Sudan, the British Teacher and the Teddy Bear

By Majed Iqbal 

The last couple of days have seen intense news coverage on an issue which has propelled out of proportion. The British teacher, Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool faces a jail sentence in Sudan for “allegedly” insulting Islam by letting her class of seven-year-olds name a teddy bear Muhammad as part of a school project.

Gillian, who works in the Unity High School, a British school where she taught the children of Sudanese professionals, expatriates and oil workers was arrested for “blaspheming” against Islam by allowing to name the teddy bear after the name of the Prophet of Islam. The story has struck an opportunity, once again in the press, to debate and air views over the “backwardness” of Islamic Culture, rules, customs and heritage which seems not to be synchronized with Western Civilisation standards and values which permeate many parts of the world.

Shock and horror is what can be currently described as the response of British people and press. How can such a menial issue of naming a teddy bear after a religious icon lead to barbaric punishments of lashing the victim? Why such fanaticism by Sudanese Authorities? How can such actions by the government be justified? Are these people even civilized? These are just some of the questions which will be circulating the minds and conscience of the British public coupled with utter disgust.And rightly so. Some of these questions will be causing concern. Here in Britain, British people are groomed with ideas of tolerance, respect for freedom of religion and fostering cohesion between different communities. However in this instance we seem to have been caught in an exchange of views which are equally narrow minded to those we have encountered by Sudanese authorities. A further look seems to display a very bigoted approach. Take the following messages for instance, posted on the day the story was covered in the Times newspaper.

The Sudanese embassy in London say that in their country the bear is seen as 'fierce + dangerous' - reminds one of a religion... possibly one whose founder was a polygamist, who practiced child marriage and sanctioned war to further his aims? (Adam, London)

 

It seems to me that Islamic law works on the principle that the end justifies the means. 'The end' (the spread of Islam and honour of Allah) justifies 'the means' (e.g. suppression of criticism, if necessary by force). Unless it is questioned whether Allah agrees with this principle, such persecution will continue indefinitely. (James, Romford, UK)

 

It's a bear faced cheek - everyone in this country should rename their teddies 'Muhammad' in an act of soft toy defiance against these idiots! Either that or a simple solution to the 'War on Terror' - parachute 50,000 teddies into Afghanistan all labeled Muhammad and watch the Taliban self implode with rage...  (Richard, Bromley, UK)

 So where do we draw the line on the discussion on who is more civilized than the other with the array of views voiced above? Is there any difference between Sudanese and British responses?

Without a shadow of doubt, the British teacher has been caught up in  case which is sense less and has been blown totally out of proportion by international media with a “good” versus “bad” limelight to the debacle. However, a further look at the case discloses more than meets the eye.

The article in the Times newspaper (27/11/07) clearly gives a quote from a parent stating that no complaints where made by any parents. A ''disgruntled fellow teacher '' is said to have had a grudge against the Christian set up school.

The first article printed in the times on 26/11/2007 quoted Bishop Ezekiel Kondo, chairman of the school council that “the school was in dispute with authorities over taxes, and suggested that Ms Gibbons, who arrived in Khartoum in August, may have been caught up in that ''

Several analysts have also said that the Sudanese government could be pressing the teacher's case as leverage against the intense criticism from Britain and other Western countries over its handling of the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. Sudan has been a country marred by intervention by various colonial powers including America, who have been openly financing John Garang, former leader of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army in attempting to create civil war in Sudan.

Further to this, the French and British welcomed the passing of UN resolution 1706 in August 2006 calling for the deployment of UN ‘peacekeepers’ to supplement the 7000 African Union troops adding to the turbulent political crisis in Sudan.

So does the case of the British teacher currently arrested in Sudan revolve around Religion or politics? Obviously the Teddy bear can’t tell us anything.