Hizb ut Tahrir organized a stand of solidarity in Gaza City for the Syrian Revolution in its second anniversary of its launch on Friday, 03 Jumada I 1434 AH, corresponding to 15 March 2013 in Palestine Square in central Gaza.

Crowds headed to the stand from the Omari Mosque and others while chanting: "Our Leader Forever, Prophet Mohammed", "We will not kneel only to Allah," "Khilafah "Caliphate" Forever in spite of you, Assad" and "One, One Muslim Blood, One." Other slogans included, "Khilafah "Caliphate", Our Demand in spite of America and Russia" and "The Ummah Demands Khilafah "Caliphate" Again."

Thereafter, the stand convened in Palestine Square, where Abu Saeed gave a lengthy speech initiated by commending the revolution Sham and the steadfastness and patience of its people in the face of crimes and the brutal system, and their slogans that have renounced the civil state and demanded Khilafah "Caliphate", and the designation of the rebel battalions named after the noble Companions, bearing in mind that the strength of that revolution lies in the faith of the Syrian people in Allah (swt) as evidenced by the slogan and chants "We kneel only to Allah."

The spokesperson regarded the Syrian Revolution has exposed the American, European, Russian and Chinese stances and their apparatuses, warning Ahl Ash-Sham from of the enemy who wears the "sheep's wool" in the form of the National Coalition and the councils that followed. He also warned to cut the hands of America, Europe, the United Nations and the Arab League of Syria and barred from compromising the Sham revolution, in order to be crowned this revolution of the fall of the regime and Syria's independence from foreign influence and the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate".

He spokesman said the conflict in Syria is a struggle between the Islamic Ummah and the West while Bashar and his regime are simply tools of the West in this struggle. Thus, the West uses all its wealth, media and military to derail the revolution which strives in the culmination of the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate".

The stand concluded with an emotional Duaa for the people of Syria that Allah (swt) bestows His Victory upon them and bless them and the Muslims with the Sham embracing the Khilafah "Caliphate".

This was considered by Brother Hassan Madhoun, Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Palestine that the Hizb sends a message of solidarity and victory of the Ummah's revolution in Ash-Sham and the Hizb seeks along with the sincere to prevent the West from thwarting the revolution and aborting it as it happened with the revolutions in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia and Libya. And with final duaa, wa Alhamdulilah Rab Alalameen.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Palestine

For Picture Slideshow: Click Here

On the 26^th of February 2013, the UK "Guardian" published a story that at least 13 Rohingya Muslim women, including teenagers, were subjected to prolonged rape and torture by Burmese security forces in a remote village in the western state of Arakan. One victim, an 18-year-old girl described how a group of uniformed soldiers from Burma's border security unit, known locally as Nasaka, entered her house shortly after midnight on the 20^th of February and then tortured and raped her mother, 15 year old sister, and herself. She described the ordeal lasting till dawn, and included the security forces beating her mother with a gun. Matthew Smith, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, stated, "Sexual violence by Nasaka against Rohingya women has been documented for many years," adding that prosecutions are rare for such crimes committed by security forces. Due to this violence, burning of homes and killings, Rohingya Muslims have been forced to flee, including many thousands of women and children.

The UN estimates the number of Rohingya displaced since June 2012 to be more than 100,000. AFP also published a news report on the 25^th of February 2013, regarding hundreds of Rohingyan women and children having to travel long distances by sea to Thailand or Malaysia on rickety boats, with little food to flee persecution. Some of these women were pregnant and even gave birth at sea. Some children were forced to travel alone to protect themselves from the violence. On February 26, fishermen found a rickety wooden boat floating off the coast of Indonesia's Northern Province of Aceh. According to the Associated Press and other media outlets, there were 121 people on board who were extremely weak, dehydrated and almost starved, including children. One can appreciate the true desperation of the Rohingyan mothers when they are willing to risk their children drowning or starving to death at sea than remain in their homes in Myanmar. The gravity of the situation is indicated by the fact that not a single country is willing to properly accommodate these Muslims. In Thailand, the men are kept in detention centers away from their families and treated like criminals - that is if they even manage to arrive alive after the difficulties faced by them during the voyage as hundreds have drowned along the way.

There are many reports, including by Human Rights Watch that the Burmese government is complicit in this systematic ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims by the local Buddhist population. This is not only in allowing the killings and rapes of hundreds of Muslim men, women and children to happen, but also in actively participating in these atrocities, by opening fire upon and killing Muslim protestors when they were demanding their rights. This is not surprising, since the Burmese government has for centuries been trying to expel the Rohingya population from the country by implementing harsh social policies. In 1982, the Burmese authorities passed the Citizenship Law that rendered the Rohingya people ‘foreign occupants', despite the fact that the Rohingya Muslims have been living in the Rakhine state for centuries and that it was Burma who occupied the region. The same state of oppression is facing their neighbouring Muslim brothers and sisters in Assam, India where there too Muslims are being tortured, displaced from their homes and killed, while the Indian government stands as a silent abettor of the injustices and atrocities.

