Islamic leaders on Tuesday censured Australian PM Tony Abbott and accused him of “scapegoating” an entire community and inciting “ill-feeling.
The criticism came on Monday in a national security address, when Abbott accused the Muslim community of failing to do enough to do away with extremism.
He said that had often heard Western leaders describe Islam as a “religion of peace” and that he wished Muslim leaders “would say that more often, and mean it.”
“Everybody, including Muslim community leaders, needs to speak up clearly because, no matter what the grievance, violence against innocents must surely be a blasphemy against all religion,” he said.
The Islamic Council of Victoria, which represents that state’s more than 150,000 Muslims, condemned Abbott’s remarks.
“The PM’s lack of acknowledgement or appreciation of Muslim community leaders and members who volunteer their time to consult with all levels of government and enforcement agencies misleads and incites ill-feeling from the broader community,” said the council’s spokesman Kuranda Seyit.
Randa Kattan, the head of the Arab Council of Australia, said Abbott’s remarks were “promoting hatred and inflaming racism” and were “dog-whistling to the racists out there.”
Sheikh Mohamadu Nawas Saleem, spokesman for the Australian national imams council, said, “It is because of the efforts of imams that Australia is safe,” adding that Abbott’s comments “demonize Muslims at large”.
Muslims make up only 2.2 per cent of Australia’s largely Christian but multicultural population of 23 million.
With inputs from agencies