Countries express concern over demonising Muslims

<p>The United States yesterday expressed concern over what it described as the demonising of Muslims, following the mass resignation of Muslim ministers from the front benches.&nbsp;</p> <p>In a tweet the US House Foreign Affairs Committee wrote: "The demonizing of Muslims by certain religious and political forces in Sri Lanka is a concerning development for the country. Leaders in the country need to calm communal tensions and ensure safety for people of all faiths in the country."</p> <p>The German embassy in Colombo also tweeted on the subject highlighting the importance of freedom of religion and mutual tolerance.&nbsp;</p> <p>"The Embassy joins in wishing all peace-loving Muslims in Sri Lanka a blessed Eid ul Fitr. In these troubled times, it is especially important not to place a whole religion under general suspicion but to promote understanding and harmony between all communities. Freedom of religion and mutual tolerance are cornerstones of a democratic society," the embassy tweeted.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="Image removed." src="/core/misc/icons/e32700/error.svg" title="This image has been removed. For security reasons, only images from the local domain are allowed." height="16" width="16" class="filter-image-invalid"></p> <p>Muslim government officials, including all ministers and two governors, resigned on Monday from their posts following mounting pressure from senior Buddhist clergy and politicians, as well as large scale protests.&nbsp;</p> <p>Three ministers and five junior ministers resigned from their cabinet positions saying they had done so as a result of the "hate culture" against Muslims in government at present.&nbsp;</p> <blockquote><p> Read more: <strong><u><a href="https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/muslim-ministers-resign-pressure-…">Muslim ministers resign as pressure mounts from Buddhist clergy</a></u></strong> </p></blockquote>