Democratic Republic of the Congo Travel Warning
Armed groups, bandits, and elements of the Congolese military remain
security concerns in eastern DRC. These armed groups, primarily
located in the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Orientale provinces, as
well as the northern and central parts 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.
Violent clashes in North and South Kivu have resulted in significant
displacements of civilians since September 2010. In April 2012,
members of a rebel group that previously had been integrated into the
Congolese military mutinied and heavy fighting occurred in Masisi and
Rutshuru territories as well as in Virunga National Park. In November
2012, members of this group captured several towns north of Goma and
Goma itself, the provincial capital of North Kivu province. Although
the rebels withdrew from Goma in December 2012, the security and
political situation in Goma and North Kivu remains tense and fragile.
In March, June, and August 2013, fighting between government forces
and the rebel group pushed the rebels away from Goma, and an
additional short firefight took place in mid-September north of Goma.
Hundreds of people have been killed or injured as a result of the
clashes, and tens of thousands more have been internally displaced.
Moreover, violence among 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 Kivu region, which contribute
to the overall high risks and dangers associated with travel to
eastern Congo. Travel to North and South Kivu and the Ituri region of
Orientale province by Embassy personnel is currently restricted to
essential business only.
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 refused to pay. In the past year, several
U.S. citizens were illegally detained by government forces, or were
robbed of their valuables while being searched. Very poor
infrastructure (road and air) makes the provision of consular services
difficult outside of Kinshasa.
The Embassy has received many reports of robberies and banditry in
Goma after dark. In most such cases, the robbers have stopped cars and
stolen money and other valuables. The poor condition of the roads,
along with widespread new road construction around the city,
contribute to the banditry problem, as traffic is either bottlenecked
on the main road, or forced to travel on secondary roads with even
worse conditions. The Department strongly urges travelers who must go
to Goma not to travel after dark.
Kinshasa has a critical crime threat level, and U.S. 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 and/or poorly maintained, and accidents are
commonplace and often fatal.
Public health concerns pose a hazard to U.S. 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. Information on personal protection for international
travelers, including children, can be found on theCenters for Disease
Control (CDC) website. 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.
Malariais common throughout the DRC and prophylaxis is recommended.
Please consult with your healthcare provider for more information and
advice on prophylaxis.
Due to the recent outbreak of measles in the DRC, you should update
your measles vaccination, if necessary, and refer to the CDC 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
with adapters.
There is a high risk of traveler's diarrhea and cholera throughout the
country. You can reduce this risk by using good judgment when choosing
what food to eat and water to drink. When in restaurants, you should
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.
However, domestic air travel on Congolese or other local airlines in
the DRC is not recommended. 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. In March 2013, a domestic airline flight crashed
in Goma, killing five crewmembers and passengers. Crashes of private
aircraft are even more common. The U.S. Embassy has prohibited
official travel by U.S. 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. As there is no direct commercial air service to the
United States by carriers registered in the DRC, the U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of the
DRC's Civil Aviation Authority. Further information may be found on
the FAA's safety assessment page.
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 hours,
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. Changes in
security conditions may occasionally restrict the travel of U.S.
Mission personnel.
The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa strongly encourages U.S. citizens who
travel to or remain in the DRC despite this Travel Warning to enroll
in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) so you can receive the
most up-to-date security information. You should remember to keep all
of your information in STEP current. It is important to include your
current phone number and email address where you can be reached in
case of an emergency.
The U.S. Embassy is located at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs; the Consular
Section entrance is located on Avenue Dumi, opposite Saint Anne's
Church. The Embassy's telephone number, including for after-hours
emergencies, is 243-81-556-0151; callers within the DRC should dial
081-556-0151. All telephone lines in the DRC, cellular as well as
landlines, are unreliable. Click here to visit the Embassy website.
For further information, consult the Department of State's Country
Specific Information for Democratic Republic of the Congoand the
current Worldwide Caution, available on the Bureau of Consular
AffairsInternet website. Current information on safety and security
can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United
States and Canada or, a regular toll line at-1-202-501-4444 for
callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00
a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S.
federal holidays). Stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of
Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings
and Travel Alertsas well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on
Twitterand the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebookas well. You
can also download our freeSmart Traveler App, available through
iTunesand the Google play storeto have travel information at your
fingertips.
http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/184996991/democratic-republic-of-the-congo-travel-warning
--
SIBOMANA Jean Bosco
Google+: https://plus.google.com/110493390983174363421/posts
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9B4024D0AE764F3D
http://www.youtube.com/user/sibomanaxyz999
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