On 17/01/2011 the formation of a government was announced in Tunisia under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the old and new, Mohamed Ghannouchi, who was a supporter and the right-hand man of the now fugitive tyrant Ben Ali.

The government was mainly formed of the party of the tyrant, namely the secular Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD). Six ministers of Ben Ali’s government remain in the new government, retaining their positions in the “sovereign” ministries of Defense, Interior, Finance and Foreign Affairs.

Ghannouchi added to this government three opposition parties in marginal ministries to present the deception of what is called the government of national unity!

Thus, the cronies of Ben Ali have maintained the “continuity” of his rule and the rule of his party after him, even after he was sacked and became a fugitive!

Many lives have been lost over the last thirty days, since the spark of the people’s uprising started in 17/12/2010, after the hunger, poverty, disease and unemployment, not to mention the injustice and oppression, forced the young man, Al-Bouazizi, to death. He was still young but the cronies of the oppressive regime crushed his vehicle on which he used to sell simple goods, whose income was hardly enough for his hunger!

Then the movement of people rose against the unjust system demanding security and livelihood under the just rule of Islam in a country whose wealth and power were looted by the authority, which possessed the palaces and luxury, and left the public in poverty which drove them to graves!

Dear people in Tunisia,

Dear Muslims:

The bravery of the people of Tunisia are deeply rooted in history since Allah (swt) honored them with Islam, and it became one of its guiding beacons from which the spark of conquest of North Africa and Andalusia began.

It became known as the country of Uqbah, after Uqbah bin Nafi (ra) set out carrying Islam to North Africa until he reached the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. There he stood before its thundering waves saying: “Had I known that there are people behind you I would have plunged in it with the heels of my horses as a conqueror!”

This is the green Tunisia, and these are her sons, they are Mujahideen:

رِجَالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالأَبْصَارُ

(They are men who are not distracted by neither trade nor sale from the remembrance of Allah, establishing prayer and paying zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and sights change.)

The misery did not come to Tunisia except after the colonialists, led by France, managed to occupy it and tore it out of the Ottoman State in 1881.

The colonists then spread corruption in it, and ruled it with suppression, oppression and tyranny. However, Muslim heroes in Tunisia resisted and thousands were martyred, but they continued to close ranks carrying their souls in the way of Allah until Allah, the Strong, the Mighty, gave them victory. So France was forced to leave Tunisia in defeat and humiliation at the middle of last century.

But before the people of Tunisia could enjoy the fruits of their victory, and restore the rule of Islam, a group of its people sold their religion in return for thrones replacing France with Britain and the rule of “Bourguiba” and “Ben Ali“, who treated people with suppression!

Tunisia became the booty for greedy government officials, and a scene for international conflict, especially after America popped its head “trying to” chase out Old Europe in Tunisia!

We recall today what has passed while seeing pure blood being shed. But before the people could enjoy the fruits of change, by removing the regime of despotic Ben Ali to re-establish the rule of Islam, the rule of the tyrant has come again with the same faces that failed to maintain the sanctity of the country, nor establish justice among people!

Dear parents in Tunisia

Dear Muslims:

The problem is not tyrant individuals like Ben Ali, but it is in the man made system he left behind, which produces tyrants.

It is not right for the lives lost to be forgotten and wiped out when the cronies of the tyrant take charge of her affairs again!

Are not Mebazaa, Ghannouchi and Kallal the pillars of the rule of the tyrant who shed the blood of innocent people? Were not these old-new ministers the partners to the tyrant and witnesses to the shedding of the blood?

The lives lost will never accept from you (the people) the rule of Mebazaa, Ghannouchi and Kallal and their henchmen who shed blood and spread corruption on earth.

It will not forgive you unless you achieve that for which lives were lost: the uprooting of the unjust man made system from its roots and symbols, and the establishment of the rule of Allah “the guided Khilafah” in its place. Then the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and goodness will prevail on its people, and Muslims will rejoice in Allah’s victory.

Dear People in Tunisia

Dear Muslims:

The guide does not tell a lie to his family, and Hizb ut-Tahrir calls upon you to answer the call of the lives lost during your great uprising for thirty days:

• The lives lost call upon you, so do not let them go in vain through your silence upon the unjust man made system imposed upon you .
• The lives lost call upon you to uproot from your country the Western influence and its tools and its agents who are fascinated by its culture.
• The lives lost call upon you to answer the call of Allah and establish the guided Khilafah, which is the promise of Allah (swt) and the good tidings of your Messenger (saw).
• The lives lost call upon you to enjoy a good life and for misery to disappear by renouncing the laws of human beings and following the laws of the Lord of human beings:

فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَى* وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا

(Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor will they suffer, but whoever turns away from My Reminder he will have a life of hardship.)

Are you responding?

14th Safar 1432
18/01/2011
Hizb ut-Tahrir