The Rohingya Muslims are therefore considered as non-citizens in Burma with no legal status. The Burmese regime considers them as unwanted and they have no right to property, nor to move freely and even have to seek the government's permission before marrying. They are treated as slave labourers, living in slums and without clean water, sanitation, and other necessary facilities of life. Alongside this, they are forced to bear torture at the hands of the authorities. Hundreds of young Muslims have been kidnapped by the army, and their families have been forced to leave their homes.

Despite all this, capitalist Western states have chosen to shamelessly turn a blind-eye to the persecution of the Muslim minority in Myanmar, even removing sanctions from Burma earlier this year, clearly viewing the lives of the Rohingya Muslims as an insignificant matter compared to securing their trade and investment interests in the country. For them the lives and honor of Rohingya women is worth nothing in comparison to their Capitalistic monetary goals. This is not surprising as such capitalist, secular states have repeatedly demonstrated to the world that their priority lies in protecting financial gain over human life. Even their golden girl, Aung San Syu Kii, leader of the Burma National League of Democracy, who they awarded the Nobel Peace Prize has been notably silent over this genocide in her own backyard, seemingly preferring to secure her personal parliamentary political ambitions and goal of ‘democratising the country' rather than speaking out against the horrific injustices within her own state. Clearly, the call for democracy does not include a call to protect the blood and life of minority populations.

These stories of oppression facing the Muslims of Rohingya are enough to make any Muslim's heart bleed; but not the rulers of the Muslim world who are heartless. One of the most inhumane statements came from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina who in an interview to Al Jazeerah TV said, "My country cannot afford to accommodate more Rohingya Muslim refugees fleeing persecution from neighbouring Myanmar." The statement followed reports that Bangladeshi authorities had been rejecting many of the asylum seekers. Sheikh Hasina defended the policy, saying Bangladesh is already overpopulated, and it is not her country's responsibility to help all of the Rohingya. Bangladesh has subsequently closed its borders to the Myanmar Muslims. In Malaysia, there are 25,000 Rohingya refugees according to the UNHCR, but the Malaysian government has also denied them any sort of legal status that would allow them access to healthcare, education, jobs, and other services. This indifference and appalling attitude is not limited to the rulers and governments of Bangladesh and Malaysia only. Where is the action of the leaders of Indonesia, Saudi, Qatar, Turkey and all the other Muslim lands to protect the lives of the Muslims of Burma? They have similarly shown complete disregard to the persecution of our Rohingya brothers and sisters.

This is how our present Muslim rulers are treating the helpless and distressed Muslim men and women. They possess the world's best armies, weaponry, aircrafts, zealous Muslim man-power and resources, yet sit and watch idly as Muslim women are dishonoured, their menfolk killed, and their children starve to death. The corrupt concept of nationalism and nation-state that they have embraced and implement have caused them to view these needy, desperate Muslims as a burden to their economy or land rather than as Islam obliges - those who they have a great responsibility to take care of, shelter, feed, and provide rights for as equal citizens of their state. Our present rulers under the Capitalist system are puppets of their Western masters and are unable to even feel an ounce of pain for the persecuted Muslims across the world as they have sold themselves in return for Swiss accounts, palaces and the luxuries of this life. Their indifference to the plight of the women and children of Burma is not surprising for these rulers themselves turn a blind-eye to the suffering of their own citizens, or are ruthless criminals, persecuting or killing their own people. Their lack of concern about the dishonouring or killing of Muslims elsewhere is therefore to be expected.  They have no regard for the Command of Allah (swt),

وَمَا لَكُمۡ لَا تُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلۡوِلۡدَٲنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَخۡرِجۡنَا مِنۡ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلظَّالِمِ أَهۡلُهَا وَٱجۡعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّ۬ا وَٱجۡعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا

"And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is, ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from you one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help." [TMQ An-Nisa: 75]

It is only the sincere ruler under the Khilafah "Caliphate" system who truly fears Allah and implements His Laws alone who will protect the lives and honour of the Rohingya Muslim women and children, and all the believers across the world - for this is an obligation under this state. It is an obligation that the Khilafah "Caliphate" fulfilled during its centuries of existence in the world, following the actions of the Prophet(saw) who showed to the believers the responsibility of the state to safeguard the blood and dignity of its citizens. During the time of the Prophet(saw), the Tribe of Ghatfan who were allies of the Jews of Khyber, abducted the wife of Abu Dharr Ghiffari, and killed her son. The Prophet (saw) decided to attack Khyber to put an end to these acts of violence. He left Madina with 1600 soldiers in September 628 and conquered Khyber, rescuing the Muslim woman. The rulers under the Khilafah "Caliphate" followed the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) in sending armies to rescue and protect Muslim women and men for they were obliged to do this by the system of Islam and could not even consider leaving the Muslims helpless or at the mercy of their oppressors.

