The United States has issued a fresh travel advisory for persons travelling to the Maldives.
The US Embassy in Colombo said the embassy has received reports of possible politically motivated demonstrations in Malé, the capital of the Maldives. Crowds numbering about 300 have protested the past few nights, with the police dispersing the crowds when they turned confrontational.
“While the recent protests have been confined to Malé, other islands could experience protests as well. Protests may occur throughout the weekend. We remind US citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn violent. In anticipation of continued protests, US citizens travelling to Malé, especially during hours of darkness, should avoid large crowds and monitor media coverage of local events. “US citizens living or travelling in the Republic of Maldives and Sri Lanka are encouraged to enroll with the US Embassy through the State Department's Smart Traveller Enrolment Programme (STEP).”
A US Embassy spokesman said US citizens living or travelling in Sri Lanka too have been encouraged to enroll as this would help embassies stay in touch with American citizens when they are travelling. |
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