The
US Department of State warns its citizens of the risks of traveling to
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa)
(DRC), and recommends against non-essential
travel to eastern and northeastern DRC. This replaces the Travel Warning
dated
January 12, 2012.
Armed
groups, bandits, and elements of the Congolese military remain security
concerns in eastern and northeastern DRC. These
armed groups, primarily located in the North
Kivu, South Kivu, and Orientale provinces, as well as the northern part
of Katanga
province, and the eastern part of Maniema
province, are known to pillage, steal vehicles, kidnap, rape, kill, and
carry out
military or paramilitary operations in which
civilians are indiscriminately targeted. The Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA) is
present near the border with Uganda, Central
African Republic, and the Republic of South Sudan. The UN Organization
Stabilization
Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) continues to assist
the Congolese government with the protection of civilians and efforts
to
combat armed groups.
The
region has been the scene of violent clashes that have resulted in the
displacement of more than 1.9 million civilians
since the start of the Rwandan conflict in 1994.
In April 2012, members of a rebel group that previously had been
integrated
into the Congolese military mutinied and heavy
fighting has been reported in Massisi and Ruthshuru territories as well
as
in Virunga National Park. In July 2012, members
of this group captured several towns north of Goma, the provincial
capital
of North Kivu province. As a result, over 200
people have been killed and the number of internally displaced persons
has risen
to 1.7 million. Moreover, renewed violence
amongst foreign and Congolese rebel groups present in the northern part
of North
Kivu and former Rwandan militants in the
southern part of the province and throughout South Kivu pose a serious
and significant
risk to travelers in the region. This fighting
underscores the persistent insecurity arising from activities of rebel
and
other armed groups operating in the Kivus, which
contribute to the overall high risks and dangers associated with travel
to
eastern Congo. The US Embassy in Kinshasa has
strictly limited travel by official personnel to North Kivu. Travel to
that
region for Embassy personnel is permitted only
under exceptional circumstances.
Travelers
are frequently detained and questioned by poorly disciplined security
forces at numerous official and unofficial
roadblocks and border crossings throughout the
country. Requests for bribes in such instances are extremely common, and
security
forces have occasionally injured or killed
people who refuse to pay. In the past year, several US citizens were
illegally
detained by government forces. Very poor
infrastructure (road and air) makes the provision of consular services
difficult
outside of Kinshasa.
Kinshasa
has a critical crime threat level, and US citizens continue to be the
victims of serious crimes, including armed
robbery by groups posing as law enforcement
officials in both urban and rural areas, especially after nightfall.
Avoid walking
alone and displaying cash and other personal
property of value. Avoid taking photos in public, especially of
government buildings
and the airport (which are viewed as places of
national security), police stations, the presidential palace, border
crossings,
and along the river, since doing so may lead to
arrest.
Lock
vehicle doors and keep windows closed when driving. You should not stop
at the scene of an accident or at intersections
where people have gathered, as mobs can develop
quickly. In areas where the roads are in poor condition and the speed
limit
is minimal, be wary of gangs of street children
who may approach your car, open your door, and steal your belongings.
Roadblocks
are often found throughout the country,
especially near government buildings and installations in Kinshasa, and
should be
avoided when possible. If stopped at a
roadblock, keep doors locked and crack the window in order to
communicate.
Official
Congolese motorcades pose hazards to motorists and pedestrians. Drivers
should pull over to the far side of the road
when sirens or security forces announce their
presence. You should NOT take photographs of motorcades. Proceed only
when security
forces permit you to do so.
There
is no reliable public transportation system in the DRC. Overcrowded
vans and taxis, which often do not meet western
safety standards, serve as public transportation
in Kinshasa. Few independent taxis are available, operating largely out
of
the big hotels, and most do not meet safety
standards. You should avoid all travel by public transportation, and
hire private
transport from a reliable source.
The
DRC has few viable roads or railways, but does have several major
waterways. Boat transport is widely used; however, the
vessels are often overloaded or badly
maintained, and accidents are commonplace. There were multiple accidents
in 2011 on
both rivers and lakes resulting in hundreds of
fatalities.
Public
health concerns pose a hazard to US citizen travelers due to
outbreaks of deadly viruses and other diseases, which
can occur without warning and often without
swift reporting by local health authorities.
Travelers are required to carry evidence of yellow fever vaccination in
order to enter the DRC. Health officials at entry
points, such as the airport in Kinshasa, will
check for proof of vaccination. If you do not have evidence of a yellow
fever
vaccination, you may be denied entry or required
to pay a fine. Malaria
is common throughout the DRC and prophylaxis is recommended.
Due
to the recent outbreak of Wild Polio Virus and measles in the DRC, you
should update your polio and measles vaccinations,
if necessary, and refer to the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention for
additional guidance. Due to the high levels of air borne irritants
(i.e., dust, burning
trash, debris, etc.) individuals with
respiratory illnesses should carry all their necessary medications and
equipment.
There
is a high risk of traveler's diarrhea and cholera throughout the
country. This can be prevented by using good judgment
when choosing what food to eat and water to
drink. When in restaurants, it is best to ask for bottled water and
avoid ice.
Due
to the immense size of the country, the density of the Congo River
rainforest, the terrible state of the roads, and the
poor security situation, the only way to get
around the country quickly is by plane. Domestic air travel on Congolese
or other
local airlines in the DRC is not recommended.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has assessed the government of
the
DRC as not being compliant with international
standards for aviation safety oversight. There have been several recent
incidents
causing deaths and injuries, including one on
August 25, 2010, that killed all but one passenger. In April 2011, a
United
Nations operated flight crashed while landing in
Kinshasa, killing 32 passengers and crew. In July 2011, a Boeing 737
crashed
in Kisangani, killing more than 70 passengers.
Crashes of private aircraft are even more common. The US Embassy has
prohibited
official travel by US government employees and
certain contractors on most airlines flying domestic routes in the DRC
due
to safety and maintenance concerns.
International flights on foreign-owned-and-operated carriers are not
affected by this
prohibition.
You
should avoid ALL public demonstrations and areas where crowds have
gathered because even peaceful events can become violent,
and even deadly. You should exercise caution at
all times, and closely monitor local and international news from
reliable
sources. Radio Okapi broadcasts in French on
103.5 FM at 0700, 0800, 1200, and 1800, and provides updates throughout
the day.
English-language news can be found on BBC at
92.6 FM. In emergencies, the Belgian Embassy operates a French-language
radio
broadcast system at FM 98.8.
