Refusing a British national entry into Sri Lanka based on a Buddha tattoo “tells a sad story about the growing levels of religious anxiety in a country usually famed for its hospitality towards visitors”, Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Robbie Bulloch wrote in a blog post published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Mr. Bulloch wrote in his post that visitors to foreign countries should be sensitive to the communities they visit and their culture while adding that countries that focus heavily on tourism should in turn understand that a large portion of visitors do not share the same beliefs and traditions as themselves and should in turn be more tolerant.

He wrote that the visitor would have avoided this situation had he read the travel advice given by the UK government on Sri Lanka and had covered the tattoo.

The British national was denied entry into Sri Lanka because he had a visible tattoo of Buddha which the immigration officials claimed could cause offense and endanger his own safety. The man claimed to be of Buddhist faith himself and that the tattoo was a demonstration of his affiliation with Buddhism.

Full Blog Post by Bulloch:

A few weeks ago a British man was refused entry to Sri Lanka because he had a large visible tattoo of Buddha on his arm.  Sri Lankan immigration officials took the view that it would cause offence and concluded that he should not enter the country.  Initial reports suggested that the visitor had also voiced disrespect towards Buddhism although the man later declared that he was himself a Buddhist and that far from being an insult, the tattoo demonstrated his affiliation to the religion. Whatever the truth behind the conflicting reports, this is a good example of how tourism can result in cultural misunderstandings.

Of course, part of the reason that we travel is to experience different cultures.  That entails being sensitive to the communities we visit and ensuring that we are aware of different cultural norms.  On the other side, countries like Sri Lanka and Maldives which open themselves up to large scale tourism need to be prepared for the fact that people with very different perspectives and values will visit their shores.  Glossy marketing and the relative ease of global transport can mask the fact that tourist destinations often have very different customs to those found in liberal western cities.

Had the visitor read our Travel Advice (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka) he would have seen that we caution against causing perceived insult to Buddhism. This advice has now been updated to include a specific reference to tattoos.  The man with the tattoo of Buddha claimed that he was exercising his right to free expression.   That’s a right strongly promoted and defended by the UK government. We also recognise that such freedoms are necessarily limited where such expression has a negative impact on others (e.g. racist language).  Arguably a better informed traveller might have had the awareness to cover his tattoo while visiting a country with strong views on Buddhist iconography.

But while visitors need to be better informed and respectful of the countries they are visiting, a degree of understanding and tolerance is also desirable on the part of the hosts.  In Maldives, for example, this means having to balance traditional Islamic customs which outlaw alcohol and revealing clothing with providing a relaxed environment for tourists who pay a lot of money for a well-earned holiday in paradise. This has been managed in Maldives through a clear separation between resort islands and those inhabited by Maldivians, but the cultural differences have nevertheless given rise to tensions.

In Sri Lanka, while many see the economic opportunities offered by increasing visitor numbers, there are also concerns amongst some local people that traditional livelihoods and cultures are coming under threat.  And while many tourists enjoy exploring new destinations and cultures, they also need to feel that they are safe and protected in areas less accustomed to foreigners.

It’s been reported that the decision to deny entry to the man with the Buddha tattoo was made partly on the basis that his safety could have been at risk.  That could well be the case, but if so, it tells a sad story about the growing levels of religious anxiety in a country usually famed for its hospitality towards visitors.

Robbie Bulloch Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives