On Tuesday, 22/6/2021, the Transitional Government abolished its customs dollar exchange rate which is used to evaluate imported goods. Under the decision, importers must pay the value of goods and commodities to customs at the current exchange rate of 430 Sudanese pounds to one dollar, whereas previously the calculation was made on the basis of 28 Sudanese pounds to the customs dollar.
It is certain that this government came to perform a specific function, which is to impoverish the people of Sudan, destroy its economy, and hand over its wealth to foreign investors. All of its decisions are to increase the suffering of the people and reduce their livelihood, by implementing the dictates of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; tools of the colonial countries. Last February, the transitional government announced a seven-fold reduction in the local currency, with exorbitant taxes on bread, fuel and electricity in the name of lifting subsidies, and it is still planning more.
The government claims that this decision does not cause rise in imported basic commodities that affects people’s lives, nor that of agricultural or industrial inputs, deluding people that it has eliminated business profit tax and additional fees taken in advance, or reducing customs categories even to zero for some necessary goods. This is pure lie and misleading people, as customs are in their nature as a catastrophic tax will affect the prices of goods and services, and what the Director of the Customs Authority stated that: “This decision comes in the interest of citizens and does not affect rise in prices, but rather works to reduce them, calling on citizens to stick to the prices of goods and not allowing it to be increased”, this is just playing with minds and spreading strife between people and merchants. The cause of high prices is known to people as a result of state policies and their submission to the dictates of the colonial Kuffar, and not the dispute between people and merchants.
Instead of canceling customs duties in response to Allah’s command, as they are forbidden, and are a major reason for the outrageous rise in the prices of imported goods, the government increased customs from 28 pounds to 430 pounds per dollar in an enviable boldness! The Prophet (saw) said: “He who imposes maks (custom duty) would not enter paradise, means the ‘Ushr collector”, and the one who imposes maks is the ‘Ushr collector, which includes customs collector. He (saw) said:
«مَنْ دَخَلَ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَسْعَارِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لِيُغْلِيَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّ حَقّاً عَلَى اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنْ يُقْعِدَهُ بِعُظْمٍ مِنْ النَّارِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ»
“Whosoever was involved in any of the prices of the Muslims, so as to increase it for them it would be due on Allah to place him in a great fire at the Day of Judgement.”
The duty of the state in Islam is to take care of people’s affairs, facilitate their ways of life, and work to reduce prices according to the provisions of Islam. Therefore, there is no cure for the people of Sudan, but rather for the whole world, unless they shake their hands from the brutal capitalist system and establish the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood, coming soon with Allah’s permission.
(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ)
“O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered” [Al-Anfal: 24].
Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil)
Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Sudan
Press Release
12 Dhu al-Qi’dah 1442 – Wednesday, 23rd June 2021
No: HTS 1442 / 72
(Translated)