Samir Pasha and Naga Kandiah, human rights lawyers based out of London, analyze the ethnic tension sparked by the use of animal emblems in Sri Lanka.
Much controversy surrounds the use of the flags associated with the Sri Lankan people, mainly because they are loaded with ethnic symbolism in a country recovering from a generation-long civil war along ethno-nationalist lines. The flags of concern here all feature big cats as central to their designs.
Big cats, wherever they occur, have been objects of reverence. Even where they are not native their sheer power, grace, agility, ferocity and strength have enabled them to establish a place in the mythos and heraldry of many nations. Of interest to the Sri Lankan story are three species of big cat: the leopard, the lion and the tiger. I will briefly examine them in that order.
and a special counsel to investigate violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
However, in 2019 the new government decided to withdraw from this Resolution, with no trace of any effort to set up such a mechanism. Reconciliation could have included the promotion and recognition of Tamil culture and history, it could have gone some way in assuring Tamil citizens they belonged to the Island that has been their home for over 4,000 years. With the new government’s withdrawal from such a commitment, it is no surprise that the Sri Lankan government is unwavering by its other international commitments. With no international accountability, the allegations of genocide, torture, and human rights violations will continue to rub salt in the wounds of the hundreds of thousands of Tamil victims.
Jamaican Deportation Action and The UK Home Office - JURIST - Commentary jurist.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jurist.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.