NE groups slam US travel advisory, call it ‘utterly irrational'
Guwahati: As the US State Department issued a Level-2 travel advisory for India, with special mention of Manipur and the northeast, leading organisations of the region like the North East Student Organisation (Neso) raised strong objections to such a move.
Post-pandemic, tourist footfall has increased across several northeastern destinations, particularly in Assam. A key factor behind this rise has been the improved law and order situation, following the surrender of multiple militant outfits.
Neso advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjya said the latest Level-2 travel advisory for India by the US State Department was unwarranted and unjustified. "The entire North-Eastern region is safe and best known for its hospitality.
It has always welcomed visitors from across the globe," Bhattacharjya wrote on his X handle on Sunday. He said that such blanket advisories perpetuate unfounded prejudices and must be reconsidered.
The All Assam Students' Union (Aasu), a constituent of Neso, also said the travel advisory was utterly irrational. "Assam is a state known for its scenic beauty and the hospitality of the local people. Safety was never a concern for tourists and visitors in Assam.
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In fact, the entire Northeast is tourist-friendly," Aasu president Utpal Sarma said. Sarma noted that the advisory issued by the US may inadvertently perpetuate biases.
He added, "This is totally unwarranted and needs sincere correction."
While Manipur has faced ethnic unrest for over two years, the number of violent incidents has reportedly declined since the imposition of President's Rule in Feb. Responding to the advisory, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) convenor Khuraijam Athouba said, "We believe that it is a direct consequence of the Govt of India's reimposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Manipur with effect from Jan 1, 2024, in the wake of the ongoing Manipur crisis.
This move has misinformed the global community about the actual situation in Manipur and the region, projecting a distorted picture of the security environment, whereas we firmly believe that it has nothing to do with the safety or security of visiting foreigners."
Regarding the northeast, the travel advisory for northeastern states urged reconsideration of travel to this area "due to terrorism and violence". "Ethnic insurgent groups occasionally commit acts of violence in parts of the northeast," read the advisory, adding that these incidents include bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets.
The advisory, however, stated that there were no recent reports of violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, or Tripura.
US govt employees working in India require prior approval before visiting the states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as when visiting any areas outside of the capital cities of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
The advisory advised not to travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime. "Ongoing ethnic-based conflict resulted in reports of extensive violence and community displacement," it added. While the advisory mentioned that attacks against Indian govt targets occur on a regular basis, it stated that US govt employees working in India require prior approval before visiting Manipur.
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