Ann Noling
Last Sunday Gillian Gibbons, a British schoolteacher at a Christian school in Khartoum, was arrested. Ms. Gibbons is being held in custody while the Sudanese officials decide whether or not to charge her for blasphemy for allowing her class to name a teddy bear Muhammad. During a unit on “animals and their habitats” she had her class vote for a name for the teddy bear. One student, who has spoken to the BBC in defense of his teacher, suggested his own name, Muhammad. In Islam it is considered blasphemy to try and create a representation of the Prophet Muhammad, and several parents of Ms. Gibbon’s students complained to the authorities about the situation. Following her arrest, Ms. Gibbons was suspended and the school where she worked, Unity High School (this name is misleading: it’s not actually a high school as the kids in the class were seven years old) was closed through December. If charged and convicted, Ms. Gibbons could face a fine, six months in jail, or 40 lashes. The Sudanese embassy in London referred to the situation as a “storm in a teacup” arising from cultural differences. Presumably trying to prevent Ms. Gibbons arrest from being construed as anti-Christian, the embassy’s spokesperson, Dr. Khalid al Mubarak was quick to stress how tolerant the Sudanese government is towards Christians. He repeatedly referred to the situation as “minute” and stated that Sudan’s “relationship with Britain is so good that [they]…wouldn’t like such a minute event to be overblown.” He described Ms. Gibbon’s arrest as standard procedure when parents complain, and expressed full confidence that she would soon be cleared of all charges. British officials have been in touch with Ms. Gibbons and are working to obtain her release. Prime Minister Gordon Brown vowed they would keep attempting to “clarify the position so that she can be released.” Ms. Gibbons’ representative in parliament, Louise Ellman expressed hope that the Sudanese officials would realize the choice of name was the result of a misunderstanding and not an intended insult.
Although it appears that this situation may very well be resolved soon, I think there is a bigger issue that ought to be addressed. The fact that that the Sudanese government views arresting a teacher on the grounds of a parental complaint of blasphemy as a “standard procedure” doesn’t necessarily speak well for the Sudanese legal system. Britain however appears to be being very careful to not criticize Sudan too strongly for the arrest.