The Rohingya Muslims along with all the oppressed Muslims of the world including in Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, Mali, and Pakistan can be protected only by the implementation of the Khilafah "Caliphate" system which responds readily to the Command of Allah (swt) in surah At-Taubah:

قَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ يُعَذِّبۡهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِأَيۡدِيڪُمۡ وَيُخۡزِهِمۡ وَيَنصُرۡكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَيَشۡفِ صُدُورَ قَوۡمٍ۬ مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ( ١٤) وَيُذۡهِبۡ غَيۡظَ قُلُوبِهِمۡ‌ۗ وَيَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

"Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and return calmness in the hearts of the believing people thus relieving their anxiety. Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [TMQ At-Taubah: 14-15]

Umm Musab

Member of The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir

(Republika, National Daily, 8 of March, 2013) RI, a young girl sitting in the fifth grade of elementary school has eventually died. She breathed her last due to an infection of venereal disease she suffered. The poor kid is an innocent girl, just like her peers. She is a victim of rape by her immediate family, ie her father. RI is not the only case. Acts of harrasment and abuse against females often occurs in the environment and people nearby. Either the father, brother, uncle, grandfather or maybe neighbors.

Many experts concerned with the phenomenon of amoral incest (perpetrator of kin). The incident seemed to imply there was no longer safe place for girls. Families that are supposed to be a shelter and a role model, instead just ruin her life. "Who else can protect children?" The causes vary. Factors could be shut out of economic or obscene spectacle that is consumed daily. But, people believe when early Islamic education is implemented, the less likely it happens. In Islam for example, a 10 year old child should be separated from the parents' room. This includes females not to share a room with a brother.

Expert in families and children, Ustadzah Iffah Ainur Rochmah found that case of immoral acts committed by people nearby can not be solved only in a curative manner. It needs early prevention. Spokeswoman of Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) has also stated that in Islam there are two interacting zone, ie, public and private zone (al hayah al amm and al hayah al khash). The family is included in the private zone. Though members of family are close to each other, but there are Islamic rules that must be adhered to among them. One of the rules is how to dress. Even though they are still mahram, but be aware of how to dress, should not be free. "Rules to dress must be adopted, that is covering the body to the knee," she explained.

In addition to how to dress, there are special times that should be respected: after Isha' prayers, before Subuh, and before Dhuhr. Children can not be freely enter their parents in the room. The three times, Iffah explains further, before entering the room children should knock on the door asking permission. This is done to avoid adult activity seen by children. Islam teaches, once reaching 10 years old, children should sleep separately from their parents. Boys and girls were not allowed to sleep in a single room.

Iffah also regrets, there is still light punishment given to the perpetrators of sexual abuse against children. In this country's law rule, punishment for perpetrators of sexual abuse can reach 16 years of jail, but in fact the verdict was not until the fourth period of the sentence. In fact, there is only a year in jail. Figures show sentences make no deterrent effect on the perpetrators. Meanwhile, victims suffer prolonged trauma. She said the sanctions for perpetrators of rape in Islam are quite heavy. Starting from 100 lashes, stoning, cutting off hands or legs crossed, and even fought. According to her, the punishment is very worthwhile considering prolonged traumatic effect suffered by the victim.

Iffah also suggests concrete steps to eliminate the trauma for the victim. First, reassure the child that she is innocent. Make sure also that she was not "a bad girl" so her confidence is nurtured.

Psychologically, traumatic effect is not short-term. Therefore, it is better to create a new environment that makes children comfortable and overcome the tragedy. If they are still in the old neighborhood, it makes children hard to forget their cases. (Republika printed edition, Main Report, Friday, 08/03/2013).

Iffah Ainur Rochmah
Spokeswoman of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia

Headlines:

• How London's Gold and Silver Prices Are "Fixed"
• America: Extreme Anti-Islam Ads Now Running on San Francisco's Buses
• Russia Police Force Three Muslim Men to Trim their Beards at Gunpoint
• Iran Steps Up Weapons Lifeline to Syria's Assad
• North Korea Army Pledges ‘Merciless' Attack on US and South Korea
  
  

Details:

How London's Gold and Silver Prices Are "Fixed":

London's gold and silver markets face the possibility of a probe alongside other benchmarks into price setting, putting a century-old practice under the spotlight after the Libor rigging scandal that exposed widespread interest rate manipulation by banks. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has engaged in "a couple" of conversations about whether the daily setting of gold and silver prices in London is open to manipulation, Commissioner Scott O'Malia said on Thursday, although he said the situation is "fairly immature in its development. "The Wall Street Journal", citing unnamed sources, reported on Wednesday that the CFTC was examining various aspects of gold and silver price-setting, including whether it is sufficiently transparent. "What was stated in that story was more than I think we're doing," O'Malia told reporters at the annual Futures Industry Association conference in Florida on Thursday. "I think we've had a couple of conversations. We're looking at energy, indexes, prices, how they're set. We'll look at all of the range of index-setting," O'Malia said. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) also declined to comment on whether it was looking into gold and silver price setting, but said on Thursday it is feeding into a wider review of price benchmarks run by the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) - a global umbrella group for markets regulators.

