Anti-Muslim rhetoric strengthens terrorists, warns Kerry

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned that hateful rhetoric against Muslims strengthens terrorists, not those fighting terrorism.

“There is nothing strong about denigrating anyone on the basis of their religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, or on the basis of any characteristic or difference, real or imagined,” added actress Angelina Jolie.

Ms Jolie, who is the Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, joined Secretary Kerry for an interfaith iftar reception to mark World Refugee Day on Monday in Sterling, Virginia.

“Bigoted and hateful rhetoric towards Muslims plays right into the hands of the terrorist recruiters who propagate the lie that America is at war with Islam,” said Secretary Kerry while addressing the participants at All Dulles Area Muslim Society (Adams), one of the largest Islamic centres in the United States.

Secretary Kerry and Ms Jolie also drew attention to increased xenophobic incidents against refugees and called on all states to share the burden and responsibility in tackling these problems.

Secretary Kerry noted that it is wars and conflicts that forced people to become refugees and the best way to deal with this problem was to end wars. “Ending conflict, ending a war in Libya, ending a war in Yemen, ending a war in Syria. Every war and every conflict actually reflects the failure of diplomacy.”

Ms Jolie said now was the time to reclaim the true strength of democracy. “I firmly believe that strength lies in the decency and common sense of regular citizens such as the people who turned out in the thousands after the tragedy in Orlando, supported by millions of likeminded people around the world from every race and religion.”