travel news review


24 March '99
Sri Lanka's forthcoming provincial elections are tipped to cause an upsurge in violence. Five of the nation's provincial councils will hold elections around 6 April: Western, Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa and North Central, and Southern Provincial Council Elections are scheduled for the summer months.

While all of Sri Lanka's political parties condemn politically motivated acts of violence, recent elections have nonetheless been marked by increased levels of arson, assault and murder. Curfews are commonly enforced at such times, and the US State Department advises travellers to be aware of and to comply with curfew announcements.

5 March '99
In the aftermath of a photo published in a Sri Lankan newspaper last week, female tourists will henceforth be required to follow local dress-codes when visiting the Temple of the Tooth near the city of Kandy in central Sri Lanka. The photo depicted a male employee of the temple, known to Sri Lankans as the Dalada Maligawa, helping a female visitor - scantily dressed by temple standards - put on a sarong. Since its publication, temple authorities have terminated the sarong service and implemented strict guidelines. The Temple of the Tooth houses the tooth of the Buddha. Visitors to the temple should avoid wearing dress that exposes their legs and shoulders, as entry may be refused.

22 February '99
More than 20,000 Sri Lankans are expected to gather together on the streets of Colombo on 26 February to demonstrate their support for a political solution to ethnic conflict in the island nation. The crowd will consist of representatives of more than 100 groups working towards the end of a debilitating civil war waged since 1983 between the southern Sinhalese Buddhist majority and the northern Tamil Hindu minority. In recent times, Sri Lankans have begun feeling the financial as well as human cost of the conflict.

One recent study concluded that the war had accounted for a total of a year and a half's Gross Domestic Product. The study estimated that, if those resources currently invested in the war effort were freed for other uses, half of those Sri Lankans living under the poverty line would be earning more, the unemployment rate would fall from 12 to three per cent, growth would rise from four per cent to seven per cent, and the average household income would rise 40%. The former British colony's tourist industry has long been stagnant while its defense forces now outnumber those of such countries as Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia.

19 February '99
Indian health authorities are confident that within three years they will have eradicated leprosy as a public health problem. Their confidence springs from the results of a national campaign conducted over the past 12 months in conjunction with the World Health Organisation [WHO] to isolate hidden incidences of the disease. A public health problem is defined as an incidence rate of over one per 10,000 members of the population. Bhutan, Maldives, Thailand and Sri Lanka have already bettered this target, while Myanmar, Bangladesh and Indonesia expect to reach it by the end of next year.

India currently accounts for 65% of leprosy infections worldwide. Contrary to common opinion, leprosy is curable at all stages of onset, is mostly non-infectious and, in the 30% of infectious cases, multi-drug therapy renders the patient non-infectious within a few days.

12 August '98
A national state of emergency has been imposed in Sri Lanka by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. The imposed state of emergency was seen by political parties as an indication that local elections will be postponed, as soldiers who would have been required at voting booths are needed to fight Tamil rebels. According to the government, the state of emergency gives much power to police and soldiers but also ensures daily essential services can be provide throughout Sri Lanka.

15 July '98
The Sri Lankan Tea Board is setting up a tea museum in the tea town of Kandy. The museum will commemorate more than 100 years of tea production in Sri Lanka. The first Sri Lankan tea was grown in 1867, at the Loolecondera estate south-east of Kandy. Tea remains a cornerstone of the economy and is one of the country's major exports. Although the Sri Lankans grow some excellent tea, most of the best is exported. Only a few hotels and guest houses serve a really fine cup of tea, but you can buy good tea at many of the plantations around Kandy

22 June '98
Travellers intending to visit the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, are advised that there are outbreaks of both dengue fever and cholera in the city. Cholera is spread by contaminated water and food and sudden large outbreaks are usually caused by a contaminated water supply and seafood can also carry the disease. Care should be taken with all food and water until authorities have contained the outbreak.

15 June '98
Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka has increased considerably during the past year. Tourism, which is one of Sri Lanka’s top foreign exchange earners, has suffered major losses during the past few years as the Tamil rebellion continues in the north of the country. The number of arrivals from Western Europe has greatly increased tourism spending in the country, arrivals from Western Europe increased by 18% during the first four months of this year. But tourist arrivals from America and Australia are decreasing.