From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Lesotho Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 15:18:15 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1879 Path: world!root Message-ID: <199808241120_MC2-571D-DAC2@compuserve.com> Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Precedence: bulk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Lines: 122 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Lesotho ============================================================ Lesotho - Public Announcement August 21, 1998 Maseru, the capital of the Kingdom of Lesotho, has recently been the center of serious and ongoing unrest. Anti-government protests and a heavy security presence continue. Isolated incidents of political violence have occurred in the capital and outlying districts. American citizens should remain vigilant and exercise caution when traveling in Lesotho, and avoid protest venues and large crowds, as the situation has the potential to rapidly escalate. For further information, consult the Department's latest Consular Information Sheet on Lesotho and the Department's August 20 Worldwide Caution Public Announcement. This Public Announcement expires November 20, 1998. Lesotho - Consular Information Sheet May 8, 1998 Country Description: Lesotho is a developing country in southern Africa. Facilities for tourists are limited. The capital city is Maseru. Entry Requirements: A passport and visa are required for U.S. citizens traveling to Lesotho. For more information concerning entry requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Kingdom of Lesotho, 2511 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 797-5533. Overseas inquiries may be made at the nearest Lesotho embassy or consulate. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities are minimal. Many medicines are unavailable. Doctors and hospitals often require immediate cash payment for health care services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. Travelers have found supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provisions for medical evacuation, to be useful. For additional health information, travelers may contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at telephone 1-888-232-3228 or autofax at 1-888-232-3299 or via their Internet home page at http://www.cdc.gov. Areas of Instability: Elections are set for May 23, 1998. Although there have been no specific incidents of unrest reported, the security situation can change rather rapidly. Travelers are encouraged to contact the U.S. Embassy in Maseru for the latest security guidance. Information on Crime: Deteriorating economic conditions in the country, aggravated by the return of large numbers of unemployed miners from South Africa, have caused an increase in armed robberies, break-ins and auto thefts. This occurs primarily in the capital city of Maseru but can occur elsewhere as well. Victims have included foreign diplomats and members of foreign aid missions. Traveling alone or at night is particularly dangerous. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa" provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Road Safety/In-Country Travel: Road travel is difficult, especially during bad weather. A four-wheel drive vehicle is mandatory on dirt roads outside of Maseru. Due to lack of maintenance, some city roads are impassable without a four-wheel drive vehicle and other roads may have limited access to other vehicular traffic. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service at present, or economic authority to operate such service, between the U.S. and Lesotho, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Lesotho's civil aviation authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Lesotho's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet home page at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travellers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. Registration and Embassy Location: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy and obtain updated information on travel and security in Lesotho. The U.S. Embassy is located at 254 Kingsway, Maseru West; the mailing address is P.O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho. The telephone number is (266) 312-666. No. 98-54 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated February 25, 1997, to update the information on areas of instability and road safety/in-country travel and to add a paragraph on civil aviation oversight. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories