British tourist deported from Sri Lanka for having a Buddha tattoo

[struggle4progress]

British tourist deported from Sri Lanka for having a Buddha tattoo
Tuesday 22 April 2014
Kashmira Gander

... Naomi Michelle Coleman had arrived at the airport from India, and was detained when the tattoo of a Buddha seated on a lotus flower was spotted on her right arm, according to Sri Lankan police officials.

After her arrest Coleman, appeared before a magistrate who ordered her deportation, which will take place “very soon…tomorrow or the day after tomorrow,” a police spokesman said ...

Buddhism is the religion of the country's majority ethnic Sinhalese and tattoos using Buddhist iconography are regarded as culturally insensitive.

Her arrest follows a ban imposed in 2011 by Thailand's Culture Ministry which ruled that foreign tourists in Sri Lanka should be barred from getting tattoos of Buddha ...

[dipsydoodle]

1. I have a feeling

that similar could happen in Cuba if you wore a t shirt with Fidel on it. Its known as disrespect.

[cbayer]

2. While deportation may be a bit extreme,

there is a lot to be said for being culturally sensitive when traveling.

Just wear some sleeves. What's the big deal?