America: Extreme Anti-Islam Ads are Now Running on San Francisco's Buses:

Anti-Islam ads appeared on 10 public buses in San Francisco on Monday, showing "inflammatory quotes by Islamic fundamentalists" accompanied by "an anonymous terrorist," according to Transportation Nation. The ads are paid for by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, whose executive director, Pamela Geller, told the "New York Observer" in December, "I refuse to abridge my free speech so as to appease savages." The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (better known as Muni) says it cannot reject the ads, based on a September court ruling that decided New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority could not do so. The American Freedom Defense Initiative has bought space on San Francisco buses before, to display ads that read "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad."

Russia Police Force Three Muslim Men to Trim their Beards at Gunpoint:

Police officers in Russia forced three men in a Muslim cafe to cut their beards at gunpoint, it has been claimed. During an inspection of a Muslim cafe in the Russian city of Surgut police officers apparently threatened some visitors with automatic weapons and with a lighter. One of the men claims an officer held a lighter to his chin and told him 'cut it off or I will burn it off'. The incident allegedly took place on March 3 in the cafe located near a mosque as the men were eating after evening prayers. One of the men said he was forced to use scissors to cut off his long beard. It is believed there were 15 officers in masks and they arrived in four cars.  According to Red Hot Russia, witnesses saw people in the uniform of riot police (OMON) burst into cafe place and force visitors onto their knees. Afterwards it claims several people were taken to the police station, where the law enforcement officers checked their documents. It is believed there has been an internal investigation launched by the Russian police. Russian news agencies have said the officers were implementing the rules of 'Peter the Great' who ruled the Tsardom of Russia in the late 1600s. He commanded all of his courtiers and officials to cut off their long beards and imposed an annual beard tax on those who refused.

Iran Steps Up Weapons Lifeline To Syria's Assad:

Iran has significantly stepped up military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in recent months, solidifying its position alongside Russia as the government's lifeline in an increasingly sectarian civil war, Western diplomats said. Iranian weapons continue to pour into Syria from Iraq but also increasingly along other routes, including via Turkey and Lebanon, in violation of a U.N. arms embargo on Iran, Western officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Iraqi and Turkish officials denied the allegations. Iran's acceleration of support for Assad suggests the Syrian war is entering a new phase in which Iran may be trying to end the battlefield stalemate by redoubling its commitment to Assad and offering Syria's increasingly isolated government a crucial lifeline, the envoys said. It also highlights the growing sectarian nature of the conflict, diplomats say, with Iranian arms flowing to the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah. That group is increasingly active in Syria in support of Assad's forces, envoys say. Alireza Miryousefi, spokesman for Iran's U.N. mission, responded to a request for a comment by saying, "We believe Syria does not need any military help from Iran." Syria's U.N. ambassador, Bashar Ja'afari, had no specific comments on the matter. The Syrian conflict started out two years ago as a pro-democracy movement. Some 70,000 people have been killed and more than 1 million refugees have fled the violence. A Western intelligence report seen by Reuters in September said Iran was using civilian aircraft to fly military personnel and large quantities of weapons across Iraqi airspace to aid Assad. Iraq denied that report but later made a point of inspecting an Iran-bound flight that it said had no arms on board. Much of the weaponry going to Syria now, diplomats say, continues to be shipped to Iran through Iraqi airspace and overland through Iraq, despite Baghdad's repeated promises to put a stop to Iranian arms supplies to Assad in violation of a U.N. arms embargo on Tehran over its nuclear program. "The Iranians really are supporting massively the regime," a senior Western diplomat said this week. "They have been increasing their support for the last three, four months through Iraq's airspace and now trucks. And the Iraqis really are looking the other way."

North Korea Army Pledges ‘Merciless' Attack on US and South Korea:

North Korea has pledged to carry out "merciless retaliation" on the South Korean and American "warmongers" who are holding a joint military exercise. Pyongyang's latest threats have come after a series of similar warnings against the ongoing drill jointly conducted by Washington and Seoul. The Ministry of the People's Armed Forces in Pyongyang has released a statement via the official Korean Central News Agency, saying: "Warmongers would be well advised to keep in mind that the DPRK is no longer restrained. "What is left to be done is an action of justice and merciless retaliation of the army and people of the DPRK."

Abu Hashim