What’s unique about our national flag?

Recently a postgraduate student posed the question “Why is it that our National flag depicts the different ethnic groups and still expect us to be a united country?” This thought provoking question made us realize that we should modify it to give equal importance to each and every ethnic group.

The Flag of Sri Lanka is commonly described as follows:- It depicts a gold lion, holding a sword in its right fore paw, in front of a crimson background with four golden bo leaves in each corner. Around the background is a yellow border, and to its left are two vertical stripes of equal size in saffron and green, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion. The crimson represents Sinhala people, green the Muslim faith, orange Tamil ethnicity, yellow as all cultures. Thus our flag is unique as it highlights our different ethnic groups.

In contrast National Flag of India depicts strength, courageous spirit and unity of the people in spite of the ethnic differences. The top band of the flag is of Saffron colour, indicating strength and courage of the country, white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land

It is the peaceful stayagraha or protests in India, which ultimately forced the British to quit India. Thereafter it was not prudent to maintain Ceylon as a British colony and about six months later we were granted independence. As we got independence on a platter we did not realize its value and did not strive to maintain the unity though all ethnic groups played an equally important part in gaining independence. This superficial unity is amply displayed in the composition of our National flag. If there was a solid foundation of unity among the citizens, a national flag with ethnic division would not have been created.

Therefore, our National flag depicts different ethnic groups disproportionately, while all citizens have equal rights according to our constitution. Though four bo-leaves in the flag represents Buddhism, there is no recognition of Hinduism and Christianity. It may have been designed in terms of demographic numbers. But these have changed during the past 75 years. Thus we should change the national flag accordingly or re design it to depict equal rights of all citizens. Or revert to our original one of a lion with the raised paw carrying a sword and background in one colour as it was in under our kings.

During the last 75 years the name of our country has changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka, parliamentary system of government to a presidential system, the national anthem was changed and presently we sing it in two languages. Why not change the composition of the National Flag to depict our unity in diversity?

INDRAKUMAR AND RUVINI WIJAYATILAKE