Assembly responsible for constitution

Reda Belhadj Tunis - Nabil Zaghdoud The spokesperson of the unlicensed Salafist Hizb-Ut-Tahrir Party in Tunisia, Reda Belhadj, urged members of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly to draft a constitution based on Sharia (Islamic laws). Belhadj said in an interview with Arabstoday on Tuesday: "I bear each member of the assembly responsible before god in case they drafted a 'non-Islamic' constitution. This issue will decide the nation's destiny, so it shouldn't be taken lightly". He added: "The Tahrir Party adopts the Salafist teachings, and calls for an Islamist Caliphate state, based on Sharia". "The Tahrir Party had handed the assembly a draft constitution of all 191 chapters derived from Islam, in addition to another draft for a Caliphate, as we don't recognise any secular theory in governance, and we dont accept any law unless it is issued in accordance with Islamic beliefs," Belhadj said. Belhadj insisted that his party doesn't use religion as an expedient to achieve political ambitions, saying the party's approach is only intended to be fully in commitment with Islamic teachings. He accused Western countries of trying to steal Tunisia's revolution and treasures, saying that those countries should be convicted by Tunisian politicians, rather than "turning to them to support the revolution". "The country's treasures have been stolen by Western countries with help from some interior fronts, and nobody knows the amount of these treasures nor how they were stolen. Our treasure is part of our honour, so now we have to assign faithful people to protect what is still remaining of these treasures". Belhadj, stressed that his party condemned the recent violence reported to be conducted by Salafists in Tunisia. However, at the same time he called for the accusers to reveal evidence that the people involved in such incidents "are really associated to the Salafist movement", accusing unidentified foreign fronts of using unorganised Salafist groups to serve their agendas. On the debate about licensing Hizb-Ut-Tahrir, the party's spokesperson said that they reiterated their wish of being officially licensed on May 14, and were waiting for the government's response. However Belhadj insisted the issue did not affect the party's activities, as it has been working unofficially since the seventies. Former prime minister Beji Caid Essebsi had earlier refused to license the ultraconservative party, saying: "Tunisian laws prevent the founding of parties on a religious basis".   Hizb-Ut-Tahrir calls for the establishment of a Caliphate, or a theocratic Islamic state, and was previously denied a licence under the Essebsi administration – the second prime minister since former dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali left the country. The party is still waiting for legal recognition from prime minister Hamadi Jebali’s government. Since the October 23 elections, Tunisia has been ruled by a coalition of the moderate Islamist party Ennahdha and two centre-left parties, CPR and Ettakatol.