The situation in Sudan over Gillian Gibbons, the 54-yr old British teacher now in custody, is quickly gaining snowball status.
She is to be charged with insulting religion, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs, after allowing her class of seven year olds to name a teddy bear ‘Mohammed’.
In the UK, Muslims live side-by-side with Jews, Christians, Buddhists, a multitude of non-believers and off-the-wall groups. They seem to get along quite nicely, thank you.
Yesterday, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, reacted angrily on hearing about Ms Gibbons, saying the Council was “appalled” and demanded her immediate release.
“This is a disgraceful decision and defies common sense. There was clearly no intention on the part of the teacher to deliberately insult the Islamic faith,” said Dr Abdul Bari.
He added “We call upon the Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir, to intervene in this case without delay to ensure that Ms Gibbons is freed from this quite shameful ordeal”.
This sounds very much like a witch-hunt as letters were sent out to all the parents in September, announcing the arrival of the class bear. Yet here we are, 2 months later, and now someone complains.
At this time of year, up and down the UK, 5, 6 and 7-yr olds are rehearsing for their school Christmas Nativity plays. Little boys and girls will be dressed up in fake beards, long gowns and an array of head-wear, pretending to Arabs and singing religious-type songs … and in the centre of the stage will be a plastic doll named Jesus.
It all goes to give children a solid start in life, helping them grow up and have respect of other people and nations.
If Ms Gibbons, as is claimed, has acted in good faith (now there’s a word to play with) and named the bear after a child in her class, then the Sudanese government should be ashamed of their actions …
… and how about stopping all that foreign aid flooding into Sudan?
If they want to act like children then they should be treated as such.
November 29, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Can’t we all just get along? really? I just can’t believe that this is really happenning in 2007. Today in new york city is day out against hate, can we link sudan in to help them find a way for peace and understanding with ms. Gibbons? i know one of the muslim writers at onedialog.com plans to address this today. maybe he can shed some light because i don’t get it…
November 29, 2007 at 9:21 pm
If any one had any doubts as what it would be like to live in a Muslim ruled society, in between the infamous Saudi rape case and the Sudanese sacrilegious teddy, they have their answers. And let us not forget the Taliban’s systematic destruction of the Afghan works of art and giant Buddhas. These barbaric, medieval behaviors (veils, chadors, religious police) are in store for us, if the Muslim communities get their way in the Western world. Even the blinds could read the signs. We must protect our freedoms and have them respected by the barbarians who would like to leave in our midst.