English teacher to face 40 lashes in the Sudan over teddy bear

[Flagg]

Source link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7112929.stm


'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested

Gillian Gibbons is described as "a talented and able teacher "

A British schoolteacher has been arrested in Sudan accused of insulting Islam's Prophet, after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad.
Colleagues of Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, said she made an "innocent mistake" by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name. Ms Gibbons was arrested after several parents made complaints. The BBC has learned the charge could lead to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine. Officials from the British embassy in Khartoum are expected to visit Ms Gibbons in custody.

"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition," an embassy spokesman said.

The spokesman said the naming of the teddy happened months ago and was chosen by the children because it is a common name in the country.

"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it," he said.

'Very sensitive'

The school has been closed until January for fear of reprisals. Fellow teachers at Khartoum's Unity High School told Reuters news agency they feared for Ms Gibbons' safety after receiving reports that men had started gathering outside the police station where she was being held. The school's director, Robert Boulos, said: "This is a very sensitive issue. We are very worried about her safety. They came up with eight names including A**ullah, Hassan and Muhammad

"This was a completely innocent mistake. Miss Gibbons would have never wanted to insult Islam."
Mr Boulos said Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course designed to teach young pupils about animals and this year's topic was the bear. Ms Gibbons, who joined the school in August, asked a seven-year-old girl to bring in her teddy bear and asked the class to pick names for it, he said.

"They came up with eight names including A**ullah, Hassan and Muhammad," Mr Boulos said, adding that she then had the children vote on a name.

Twenty out of the 23 children chose Muhammad as their favourite name. Mr Boulos said each child was then allowed to take the bear home at weekends and told to write a diary about what they did with it. He said the children's entries were collected in a book with a picture of the bear on the cover and a message which read, "My name is Muhammad."

The bear itself was not marked or labelled with the name in any way, he added. It is seen as an insult to Islam to attempt to make an image of the Prophet Muhammad. Mr Boulos said Ms Gibbons was arrested on Sunday at her home inside the school premises after a number of parents complained to Sudan's Ministry of Education. I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote. He said police had seized the book and asked to interview the girl who owned the bear.

The country's state-controlled Sudanese Media Centre reported that charges were being prepared "under article 125 of the criminal law" which covers insults against faith and religion. No-one at the ministries of education or justice was available for comment.

Mr Boulos told the BBC he was confident she would not face a jail sentence. One Muslim teacher at the independent school for Christian and Muslim children, who has a child in Ms Gibbons' class, said she had not found the project offensive.

"I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote," the teacher said.

In Liverpool, a family spokeswoman said Ms Gibbons' grown children, John and Jessica - both believed to be in their 20s - were not commenting on her arrest. Gillian Gibbons had been working in Khartoum since August

"I have spoken with her children and they do not want to say anything and aggravate the situation over there," she said.

Rick Widdowson the headteacher of Garston Church of England Primary School, where Gillian worked for ten years, added: "We are an Anglican school and I know for a fact that Gillian would not do anything to offend followers of any faith.

"Certainly she is also very worldly wise and she is obviously aware of the sensitivities around Islam."

Cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad printed in several European newspapers sparked violent protests around the world in 2006.


All this over a teddybear. It's sad and pathetic that places like this still live in the stone age. The sooner humanity evolves to the point where it realises religion is no different to any other superstition, the better.

[wantmoremass]

This is ridiculous. Who's to say the bear was named after the prophet Muhammad? Aren't there people of Muslim faith named Muhammad? Is that an offense? Very sad indeed that this kind of barbarism exists, especially for that 'offense'.

[scriptfactory]

This is getting ridiculous. A teddy bear? Seriously?

[Teabagger]

This surprises anyone?? Take any group of stupid, illiterate people, limit their education to a particular mode of thought, limit communication, then give them power....there you have it. I'm certainly not surprised...I am surprised any person with half a brain would choose to even step foot in these cesspools of sub-humanity.

[Carlos_E]

"Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course"

US citizens bitch about immigrants coming here and not respecting or assimilating American culture. The same holds true here. Assimilate and respect the culture around you.

[Logan13]

"Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course"

US citizens bitch about immigrants coming here and not respecting or assimilating American culture. The same holds true here. Assimilate and respect the culture around you.

oh yes, assimilate or get 40 lashes. Why is your compassion always so one-sided?

[scriptfactory]

"Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course"

US citizens bitch about immigrants coming here and not respecting or assimilating American culture. The same holds true here. Assimilate and respect the culture around you.

A few seconds of searching on Google informed me that Khartoum's Unity High School is a British international school. That's why she was teaching a British national curriculum course. I think it's strange that this "high school" teached children from ages 4 to 18yo...

