§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's guidance is to UK citizens planning to travel to the Manipur region in north east India; what assessment his Department has made of the security situation in Manipur; when this assessment was last updated; and if he will make a statement. [142027]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe advise UK citizens against all travel to Manipur. This advice is reviewed on a monthly basis, most recently on 24 November 2003. A number of militant and criminal groups operate in the state; and whilst foreigners are not generally targets of violence, attacks can be indiscriminate. For example a German aid worker was kidnapped by one group earlier this year close to the capital Imphal. We currently see no grounds for changing the travel advice.