New Travel Advisory Issued for Northeast India Following Violent Protests

Image credit: Mrigen Das

Singaporeans are advised to “exercise vigilance and caution” if they are traveling to Northeast India, according to a new travel advisory released by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). This comes after violent protests over the new citizenship law which have led to two deaths and 26 casualties. 

The new law grants citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. At the heart of the protests is the fear of new immigrants taking away jobs and affecting the culture of the region. Several Indian state ministers including Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal have announced that they will not implement the law. 

Image credit: AFP news agency (via YouTube)

Protests have disrupted travels

Curfews have been implemented in Assam and Meghalaya indefinitely. Flights and train services have also been cancelled due to the protests and a restriction on mobile data in certain places make communications difficult. 

Image credit: Global News (via YouTube)

MFA advises Singaporeans traveling to the area to stay updated with the latest developments and to take necessary precautions to protect themselves, like avoiding crowds.

USA, Canada and UK have advised their citizenships to delay non-essential travel to the region and a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Narendra Modi has been postponed. 

Also read: 10 Reasons to Explore Meghalaya on Your Visit to Northeast India