. This supersedes the Travel Warning for Chad dated June 16, 2008. "American citizens should defer all travel to Chad due to the unstable security situation throughout the country. Armed rebel groups resumed activity in eastern Chad in mid-June and present real dangers. The Chadian government is unable to guarantee the safety of visitors in most parts of the country. During the period June 16-18, the Embassy relocated some Embassy staff and family members to Cameroon as a precaution. Family members of Embassy personnel under the age of 21 are not authorized to reside in Chad. Commercial flights continue to operate from N’Djamena International Airport, but flights are subject to change when rebel activity intensifies. The security situation in general remains fluid and potentially dangerous. "Limited American citizen services are available at the Embassy, but visa services remain suspended until further notice. "U.S. citizens in Chad, particularly those outside N’Djamena, should be aware that the U.S. Embassy cannot guarantee that the same options and level of evacuation assistance that existed in February 2008 will be available should the situation again deteriorate. The Embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens be prepared to implement their personal evacuation or safe haven plans on short notice should the situation warrant, and exercise extreme caution. "The State Department advises American citizens not affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts to avoid travel to eastern Chad and the Chad/Central African Republic border area due to insecurity caused by banditry and clashes between Government and rebel forces. The U.S. Embassy is not able to support evacuation from eastern Chad. All Americans affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts in eastern Chad must have an evacuation plan developed with the UN which has aircraft and other logistical support. Americans in Chad should closely monitor news media and the U.S. Embassy's website at http://ndjamena.usembassy.gov. "U.S. citizens affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts in eastern Chad are strongly urged to coordinate travel plans with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) security officers in Abeche and N'Djamena, and to follow UNHCR guidance regarding safety and security. The government of Chad requires all individuals traveling to or residing in refugee-affected areas in eastern Chad to obtain permits issued by the Ministry of Territorial Administration in N'Djamena, and to register in Abeche upon arrival in eastern Chad."

 

Zimbabwe - On June 25 both the U.S. Department of State and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advised against travel to Zimbabwe. The British FCO updated its travel advice for the country, which includes the following: "We advise against all travel to Zimbabwe at this time due to the continuing tension surrounding the election and the deployment of uniformed forces (police and military) and war veterans across the country. British Embassy staff have been advised against all personal travel within Zimbabwe until Monday 30 June when the advice will be reviewed." Separately, the U.S. Department of State issued a Travel Alert, which reads in part as follows: "U.S. citizens should defer all travel to Zimbabwe. U.S. citizens resident in Zimbabwe should carefully review their personal circumstances, avoid all travel after dark, and consider moving to a more secure location in advance of, and immediately following the scheduled June 27 runoff of the presidential election. Due to the uncertain security situation, the U.S. Embassy may periodically restrict the travel of official U.S. government personnel outside the capital city or within Harare during certain hours. Since the March 29 general election, Zimbabwean security forces, including some military and police, as well as so-called war veterans, have created a climate of intimidation and fear across the country. There have been numerous and widespread attacks on opposition supporters, renewed farm invasions, and arrests and beatings of election officials accused of vote tampering. There is a continued risk of arbitrary detention or arrest. "Americans should be particularly cautious when using still, video or telephone cameras in any urban setting or in the vicinity of any political activity, as this could be construed by Zimbabwean authorities as misrepresenting oneself as an accredited journalist, a crime punishable by arrest, incarceration and/or deportation."

Under current Transportation Security Administration policy, passengers can refuse to show identification and can still fly -- as long as they agree to secondary screening, meaning a search of their carry-on bags and a pat down. But all that is about to change. Beginning Saturday, June 21, travelers who "willfully refuse" to show IDs won't be allowed through checkpoints or onto planes. Only passengers who show IDs, and "cooperative" passengers, who explain why their IDs are missing and help police confirm their identities, will get through. The TSA says it is changing the policy "to facilitate travel for legitimate passengers" while helping its security work force focus on "people, not things." But the TSA says that under the new policy, all people without IDs will face varying security measures, from pat-downs to interviews with behavior detection officers. TSA officials say the need to change the policy couldn't be more clear. The government ID checkers are trained to spot false IDs, and the change provides another layer of security needed to keep the skies safe. Without the change, they say, people could "game the system," using a fake name and a fake boarding pass to bypass screeners. Kip Hawley, head of the TSA said agency lawyers have reviewed the new regulation and are "comfortable" with it.

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