The Sri Lankan government yesterday said the US warning of potential for possible terrorist attacks a month after the end of war, aimed at discouraging US citizens from visiting Sri Lanka, was part of US strategy to undermine the country.

The Government expressed disappointment over a fresh travel advisory issued by the US State Department, warning American citizens traveling to or living in Sri Lanka, about the potential for continued instability, including possible terrorist attacks in the country, despite the end of the conflict.

The advisory, issued by the US State Department on Friday, demonstrates the sheer lack of understanding of the ground situation by the authors as the LTTE has been comprehensively defeated, said Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona.

"The Department of State warns American citizens traveling to or living in Sri Lanka about the potential for continued instability, including possible terrorist attacks. The Department of State urges American citizens to evaluate carefully the risks of travel to Sri Lanka and specifically warns Americans against travel to the Northern Province and most of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka due to the presence of uncleared land mines and the possibility of renewed insurgency", the new travel warning posted on the US State Department website said.

On May 19 the Sri Lankan government announced that it had achieved victory over the LTTE after more than 25 years of civil conflict but the US State Department says "that despite the conclusion of hostilities, remnants of the insurgency group remain and that the government of Sri Lanka's security posture remains heightened.

"It is disappointing that such an advisory has been issued. The only terrorist group that may have attacked and had attacked civilians indiscriminately in the past, the LTTE, has been comprehensively defeated by the Sri Lankan security forces. In the circumstances to talk of possible terrorist attacks now demonstrates a sheer lack of understanding of the ground situation," Foreign Secretary said.

The sense of relief and hopefulness that swept the nation when the LTTE leadership was "decimated" on the battlefield appears to have escaped the authors of the new US travel warning which replaces an earlier one issued in December, he added.

Unrealistic

The travel advisory further noted that while armed paramilitaries remain active in the Eastern Province travel to areas including Anuradhapura, Medawachchiya; the A14 road; and the road from Medawachchiya and Horowupatana maybe deemed unsafe. Americans are also advised against traveling by bus within Sri Lanka, as civilian buses have often been the target of past terrorist bomb attacks. American personnel in the US Mission are currently prohibited from traveling by public bus.

The Government of Sri Lanka encourages Sri Lankan citizens to report foreigners who are suspected of carrying out activities not consistent with the national interest and/or their visa category, the US Travel Advisory said.

A government spokesman said the Eastern Province and areas such as Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya and the roads mentioned have been free of terrorist violence for many months, even prior to the defeat of the LTTE last month. As such, warnings about such threats were unrealistic.

He said that thousands of civilians travel by bus daily in Sri Lanka with no fears of terror.

As for reporting foreigners who are suspected of carrying out activities not consistent with the national interest, this is a provision in all countries, and rigidly enforced in the US too, the spokesman said.