[Carlos_E]

That's why she was teaching a British national curriculum course. I think it's strange that this "high school" teached children from ages 4 to 18yo...

They're corrupting their young minds in the ways of the west!!!!

[Teabagger]

"Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course"

US citizens bitch about immigrants coming here and not respecting or assimilating American culture. The same holds true here. Assimilate and respect the culture around you.

You know what...that is a stellar damn thought Carlos. I want to hear the same response from you when another gay is beheaded in Iran...ok there mr. worldview.

[Flagg]

UPDATE

UK teacher goes to court in Sudan

Police prevented journalists from entering the court for the hearing
A British teacher charged in Sudan with insulting religion, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs has been brought to court.
Journalists were prevented from entering as Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, went inside. She was arrested after complaints that her primary school pupils had called their class teddy bear Muhammad. The Prime Minister is taking a "close interest" in the case and has spoken to her family, his spokesman said. And Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he hoped "common sense" would prevail in the case. The Sudanese legal system has to take its course but common sense has to prevail

If convicted, Mrs Gibbons could face a prison sentence, a fine or 40 lashes. She was arrested on Sunday in Khartoum after allowing her class of primary school pupils to name the teddy bear in September. Muhammad is a popular name in mainly-Muslim Sudan, and a boy in Mrs Gibbons class has said he suggested to the class the teddy bear be named after himself.

'Chaotic' scenes

When she arrived at the building on Thursday Mrs Gibbons was taken with about 20 officers into one court before being ushered into another room - in scenes described as "chaotic" by BBC reporter Amber Henshaw. Embassy officials and her legal team were initially not granted access to her, but were later allowed in. Meanwhile, in London Foreign Secretary David Miliband met the Sudan ambassador to discuss the case, reminding him of Britain's "long-standing tradition of religious tolerance". The UK government, which is providing consular support to Mrs Gibbon, said it was "very concerned" about the case but hoped it would be resolved swiftly.

"The Sudanese legal system has to take its course but common sense has to prevail," Mr Miliband said.

"It's not about disrespect for Sudan, it's about being absolutely clear that this is an innocent misunderstanding."

After the meeting with Ambassador Omer Siddig, Mr Miliband said he emphasised Britain's respect of Islam and the "close relations" between the two countries.

"The Sudanese Ambassador undertook to ensure our concerns were relayed to Khartoum at the highest level.

"He also said he would reflect back to Khartoum the real respect for the Islamic religion in this country."

BBC world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds said the British government was treating the case as a consular issue and not a diplomatic incident, with Mr Miliband's approach being to avoid confrontation with Sudan. Khalid al Mubarak, of the Sudanese embassy in London, said Mrs Gibbons had adequate support. If convicted Gillian Gibbons could face a prison sentence

"Like all legal systems the judge can decide to dismiss the whole thing or that the case goes on anyway. Mrs Gibbons has consular support, the British embassy has one of the best solicitors in the country whom I know personally. There is no worry on that front at all. She will be very well represented and well treated."

Even though the British government has expressed concern about the arrest, Mr al Mubarak dismissed any suggestion that diplomatic relations had become strained, instead saying there had been "sensationalist" reporting.

"The general situation and relationship are very good now, with the exception of this minute and unexpected incident of Mrs Gibbons."

Sudan's top clerics have called for the full measure of the law to be used against Mrs Gibbons and labelled her actions part of a Western plot against Islam. But in Britain, the Islamic Human Rights Commission was among Muslim groups to call for her immediate release. Chairman Massoud Shadjareh said: "Both the Sudanese government and the media must refrain from using Islam and Islamic principles to legitimise this fiasco, which may result in the unjust conviction of an innocent person, and which will only lead to the promotion of Islamophobia and further demonisation of Islam." And a spokesman for the Muslim youth organisation, the Ramadhan Foundation, said "this matter is not worthy of arrest or detention and her continued detention will not help repair the misconceptions about Islam."

Im glad some people believe it's time places like Sudan moved along with the rest of the world and stopped using islam to legitimise everything that they do.

[RA]

"Ms Gibbons was following a British national curriculum course"

US citizens bitch about immigrants coming here and not respecting or assimilating American culture. The same holds true here. Assimilate and respect the culture around you.

It would be nice if people still wanted to do that.

[Z12]

I was reading somewhere that mass demonstrations were held where thousands of people were marching and actually calling for her to be executed! They want her to DIE because her KIDS named a teddy bear. Unbelievable.

[Flagg]

It's a mentality that beggers belief. Do they not realise it's the 21st century now? Two politicians from the UK have gone to the Sudan to try and bring the teacher home, I believe she is actually in prison at the moment? While they said they think they will get a positive outcome but must take this very slowly, i've heard the Sudan president is just as gung ho as the rest of the population. Not good..

