No travel restrictions to visit North; Defence ministry clarifies

The Defence Ministry, dismissing recent reports appeared on some websites that foreign passport holders traveling to the North require registration with the Ministry, has asserted that there is no hindrance to travel anywhere in Sri Lanka.

The Defence Ministry clarified that an old news article published in its official website (www.defence.lk) on 30th October 2014 under the headline "Foreign Passport holders traveling to the North" got republished due to a technical glitch and few websites have been misled by the republication.

As the Defence Ministry web site was subjected to a technical upgrade recently and all old news publications have been reappearing under a new modified date 03-03-2016, as the technical change was done on that date. Certain web sites have taken advantage of this technical glitch and published news posts stating that the registration for Foreign Passport holders traveling to the North was back in force, the Ministry said.

However, the Defence Ministry clarified that, considering the prevailing security situation, the government had lifted the travel restrictions imposed on foreign passport holders to the North at the first Security Council Meeting held under the patronage of the President Maithripala Sirisena on 16th January 2015.

"Therefore the Defence Ministry assures all those traveling to Sri Lanka or visiting the North, unhindered access to any part of the country without any restrictions, and assures that the government is continuously working towards the peace and reconciliation process of the country, and urges people not to be misled by these false news reports," the Ministry said.