Analysis of the Draft Travel Ban List Involving 43 Nations

A draft list from the U.S. State Department reportedly includes 43 nations affected by President Trump’s travel ban, categorized into red (total ban), orange (restricted visas), and yellow (60 days to address concerns). Notable entries include Bhutan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and several African and Caribbean nations.

A draft list purportedly circulated by the U.S. State Department outlines 43 nations that may be subject to President Donald Trump’s travel ban, as reported by The New York Times. The countries are categorized into three groups: the red list includes those whose citizens face total bans, the orange list indicates those with restricted visa access, and the yellow list contains countries allowed 60 days to address U.S. concerns.

Notably, the red list includes unexpected entries such as Bhutan, a peaceful nation whose citizens are reportedly banned due to an immigration scam involving Nepalese citizens misrepresenting themselves as Bhutanese refugees. Other expected nations on the red list include North Korea, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya, and a surprising new entry, Afghanistan. However, Iraq has notably been omitted.

Central and South American nations Cuba and Venezuela are also placed on the red list. Meanwhile, Pakistan, another neighboring country of India, is listed within the orange category, which may cause dismay among the Pakistani diaspora in the U.S. Russia and its ally Belarus are similarly included in this group, while Ukraine is excluded despite the challenging diplomatic relations surrounding it.

From Asia, countries like Laos and Myanmar are featured on the orange list, along with Turkmenistan from Central Asia. The yellow list includes several Caribbean nations, which raises questions including St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica, where an Indian student has recently gone missing and is being pursued by the FBI. Cambodia and the Oceania nation of Vanuatu are also included. A notable number of African countries, totaling 16, appear on the yellow list, including Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, and others.

In summary, a leaked draft from the U.S. State Department presents a travel ban list affecting 43 countries. The categorization into red, orange, and yellow lists highlights significant geopolitical considerations, including surprising entries such as Bhutan and Afghanistan, while typically restricted nations like Iran and North Korea remain constants. The implications of such lists are likely to create diplomatic tensions and confusion among affected nations and their citizens.

Original Source: www.rediff.com