[gixxerboy1]

Britain should pull all their people from sudan and and kind of aid they give that country.

[Logan13]

Britain should pull all their people from sudan and and kind of aid they give that country.

the dark ages have fallen on much of the 3rd world. Humanity is actually reverting.........

[AandF6969]

WTF is wrong with those people... flying airplanes into buildings, imprisoning a chick for getting raped, blowing themselves up in public places.. and then this... sounds like a bunch of smelly retards to me.

[Carlos_E]

WTF is wrong with those people... flying airplanes into buildings, imprisoning a chick for getting raped, blowing themselves up in public places.. and then this... sounds like a bunch of smelly retards to me.

Who are "those people" you are referring to?

[AandF6969]

Who are "those people" you are referring to?

Well, obviously the Sudanese, but middle eastern people in general... if they're in America learning the culture and not acting like complete psychos thats cool but I don't know whats wrong with their culture over there where they feel the need to do things like this...

[Logan13]

Who are "those people" you are referring to?

You could not tell from the descriptive actions in the rest of his sentence who "those people" are.............?

[Flagg]

Well the good news is the two politicians secured the teachers release and the president of Sudan granted her a pardon. And yet still, Sudanese people outside the British embasy were demanding her to be executed. Offending muslims of this extreme nature goes one way, for the same kind of people, in London, continue to say that the Bible is corrupt and that Jesus never existed, much to the chargrin of Christians. Still, we have to "adapt" to that huh, and rise above it.

[DSM4Life]

here is the real victim:

[Flagg]

here is the real victim:

HA! Okay that was good..

[Prada]

Well, obviously the Sudanese, but middle eastern people in general... if they're in America learning the culture and not acting like complete psychos thats cool but I don't know whats wrong with their culture over there where they feel the need to do things like this...

That is where you are grievously misinformed. That is why Carlos probably posed the question.

[Carlos_E]

That is where you are grievously misinformed. That is why Carlos probably posed the question.

Exactly.

[AandF6969]

That is where you are grievously misinformed.

Misinformed about what?

[Logan13]

That is where you are grievously misinformed. That is why Carlos probably posed the question.

Really? Are you even going to attempt to defy the facts by arguing that the Middle East is not the most fukked up place on the planet? Do not turn your back on the facts by trying to be P.C. This culture is creating havoc all over the earth. To deny this is naive at best.......

[Logan13]

That is where you are grievously misinformed. That is why Carlos probably posed the question.

Also, I was under the impression that he posed the questions because the Sudanese happen to be black................

[Prada]

Misinformed about what?

You are misinformed since you stated:

WTF is wrong with those people... flying airplanes into buildings, imprisoning a chick for getting raped, blowing themselves up in public places.. and then this... sounds like a bunch of smelly retards to me.

Then you went on to say

Well, obviously the Sudanese, but middle eastern people in general... if they're in America learning the culture and not acting like complete psychos thats cool but I don't know whats wrong with their culture over there where they feel the need to do things like this...

The common denominator in the examples in your statement is not that they are all from the Sudan but rather are muslims. To be more precise in most case of these news worthy articles, muslim radical extremists. You are aware that there are around 5-8 million of "those people" in america? Seem to me to be quite pacified. I say 5-8 million because we actually do not have a precise study to tell us. There are around 1.5 billion of those people in the world. To conclude you stated that wtf is wrong with "those people" and then clarified by stating people of middle eastern origin "in general." It is not in general.

[Prada]

Really? Are you even going to attempt to defy the facts by arguing that the Middle East is not the most fukked up place on the planet? Do not turn your back on the facts by trying to be P.C. This culture is creating havoc all over the earth. To deny this is naive at best.......

Did I ever state anything substitutable to that? No. Im not going to be PC because I speak the way I see things. At the same time I am not naive nor ignorant to realize that Islam didnt commence on September 11 2001, like it did for most people in the US. It seems for the media that is the birth date of the religion. This culture is creating havoc all over the earth yet it seems prior to Sept 11 everything was much better, wonder why. It seems that we bombed and invaded two of their countries yet what brute creatures they are, we all expected them to be indifferent and remain pacified. Could it be that something triggered this reaction? To deny this fact is naive at best.

Islam is a target of the media right now, they are under the microscope and anything that is "unwieldy" by western standards in publicized , albeit Islam has been around for what around 1400 years? If I pick and choose derogatory stories which involve Christians, Jews, Hindus and constantly force feed it to you, then I cant blame one for being ignorant unless of course he went out of his way to analyze the situation read sources outside the US, pose questions and seek answers. Then one would be the contrary of ignorant but rather conscious, educated and wise.

