Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

Sudanese protesters demand death for teddy teacher

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Hundreds of Sudanese Muslims, waving green Islamic flags, took to the streets of Khartoum on Friday demanding death for the British teacher convicted of insulting Islam after her class named a teddy bear Mohammad.

"No one lives who insults the Prophet," the protesters chanted, a day after school teacher Gillian Gibbons, 54, was sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation from Sudan.

At least 1,000 protesters shook their fists or waved banners or ceremonial swords and chanted religious and nationalist slogans after leaving Muslim Friday prayers. Banners called for "punishment" for Gibbons, and some protesters burned newspapers that contained pictures of the teacher.

Several hundred protesters made a brief stop at the closed but heavily guarded Unity High School, where Gibbons worked, but did not attempt to go inside. The school was guarded by five truckloads of police in riot gear.

The protesters marched from there to the British embassy where several hundred surrounded the ambassador's residence, chanting religious slogans. There were no reports of violence.

Gibbons was charged on Wednesday with insulting Islam, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs because the class toy had been given the same name as the Muslim Prophet Mohammad.

Under Sudan's penal code, she could have faced 40 lashes, a fine or up to a year in jail. But Gibbons was convicted only of insulting religion.

Teachers at her school say that calling the teddy bear Mohammad was not Gibbons's idea and that no parents objected when she sent circulars about a reading project that included the bear, introduced in September, as a fictional participant.

GIBBONS 'WELL'

A spokesman for the British embassy in Khartoum said that the British consul and deputy ambassador had seen Gibbons on Friday and that she was well, but gave no clue as to where she was being held.

"We are not commenting on her location," spokesman Omar Daair said.

Lawyers had initially said they expected Gibbons to have been taken to Omdurman women's prison, a jail which is overcrowded and usually filled with women serving sentences for making and selling alcohol, illegal in mainly Muslim Sudan. But lawyers could not say on Friday where she was being held.

One defence lawyer said on Thursday that Gibbons had already served five days of her sentence since her arrest on Sunday and that she may not have to serve all the remaining days. The judge said she could leave once she had a compulsory exit visa, defence lawyers said.

Sudan has had poor relations with Britain, the United States and most European countries for several years, mainly due to disagreements over how to handle the conflict in Darfur in western Sudan.

Britain's foreign minister has said he was "extremely disappointed" with the verdict and called in the Sudanese ambassador for an immediate explanation.

The United Nations Security Council, of which Britain is a permanent member, wants to deploy a joint U.N.-African force to Darfur to help end the conflict and help displaced people return home. Khartoum reluctantly agreed but is disputing many details.

International experts estimate that some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million been driven from their homes in ethnic and political conflict in Darfur since a revolt by mostly non-Arab rebels in 2003.

(Reporting by Andrew Heavens; Writing by Cynthia Johnston; Editing by Dominic Evans)

(Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...BrandChannel=0 )

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

I couldn't believe it (okay, I really could, but didn't want to) when I saw the charges she was up on yesterday. I was frustrated but pleasantly surprised with the punishment... frustrated because it was there, and pleasantly surprised that it wasn't that severe.

This... *shakes head*. I think I may need to get a copy of the Koran so I can read it myself. I suppose the same things are in the Bible (as I dance ever so close to that moratorium), with the "shall not take the lord's name in vain" parts, but...

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

Just a question, but is Mohammad not one of the most (if not the most) popular names in Muslim countries?
This is just stupid, 20 children out of 27 in her class voted for the name Mohammad, she is only guilty of trying to teach/give the children free will and democracy!

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

That's also a crime there, only the word od the Imam's is true.

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

But what offended them was that a stuffed animal was given the name. Rediculous yes, but it's one thing to name your son after the greatest prophet of your faith and a whole other thing to name a stuffed animal or pet after him.

Now I do think they blew the whole thing out of proportion, it wasn't an attempt to insult Islam as far as I read. But they could have decided a much worse punishment. I mean 40 lashes, prison time, and a fine as opposed to 15 days prison (5 of which she had served prior to sentencing) and deportation.

I'd recommend armed guards or military escort for her though considering the death threats. Sounds to me the ones inciting religious hatred are the Sudanese right now.

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

As I understand it, the difference is that children are named in honour of the prophet, whilst giving (stuffed) animals that name is an insult. Though would it still be wrong if the toy had been a doll rather than a bear?

In any case, I don't see how it could honestly be viewed as offensive by anyone unless the teacher actually had the bear playing the role of the prophet, or how it would be a serious religious affront unless that role was accompanied by derisive remarks or slander towards the Muhammad in question.

As I understand it, it's mainly media attention that caused high-level hard-liner demands for conviction as well as the international interest inspired mild punishment, but really it seems to me as making a big fuss over nothing.

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

I think "free will and democracy" is not perhaps the most applicable phrase here. "Choice" might be closer, but even that sounds a bit too dramatic.

Oh, and I agree with the whole thing being stupid. It must have taken quite a lot of effort to make people think they should be offended.

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

Hmmm...actually...let me raise a few eyebrows...when an African comes to Europe we expect him to comply with our laws, even if he doesn't agree with them...why would it be any different for a European going to Africa?

Of course calls for death are wrong...

Edit...I can't type...

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

Be that as it may, one has to wonder what kind of moral authority the Sudanese judicial system wields, considering they've stood by while those genocidal nutjobs in the government butchered the population. And now, they're making noise over a teddy bear?

Re: Watch what your kids call their teddy bear..
 

They don't have the same moral values as what we are used to in Europe (edit: or the US). According to their morals what they do is probably right. And according to their morals we in Europe are way, way off...