An upscale Colombo cafe triggered outrage over social media and has launched a reported investigation from Sri Lanka’s official languages commission after it displayed a sign instructing its employees that “No Tamil” is to be spoken.
The Peppermint Cafe in Colombo displayed the sign stating its staff “speak only in English or Sinhala” earlier this month. “Strictly No Tamil to be spoken,” it added.
A comment by the cafe on its Facebook page said the sign was put up initially due to “guest complaints that staff had been speaking in the Tamil language and it seemed like the staff were joking about customers”.
As photographs from the cafe spread across social media, the cafe was forced to backtrack and reportedly replaced the sign with one that reads “Avoid speaking in a language that’s only understood by you whilst the customer doesn’t”.
In response to the outcry, Sri Lanka’s Minister of National Integration and Official Languages said he had instructed the official languages commission “to step in”.
“Violators may [have] to face legal consequences,” he tweeted.