[Prada]

Also, I was under the impression that he posed the questions because the Sudanese happen to be black................

In Carlos' post "those people" is in bold. Those people flying planes into buildings,imprisoning a chick for getting raped, blowing themselves up in public places. To my knowledge all of the them were Arab and/or muslim extremists not from the Sudan nor black. Yet I will leave Carlos to clarify, that is what I understood from Carlos' post.

[Carlos_E]

You are misinformed since you stated:

Then you went on to say

The common denominator in the examples in your statement is not that they are all from the Sudan but rather are muslims. To be more precise in most case of these news worthy articles, muslim radical extremists. You are aware that there are around 5-8 million of "those people" in america? Seem to me to be quite pacified. I say 5-8 million because we actually do not have a precise study to tell us. There are around 1.5 billion of those people in the world. To conclude you stated that wtf is wrong with "those people" and then clarified by stating people of middle eastern origin "in general." It is not in general.

Thank you. I didn't bother to explain what I was pointing out. Explaining to someone what's wrong with a statement like that takes too much time and energy. Most of the time they still won't get it.

In Carlos' post "those people" is in bold. Those people flying planes into buildings,imprisoning a chick for getting raped, blowing themselves up in public places. To my knowledge all of the them were Arab and/or muslim extremists not from the Sudan nor black. Yet I will leave Carlos to clarify, that is what I understood from Carlos' post.

You understood my post. "Those people" didn't.

[Prada]

Thank you. I didn't bother to explain what I was pointing out. Explaining to someone what's wrong with a statement like that takes too much time and energy. Most of the time they still won't get it.

You understood my post. "Those people" didn't.

Oh oh, lol.


It was quite evident to me quite honestly, not to hard to decipher especially when its in bold.

[Logan13]

Did I ever state anything substitutable to that? No. Im not going to be PC because I speak the way I see things. At the same time I am not naive nor ignorant to realize that Islam didnt commence on September 11 2001, like it did for most people in the US. It seems for the media that is the birth date of the religion. This culture is creating havoc all over the earth yet it seems prior to Sept 11 everything was much better, wonder why. It seems that we bombed and invaded two of their countries yet what brute creatures they are, we all expected them to be indifferent and remain pacified. Could it be that something triggered this reaction? To deny this fact is naive at best.

Islam is a target of the media right now, they are under the microscope and anything that is "unwieldy" by western standards in publicized , albeit Islam has been around for what around 1400 years? If I pick and choose derogatory stories which involve Christians, Jews, Hindus and constantly force feed it to you, then I cant blame one for being ignorant unless of course he went out of his way to analyze the situation read sources outside the US, pose questions and seek answers. Then one would be the contrary of ignorant but rather conscious, educated and wise.

Nothing "triggered" middle easterners to be stuck in the 6th century. Barbarism is alive and well today. There is no need to pick and choose stories since there are so many examples of this. They, like all peoples, must be held accountable for what they do. Again, to deny the facts would be naive at best. Nothing, including the 2 full paragraphs of excuses from you, can change this.......

[Logan13]

Thank you. I didn't bother to explain what I was pointing out. Explaining to someone what's wrong with a statement like that takes too much time and energy. Most of the time they still won't get it.

You understood my post. "Those people" didn't.

To me, it seemed obvious from the original post. It was not I who was being obtuse about it. As Prada pointed out, all of those people were middle eastern. Is it your stance that pointing out the facts should not be tolerated? Facts are not open to interpretation..........

[Prada]

Nothing "triggered" middle easterners to be stuck in the 6th century. Barbarism is alive and well today. There is no need to pick and choose stories since there are so many examples of this. They, like all peoples, must be held accountable for what they do. Again, to deny the facts would be naive at best. Nothing, including the 2 full paragraphs of excuses from you, can change this.......

You are misreading what is stated once again. Something "triggered" these extremist Muslims into reacting and doing what it is that they do. I paraphrase: "All human reaction is done due to a motive." Yes, extremism existed in Islam for quite some time but since 9/11 it is rather flamboyant. They being stuck in the 6th century, well one can argue might be for similar reasons that non-islamic states in Africa are "stuck in the 6th century".

Agreed like all people, they should be held accountable for all their actions. No one should be immune from their actions.

I dont deny the facts I just choose to look further then the end of my nose. To beat terrorism you do have to look into the root cause of it and eradicate it. Until then all it will be is a turnstile scenario, you kill and capture hundreds and a hundred more are born.

Reread my "2 paragraphs", they are not excuses but rather explanations which you may or may not be aware of. Hence I would have to agree with you "Again, to deny the facts would be naive at best" but look at all the facts and diversify your sources.