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Sri Lanka.Pdf Sri Lanka 2019 Crime & Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office (RSO) at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses the Sri Lanka at Level 1, indicating travelers should exercise normal precautions. Overall Crime and Safety Situation The U.S. Embassy in Colombo does not assume responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons or firms appearing in this report. The American Citizens’ Services unit (ACS) cannot recommend a particular individual or location, and assumes no responsibility for the quality of service provided. Please review OSAC’s Sri Lanka-specific page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Crime Threats There is a moderate risk from crime in Colombo. Official 2018 crime statistics indicate an upward trend for serious crime in the country overall. This differs from previous years, during which crime rates trended downward. Property crimes increased in areas frequented by tourists. In Colombo, total crime reported increased in all areas. Most violent crime occurs within the local community. The majority of crimes against U.S. citizens continue to be petty crime (pickpocketing, hotel room thefts, and fraud). In 2015 and 2017, U.S. citizens residing in Colombo were reported as victims of home-invasion robbery attempts. Authorities charged and convicted suspects in both cases, which appear to have been crimes of opportunity. There have been reports of thefts from many large hotels. Lock doors and windows while in hotels, lodges, or guest houses. Street hustlers are common around popular hotels, shopping areas, and other tourist sites. Beware of tuk-tuk or taxi drivers offering “special” tours or access to festivals or gem shops. This common scam often results in tourists being heavily pressured to buy “gems” that are either cut glass or are worth much less than the price being asked. The U.S. Embassy has also warned female travelers of instances of sexual harassment by tuk-tuk drivers. There appeared to be an increase in organized criminal activity in 2018. Police reported several incidents of gang-on-gang murders and violent attacks, and drug-related crime is a growing concern. Drug-related offenses increased 49% in 2018. 1 Visitors are encouraged to use cash for routine transactions when possible. Credit/debit card fraud is a persistent threat. Authorities have arrested several foreign nationals and organized groups for complicity in financial crimes. Avoid using credit cards, especially if it involves the removal of the card from you view. There have been reports of employees at reputable businesses (e.g. restaurants, chain grocery stores) wearing data skimming devices in their clothing and scanning a victim’s credit card or using other methods to steal credit card information. ATM skimming is also a threat. If you use an ATM, be on the lookout for skimming devices. Cover keypads with your other hand. For more information, please review OSAC’s Report, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and the following resources: FBI Resource on Credit Card Fraud FBI Resource on ATM Skimming FBI Resource on Protecting Yourself at the ATM Other Areas of Concern Take particular care when traveling to the areas of the north and east that are former conflict zones. These areas may contain both marked and unmarked minefields and unexploded ordnance (UXO), making travel outside of major roadways potentially dangerous. Although the government and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) continue operations to locate and dispose of landmines in the north, a number of areas remain mined. Landmines and UXO remain in parts of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, particularly in Ampara, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee and Vavuniya. As of July 2018, the government’s National Mine Action Center estimated 25.8 km2 remained to mined in these seven districts. Travelers in these areas should stay on main, heavily traveled roads, and never walk in forested or agricultural areas or in abandoned properties. Make yourself aware of, and able to recognize and avoid, any area cordoned off for landmine clearance. Transportation-Safety Situation For more information, please review OSAC’s Report, Security in Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Road Safety and Road Conditions Vehicular traffic moves on the left. Traffic in urban areas is very congested. Narrow two-lane highways combined with overloaded trucks, dangerously driven buses, motorized trishaws (tuk- tuks), and motorbikes (and sometimes elephants, cows, ox carts, and bicycles) make driving challenging and dangerous. Despite efforts to improve the roads, some in the former conflict zones remain in bad condition. One-way streets may not be clearly marked and occasionally change direction without notice. Drivers are notoriously reckless; vehicle accidents are a principal threat for visitors. Traffic fatalities increased in 2018. Travelers should drive defensively. In the event of an accident, crowds might gather and become aggressive, particularly if the accident involves a bus, tuk-tuk, or taxi. For more information on self-driving, please review OSAC’s Report Driving Overseas: Best Practices. Many visitors opt to hire a car and driver. The police continue efforts to enforce traffic laws more vigorously. Speed traps and traffic enforcement checkpoints are becoming more common and traffic fines have increased. 2 Public Transportation Conditions Individuals choosing to hire a tuk-tuk should select one with a working meter; otherwise, agree on a fare beforehand to avoid arguments at the final destination. Train travel is common and inexpensive. If using trains, visitors should keep a close watch on possessions, especially in economy cars. Take special care to guard expensive electronic items. There is a scam wherein Sri Lankans in Colombo will fill trains bound for the tourist areas and take up all of the seats. They will then sell their seats to tourists and visitors for a profit and exit the train before it departs. The RSO advises against the use of public buses, as they are often overcrowded, driven recklessly, and involved in serious accidents. Reports indicate that buses cause a disproportionately large percentage of accidents. Female passengers on public buses sometimes experience sexual harassment. Inter-city luxury bus services, which do not pick up passengers along their routes and do not take on more passengers than they are able to seat, are safe for foreign travelers. Terrorism Threat Local, Regional, and International Terrorism Threats/Concerns There is minimal risk from terrorism in Colombo. In 2009, the government announced that it had achieved victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, or Tamil Tigers). LTTE leadership did not survive the war, and there have been no terrorist attacks since 2009. However, in November 2018, two Sri Lanka Police officers were shot in the head, their hands tied behind their back, while manning a checkpoint in a former conflict zone; there is no confirmation whether this was a terrorist or criminal incident. In 2014, al-Qa’ida announced the formation of a new branch, al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); this represents an elevated threat landscape in South Asia. The same month, ISIS released a recorded call for the killing of Americans (and Coalition members). The tape encouraged lone-offender and target-of-opportunity attacks. The transnational capabilities of select terrorist groups, ease of international travel, and the availability of black-market weapons/explosives require U.S. travelers to be vigilant in their personal security practices, especially at locations frequented by Westerners. Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment There have been no specific, credible threats (or attacks) directed against U.S. citizens or interests in Sri Lanka. 3 Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence In October 2018, a constitutional crisis occurred when Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena announced that he was replacing the current prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Large rallies and protests occurred in Colombo and other locations. During the crisis, bodyguards for oil minister Arjuna Ranatunga, who Sirisena fired, opened fire at crowds gathered near his office, killing one person. In December 2018, Wickremesinghe once again become prime minister following rulings by the Supreme Court that found his removal unconstitutional. While the crisis has ended, elections expected in 2019 could result in a spike in civil unrest and political violence. Civil Unrest There is minimal risk from civil unrest in Colombo. Demonstrations occur regularly, and nearly doubled in number in 2018. Most demonstrations are peaceful, resulting only in traffic congestion; however, some have ended in violence between the protestors and police or opposition groups. Some protests over Sri Lankan political issues have resulted in violent clashes, gun violence, and casualties. In 2017 and 2018, some demonstrations involved confrontations with police resulting in the police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds While the majority of demonstrations are related to domestic politics, protests directed toward Western embassies and international
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