US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1843

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001843 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR RAMAKRISHNA "RAMKI" UPPULURI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AINF, PGOV, PINR, OTRA, TW, NP 
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR RAMAKRISHNA ?RAMKI? UPPULURI, 
NOVEMBER 15-19, 2005 
 
REF: STATE 188521 
 
1. Post grants country clearance to Ramakrishna "Ramki" 
Uppuluri during the period November 15-19, 2005.  Embassy 
control officer is Craig A. Zimmerman, office telephone 
number 94-11-244-8007, extension 2401, home telephone 
number 94-11-258-5337. 
 
2. Reservations have been made at The Colombo Plaza, Telephone 
94-11-243-7437, Fax 94-11-244-9280, which offers lodging 
within published per diem rates and which is within walking 
distance to the Embassy. Mr. Uppuluri will be met at the 
airport by a representative of Abans Tours arranged through 
the AMEX travel desk at the Embassy. If you do not see your 
name placard after exiting customs, please proceed to Counter 
No.19, Abans Tours, to arrange for your pick up.  Abans tours 
will provide transportation to the hotel. The cost for the 
trip will be SLR 1600 (or approx. USD 16). Please make payment 
direct to the driver at time of drop off. 
 
3. As far in advance of the visit as possible, visitors must 
provide specific details to the control officer of all support 
requirements they will need while at post.  Support 
requirements include procurement requests, motor pool usage, 
shipping assistance, and any and all other service 
requirements that will be needed upon arrival or during the 
visit. 
 
4.  Political and security developments emerge quickly and 
frequently in Sri Lanka and the Embassy is monitoring these 
developments.  The current unrest and spate of violent 
incidents in the eastern part of the island have heightened 
tensions island-wide.  A July 2004 terrorist suicide bombing 
in Colombo was the first in more than two years, although most 
likely not targeted towards foreigners.  The government has 
given security forces expanded emergency powers of search, 
seizure and detention in the wake of the August 12 
assassination of the Foreign Minister but the situation around 
the country remains calm.  Once you arrive in Sri Lanka, 
 
please make sure you register with the Consular Office so the 
Embassy can communicate any changes in the situation.  As 
always, we urge you to be cautious and aware of your 
surroundings. 
 
5. Visitors to Sri Lanka traveling on diplomatic or official 
passports will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka.  If you are 
arriving from a country in which there is no Sri Lanka Embassy, 
please send to Letitia DeSilva (DeSilvaL@State.Gov) and copy 
James Hostetler (HostetlerJE@State.Gov), the following 
information:  Full Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, 
Passport Number, Place of Issue, Date of Issue, and Expiration 
Date.  The Embassy will make the arrangements with the GOSL to 
have a visa issued at the airport.  Visitors traveling on 
tourist passports will be granted a 30-day visa upon arrival at 
the airport.  For visitors whose temporary duty will exceed 30 
days, once you arrive you may request a four-month visa 
extension at a cost of SLR 10,000 (approximately USD 
100.00). With this extension, total time in Sri Lanka is not to 
exceed 150 days. 
 
6. Travel by Official Americans to the North and East of Sri 
Lanka has been restricted until further notice.  Any travel to 
these areas requires prior approval by the Ambassador or 
Charge'. 
 
7. Although the cease-fire between the Government of Sri Lanka 
and LTTE continues to hold, travelers should exercise caution 
when working in and near Government facilities and avoid large 
gatherings due to a potential terrorist incident.  Petty crime 
is common in Colombo and travelers should avoid using public 
transportation other than radio or hotel taxis.  Travelers 
should keep money or jewelry, when not in immediate use, in 
hotel safe deposit boxes.  Recent cases of credit card fraud 
have been reported.  Travelers are encouraged to either pay 
with cash or to watch when a merchant ?swipes? the card for a 
transaction to ensure it is not swiped more than once. 
 
8. All TDY personnel must check in with the Regional Security 
Officer on their first working day in Colombo to receive a 
security briefing and an update regarding the terrorist threat. 
Please coordinate with your control officer to schedule this 
briefing.  Visitors requiring access to classified information 
while visiting post MUST forward their security clearance via 
cable to the RSO.  Again, for emergency contact purposes, all 
official visitors are required to register, in person, at the 
Embassy?s Consular Section, on their first working day or as 
soon thereafter as practicable. 
 
9.Travelers whose security orientation training is not 
current are strongly urged to participate in one of the NFATC 
security overseas seminars for TDY personnel before travel 
commences. 
 
10.  An Embarkation Tax of SLR 1,500 is required.  This tax is 
normally included in the airline ticket charges and travelers 
should verify the tax has been included. 
 
11. Visitors to the Embassy wishing to access their OpenNet e- 
mail from their home post should inform their control officer 
before departure.  If access to e-mail is necessary, visitors 
should have their control officer provide the Colombo ISC 
office with the following information at least five working 
days in advance of their arrival at post: -- visitor's first 
name, middle initial and last name, arrival date at post, 
departure date at post, visitor's home OpenNet Exchange Server 
Name, the Exchange IP Address and the Domain Name. The contact 
e-mail address for Colombo ISC office is: ColomboISCHelpDesk 
(SMTP: ColomboISCHelpDesk@state.gov).  Colombo's ISC office 
will create the guest account and set it up for email access. 
When the visitor arrives at post, they will need to check in 
with the Colombo ISC office (Room 134) to sign for a User ID 
and Password.  The Colombo ISC office staff will review with 
the visitor the steps for accessing their home e-mail. 
 
12. The Embassy Health Unit suggests that all TDY employees in 
Sri Lanka for more than 14 days schedule a briefing with the 
Foreign Service Health Practitioner (FSHP).  Also, your control 
officer can arrange for an electronic version of the Colombo 
Health Booklet to be sent to you via email.  Please be advised 
that while in Sri Lanka, you cannot use your American health 
insurance for health care received from local providers, 
laboratories, and hospitals.  You can obtain receipts for care 
received in country to submit to your health insurance plan for 
reimbursement.  Some facilities will accept credit card 
payment, but most require cash.  Arrangements for deferring 
payment for emergency care are possible if arranged through the 
Health Unit, but you must clear all bills for health services 
received outside of the Health Unit prior to leaving Sri Lanka. 
 
Lunstead