Violence in Pemba/Zanzibar?

[Marge30]

I have some friends who are planning a dive trip to Pemba and Zanzibar, but we have recently heard from Kenya Television of 500 refugees from Pemba arriving in Kenya Shimoni to seek asylum; some with gunshots. About 130 are dead after violence broke out again on January 30 2001. Escaping dhows were shot at from helicopters.

We also heard that visiting yachts are advised to avoid the area since many yachts have been boarded by the navy. Can anyone please tell me what the situation is and how safe Pemba and Zanzibar is at this time?

[mattiedread]

You'll get up to the minute travel information from people in Kenya/Zanibar. That area can get scketchy quickly, but I hear the diving is amazing. Good luck.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com

visit the thorn tree and look for Africa. As Kenya and Tanzania are very popular destinations, I'll bet you'll find the answer already on the board.

[pie]

We went to Pemba and Zanzibar two weeks after the embassy bombings in Africa. We really were uncomfortable and "obvious", from the dock in Zanzibar (where boarding resembled a riot) to arriving in Pemba (where someone impersonated the man from the hotel who was supposed to be meeting us). If not for my husband's sense of humor and calm, I'm not sure how things would've turned out. I never felt so vulnerable.

I would heed any warnings. We've traveled all over the world and for the first time I had serious questions about our safety.

Also, the diving wasn't THAT great.

[scooter_bell]

I used to live on the south coast of kenya in '99 and was just back there in nov of 2001. I have to say that there are alot of "news" stories that just cant be trusted. I never once felt in danger there. Having said that, im 6'2'' and 200 lbs and know my way around. Check the kenya and tanzanian news paper web sites and forget about the state department warnings, there politacal tools used to pressure countries into compliance. anyhow, if things have cooled down, you can treat each place like you would any developing nation. using your brain and a little street smarts will keep you out of most problems. Also, check with the dive operators there and ask for the email of recent western divers you can get an outsiders viewpoint. Id also have to encourage you to not pass up the diving from shimoni before you even get to pemba! Pilli Pippa Dhow safaris can take you to some of the best diving on the african coast, ask for nuli reef, and you wont be sorry. scooter
ps you might email Pilli Pippa and ask if they have any news, they are housed right on the water across from the shimoni dock where the refugees showed up. they probably even saw the event!