Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:869 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Path: world!bzs From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Liberia Message-ID: <951025124800_76702.1202_CHN51-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: bzs@world.std.com (daemons) Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 12:48:00 GMT Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 139 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Liberia ============================================================ Liberia - Travel Warning September 15, 1995 The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Liberia. Despite a peace accord signed in August 1995, sporadic fighting and unsettled conditions continue in many areas of Liberia. Although a peacekeeping force is in place in and around Monrovia, roads outside the capital are not open for regular travel. Travelers to the interior of Liberia may be in danger of being detained, harassed, delayed, injured, or killed. There is a high rate of armed robberies in the city of Monrovia. Additional information can be obtained from the Department's Consular Information Sheet on Liberia. No. 95-029 This replaces the Travel Warning dated October 27, 1994, to update information on the security situation in Liberia. Liberia - Consular Information Sheet October 24, 1995 Warning: The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Liberia. Despite a peace accord signed in August 1995, sporadic fighting and unsettled conditions continue in many areas of Liberia. Although a peacekeeping force is in place in and around Monrovia, roads outside the capital are not open for regular travel. Travelers to the interior of Liberia may be in danger of being detained, harassed, delayed, injured, or killed. There is a high rate of armed robberies in the city of Monrovia. Country Description: Liberia is a developing west African country which has suffered internal strife for the past several years. Tourism facilities are poor and, in some cases, non-existent. Entry Requirements: Travelers who plan a trip to Liberia despite this warning are required to have a passport and a visa prior to arrival. Evidence of yellow fever vaccinations is required. An exit permit must be obtained from Liberian immigration authorities before departure. Further information on entry requirements for Liberia can be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia, 5201 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20011. The telephone numbers are (202) 723-0437 to 723-0440. Areas of Instability: The situation in Liberia changes daily. Sporadic fighting has occurred since the August 1995 peace accords and tensions remain high in most of the country. There are only a few expatriates, who are engaged in relief activities, in areas of the country outside Monrovia. They operate only with the consent of those locally in control. In recent years and months there have been serious and frequent incidents of violence against civilians by partisans of Liberia's warring factions. It is too early to determine whether the recent peace accords will lead to the cessation of all fighting and whether travel to some locations outside the capital will become safe. Fatal accidents have occurred >from exploding land mines on roads. A security buffer, provided by forces of the West African Peace Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) surrounds Monrovia. Roads outside of Monrovia are not generally safe due to robbers, land mines and unruly elements of the warring factions. Any person who leaves Monrovia should return by dusk. There is a 10:00PM to dawn curfew in force in the capital. U.S. Embassy employees are not permitted to travel outside Monrovia except for official business. Roberts International Airport, about 30 miles outside of Monrovia, is closed. Limited daytime air service exists only to Freetown, Sierra Leone and Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire. No major international carrier serves Monrovia's Spriggs Payne Airfield. Overland routes to neighboring countries are not open. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities are poor. Hospitals have been looted and are barely able to provide services. Medicines are scarce in most areas. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. In some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas and medical evacuation coverage has proven useful. For additional health information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline, telephone (404) 332-4559. Information on Crime: Monrovia's crime rate is extremely high. Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, have been targets of street crime and violent robbery in their homes. Residential armed break-ins are common. The police are ill-equipped and largely incapable of providing effective protection. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa" provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Country Infrastructure: Lodging, water, electricity, fuel, transportation, telephone and postal services continue to be unevenly available in Monrovia. Such services are nonexistent or severely limited in rural areas. Commercial power is sporadically available in parts of Monrovia. Most businesses and facilities rely upon generators to provide electricity. Few facilities and even fewer homes have telephones; disruption of service is common. Mail delivery is erratic. Parcel delivery service is available to Monrovia. Courier mail service is available in Monrovia. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Embassy Location/Registration: U.S. citizens should register upon arrival in order to obtain updated travel and security information >from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy at 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia, telephone (231) 226370, fax (231)226148. The U.S. Embassy's mailing address is P.O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, Monrovia. Consular assistance is only available within Monrovia and the immediate vicinity. No. 95-136 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated October 24, 1994, to include the September 15, 1995 updated travel warning and to update the sections on areas of instability, medical facilities, country infrastructure, and embassy location. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories