The Salafist Liberation Party of Tunisia says it has long called for the establishment of a caliphate, yet it condemns the recent  terrorist attack on tourists in Sousse, which left 38 tourists dead. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.

In the following interview, Islamic Liberation Party spokesman Ridha Belhaj says his party would continue on its course of raising the caliphate banner despite the Tunisian government’s promise to to dissolve Salafist parties in the aftermath of the recent attack in Sousse.

The Salafist Liberation Party of Tunisia says it has long called for the establishment of a caliphate, yet it condemns the recent  terrorist attack on tourists in Sousse, which left 38 tourists dead. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.

In the following interview, Islamic Liberation Party spokesman Ridha Belhaj says his party would continue on its course of raising the caliphate banner despite the Tunisian government’s promise to to dissolve Salafist parties in the aftermath of the recent attack in Sousse.

Belhaj said his party rejects terrorism and has fundamental differences to other militant organizations, especially IS. He noted that his party was established 60 years before IS and has called for fulfilling what he termed the nation’s demand for establishing an Islamic Caliphate.

Ridha Belhaj how did your organisation respond to the recent terrorist attack on Sousse?

We consider terrorism an obstacle in the way of the Islamic project. It is a disaster for the country, the region and the world, and we condemn the recent terrorist attack and those who use terrorism to serve their interests and intimidate people.

How do you view the government’s intention to dissolve your party?

No one can dissolve the Liberation Party. We are in a consistent and correct situation. Our party is against terrorism and chaos, and no one can give justifications to ban it or compromise its existence. Unfortunately, we criticise the government for its failures while it criticises us for our popular and organisational success.

Has your party and its supporters faced any security or judicial harassment in light of the escalating terrorist attacks and the call to dissolve illegal parties?

Security harassments within party’s ranks are very few and accidental. They are general and not systematic because the Liberation Party is not a nonentity and it’s appreciated by all.

In a recent conference, your party’s supporters raised the banners of the Islamic caliphate. That action was strongly criticized by other parties, the government and a large part of civil society. Can you comment on that?

The caliphate banner is the banner of Muslims. It is the banner of theism and unity, and it is an inherent quality within the nation. No one can violate it.

The caliphate, on the other hand, is the natural state of Islam which must be followed according to all schools of Islamic thought and their scholars. The Party has called for a caliphate rule since its inception. What is new in that?

The caliphate is the prime political concept in the Muslim world today from east to west, and whoever opposes this belief is motivated by wrath and discord. We tell such people that they must be questioned instead of directing their questions to others.

Secularism is not acceptable in the Muslim world despite all the authoritarian and repressive practices. Our Party’s recent conference was a lesson for everyone about organisation as well as sound and constructive political discourse. We called on everyone to adopt a plan and a charter to save the country and the people.

Why doesn’t the Liberation Party adhere to civil law and away from the religious mobilisation discourses, especially under the present circumstances?

Most of the existing parties in Tunisia have been licensed under the political parties’ law, which was promulgated under the ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. If we strictly measured them against that law, they would not have existed.

As for us, we were a banned party before the 2011 revolution and we were later reinstated under the presidential decree issued by former President Fouad Mebazaa after the revolution. It does not provide for restriction. It speaks about respect of the republican system, and we have a republican project in which the Constitution originates from the nation’s doctrine under which power remains in the hands of the nation. Accountability will be effective and elections will be transparent and equitable.

Do you not think that the principles under which your party was established seek to bring about a radical and holistic change in Tunisian society?

Tunisian society has reached a stage of misery, hardship and despair. The people are all looking for a substitute and there is no better and more viable solution than Islam.

Where does your party get its funding? How many supporters do you have? And how many regional offices do you have?

We have a self-funding process in accordance with our administrative law where the rich pay the amount they can afford while the others pay a monthly commitment. When we hold conferences or symposiums, large numbers of young volunteers provide the needed assistance. As regards to the number of supporters, there are tens of thousands and our regional offices cover all provinces and the majority of districts. Our popularity is clearly visible.

