It Was A Personnel Matter
So, a teacher ends up in jail with a mob screaming for execution and diplomats and legislators flying around the globe, and what was characterized as an anti-religious assault turns out to be a disgruntled ex-employee: Grudge sparked teddy bear crisis
KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) — In an effort to shut down Khartoum’s Unity High School, a disgruntled former employee alerted Sudanese officials that a British teacher had allowed her class to name a teddy bear “Mohammed,” a British source and Sudanese presidential palace source told Time magazine’s Sam Dealey.
Gillian Gibbons, 54, was convicted last week of insulting religion and sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir pardoned her from her prison sentence on Monday and she was released hours later. She is expected to leave for England soon.
The two sources said Sarah Khawad was fired as the school’s secretary in November after an employment spat and threatened to shut down the school.
The sources said Khawad did not appear to have a vendetta against Gibbons, but hoped that by bringing the teddy bear incident to the education minister’s attention, he would close down the school for anti-Islamic teachings.
Ah, yes, the world changing power of spite. International incidents and an upsurge in religious tension because someone lost their job. Wars start over crap like this.
