News:

26/10/2014, Financial Times published an article "Polls signal Ukraine's westward shift". Outlet says after elections that were held at the last Sunday of October, Ukrainian parliament will be formed firstly from mostly pro-European parties. Preliminary returns of elections in Ukraine that were promulgated based on Exit Poll show that Ukraine has secured its runaway from Russia and turned toward European Union.

Comment:

Political crisis that started at the end of autumn 2013 in Ukraine is still happening until now. If you analyze events that happen in this country for the past year, you will see that main cause of this crisis lies in the decision between Euro integration and approaching to Russia, as it may be seen.

Ukraine is a country that in this crisis became an object of international struggle, i.e. arena of struggle between Europe, America and Russia. And this happened despite that fact that Ukraine as a country possesses great potential. If Ukraine implements this potential, it could become a real subject, not an object of international relations.

Territory of Ukraine equals to 603 549 km², that corresponds to the first country among countries completely located in Europe. Ukraine occupies 7^th place among European countries according to population size (approximately 43 million people), it has geopolitical position with access to Black Sea. This country also possesses great scientific potential, that went back to Ukraine from Soviet Union, which was one of the leaders in scientific knowledge for decades. From the advantages of Ukraine, it is also worse to mention its great industrial and agricultural potential, and considerable presence of minerals.

Thereby, Ukraine as a state, possesses a large population, fertile land, natural resources, scientific potential, convenient geopolitical disposition, can build its own independent politics. But it is prevented by its ideological vacuum that formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and as a result Ukraine lacks of proper political elite.

The lack of ideology in Ukraine results in the situation when this country over a period of more than 20 years of its independence is forced to build its foreign (often interior) policy according to demands of superpowers. The current crisis that was initiated in 2004 is the result of such policy.

As a result over a period of its independence, Ukrainian ruling elite try to balance between interests of other superpowers, and this naturally cannot be successive in the long-term outlook, as it implies constant bargaining and compromise with one of the superpowers and does not allow for building proper state structure, industry and defence capability for the country.

Current elections and victories of pro-European countries in these elections are no more than another turn in this protracted and long-term crisis. Struggle of superpowers for the rich potential of Ukraine will continue, sometimes being intensive, sometimes slowing, since in the near-term outlook, the rise of political elite which will be concerned with building self-sufficient economy and independent foreign policy is not expected.

In conclusion, it is worse to mention that even if Ukraine completely inclined to one of the sides, prosperity of this country can not be achieved.

As for a Eurasian project in which Russia wants to integrate Ukraine, this project is not a self-sufficient idea. It just copies European values of capitalism with some adjustments under Russian slogan of "sovereign democracy".

As for European or Euro Atlantic integration, on which Europe and America insist consequently, we should say that this project will experience serious problems and hardships in Europe itself. Capitalism with this secular liberal system of values can not solve in its own cradle which include problems like uniting different European countries, demographic problem, severe economic crisis, spread of Islamophobic and xenophobic sentiments and collapse of widely advertised idea of multiculturalism.

Salvation of all humanity not only of Ukrainian people from crisis of man made values and systems can be achieved only by rejecting of this values and systems and turning towards divine guidance implemented in the form of a state institution - the second righteous Khilafah "Caliphate" on the way of Prophethood.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Fazil (Fadl) Amzayev

Head of Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Ukraine

News

Sadly another report comes of a student shooting in his school, killing one student and seriously wounding four others before killing himself. "The students and teachers in this community, near Seattle, had known they were no more immune to violence than Columbine or Sandy Hook; they had even practiced lockdown drills. But they never could have guessed who the perpetrator would be." [New York Times, 26/10/2014]

Comment

Practical lockdowns and safety drills have become part of the school curriculum to tackle the steady rise in gun-related violence in American schools. Where schools in the Unites States are supposed to offer the best of the best of the educational facilities and accessibilities to receive a good education in a safe and secure setting. Yet more and more students dread the everyday child's passage of rite. It is not a test or essay assignments that force students to hamper these tormented feelings, rather it is a cocktail of pressures from their peers some amplified and others severely downplayed until it has become a weekly feature on the evening news.... Guns and shootings in schools.

News reports cite the conflicted circumstances that lead up these often-tragic results. Police and guidance counselors often report the hidden troubles students suffered ranging from school bullying to feelings of isolation or rejection by their peers. These students oftentimes suffer immensely as their problems are amplified due to the difficult teenage years as this is used as a catch-all phase commonly touted in the West as being a time of experiment, recklessness, or finding one's identity. However the shocking trend in these violent occurrences is not how the typical characteristics of a lone introvert type who is tormented emotionally reacts, but as it happened in the Washington school - a popular well-loved athlete who opened fire on his friends.

National reports filled with heartbreaking details especially for parents who become consumed with dread when sending their children to school, with a common fear now unleashed - Will this happen at my kid's school? or even worse... Will my child make it home?

Media and accepted lifestyle choices have flooded mainstream American society with a palate for violence whether it is glorified in blockbuster movies or the ever-popular video games available in all imaginable devices. All the blood and gory and "if I can't have it, no one can" attitude is manifested with fatal consequences. What is even more appalling is not these students' behaviors, but what compelled them to carry out these horrendous crimes in their tender age? It is the environment that nurtures and caters to the lust for violence. Of course, the movie and game industry or the warped beauty industry hardly takes responsibility for their twisted concepts of how teenagers are supposed to act and look. But then it goes deeper than this, it delves into the concepts in which it holds about life and the misplaced values they place on the wrong things, instead of self-respect and respect for human life and preserving a bond among its citizens, they act on their whims simply because they can.

This stark contrast of "what I want and whenever I want" behavior versus what is supposed to be valued and held sacred has devastating results on all levels from the school bullies all the way to the school kid shooters in American society. The feelings of widespread anxiety is in its place; parents need to be very concerned for their children's safety and wellbeing.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Um Muhanad

Women's Section of Hizb ut-Tahrir / Tunisia held a protest with a speech titled "Election Fraud against the Will of the Ummah" in front of the Great Mosque in Ghazaz.

Friday, 30 Dhul Hijjah 1435 AH, corresponding to 24 October 2014 CE