What is your position on the country’s current political system? And how does your party want to change this system?

We adopt the Islamic system of governance in contrast to the numerous forms of existing systems including liberal, socialist and nationalistic systems. They are all facing popular denial and are destined to change. They are bankrupt and some of them have faced overwhelming revolts by their supporters. Others have doubled their dictatorial tendencies, as in Egypt and Syria. Still others are experiencing an absolute inability to take care of their people’s affairs. Therefore, these systems do not have a cause to defend. In this sense, anti-regime revolutions in the Arab countries have become a legal duty and a historic necessity.

Does your dream to establish a caliphate and rise up against the ruling regime make sense? Why don’t you participate in the elections and comply with the democratic game?

The entire Islamic world is vehemently in favour of the caliphate system. All other systems are illegal, unnatural and illogical. They are settlement and transient systems that are devoid of any cultural roots.

As for participating in the elections, we do not refuse to participate if the grounds for these elections are sound. Only then, a big surprise will happen. Besides, no one should vie with us over the elections issue because we have fully and unequivocally discussed this issue since the inception of our Party.

There are extremist organizations such as IS that also calls for the establishment of an Islamic caliphate. What is the difference between your party and these organisations?

Our Liberation Party was founded 60 before these organisations. Besides, the Islamic Liberation Party is a recognized and well-known party, and caliphate rule is a demand made by the nation. It lived for centuries under it and it vehemently calls for it today. Since religion does not change, our demands and the nation’s demands remain unchanged. If a pilgrim performs Haj and commits adultery, who must be blamed? Should we blame the obligatory duty of pilgrimage or the adulterous pilgrim? Obligations never change. There should be no more confusion.

The caliphate is a demand made by Imam Malik, Shafi, Ibn Khaldun, Tahar Ben Achour, Khairuddin El-Tunisi, Ibn Abi Dhiaf and all Muslim scholars. The confusion, therefore, lies with them and not with us.

What is your position on the current ruling coalition especially since it includes secularists and Islamists?

This ruling coalition has clearly and tangibly failed and it does not have any future. Its incapacity is proved day after day. The reason is simple: the capitalist system in the Arab world does not have an independent decision, even though it includes certain figures that have a Muslim identity or assume that name. That does not change things because the people in Tunisia still seek help and relief.

Did the party participate in the recent protests in the south and in the protest campaigns that called for disclosing oil resources?

Yes, we were the first to call for retrieving the resources that were looted and to hold the investing companies accountable because they acted like a state within a state. We are honoured to participate in such popular movements although we warned against some problems and pitfalls, given that some of these oil companies seek to exclude other companies to replace them. These companies will always attempt to stir up sedition.

The Muslim Brotherhood played a significant and effective role in the changes occurring in the region. What are the Islamic Liberation Party’s views on this matter?

The Muslim Brotherhood is an old movement, but today it is experiencing a crisis and I think the Muslim Brotherhood has realised that the West seeks more concessions and does not hesitate to abandon its allies. We hope they have learned the lesson after the failures in Sudan, Jordan and Egypt.

What is your position on the regional wars in Arab countries? Are they caused by internal chaos or intelligence schemes led by superpowers?

These wars and the popular movements are evidence of the corruption of the capitalist system that has brought the region to a ruling crisis and a strategic dilemma. That system has achieved no successes. Therefore, the peoples’ reaction was spontaneous and chaotic. Therefore, the West intervened to re-draft things so as to ensure its interests.

The general context is to liberate people of the repression of secular systems that have failed to apply the tenets of Islam and could not realize the unity projects. They have further fragmented us and failed economically taking, our people below the poverty line. They have made us more dependent on the international community and failed to liberate Palestine. We are in the throes of a crucial change and the result of this change will inevitably be for the benefit of the nation. It is the time of the nation.