DEMONSTRATION

Calling For Real Change in the Arab World

Countering the idea that the Islamic System is NOT an option

London 3pm Saturday 5th February 2011 – Up to Three thousand men, women and children marched in the heart of London’s Arab community, down Edgware Road to the Egyptian Embassy, in a demonstration organised by Hizb ut-Tahrir, Britain.

The demonstrators were showing their support for protesters in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and elsewhere who are calling for the removal of the corrupt and oppressive systems ruling over them. hey also protested their opposition to Western interference in the Muslim world, where these regimes had been supported for decades. Finally, they argued that the Islamic Khilafah system was the only means to real change – to tackle the issues of injustice, poverty, sectarianism and occupation – in a way that united people based on their beliefs and history.

Speakers on the day included Dr Imran Waheed and Fouad Hussein from Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Fouad Hussein has worked with Hizb ut-Tahrir for over 55 years. He recounted his experience of working with Hizb ut-Tahrir in Egypt for 5 years some 40 years ago. He warned that “it is not real change to replace Mubarak with Omar Suleiman, or others from the regime; or to tinker with the constitution; or to establish any other form of weak client state.” He said that “real change could only come with a complete change of system” and that “the Islamic system demanded a government which respected men and women, black and white, young and old, Muslim and non-Muslim as citizens; looked after their affairs; and rejected slavery to the interests of foreign powers”.

Dr Imran Waheed said, regarding the latest events that “western politicians now repeatedly echoe the ‘scary’ phrases we are used to hearing from the likes of Mubarak that ‘Islamists filling the vacuum’ and ‘extremists exploiting the opportunity’. They do this to make it clear that what is unacceptable to them is an Islamic state: i.e. a Khilafah, which would rule by the Quran and Sunnah, liberate Palestine and pursue a policy independent from western colonialists. We wanted to counter their propaganda, and show that Islam is the best means to liberate Egypt and the Arab world from oppression; economic hardship for the masses; and slavery to colonial powers and the global capitalist system that has left so many people suffering today.”

Banners and slogans included: “Egypt/Tunisia: Time for Real change. Time for Khilafah” and “Arab puppet rulers must go”.

[Ends]