Carrying a bible is a heinous crime in Al-Bashir’s Sudan
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By Abdullahi Osman El-Tom
May 15, 20011 — For most people in the world, to be photographed
carrying a bible is harmless and cannot be elevated to a noticeable
event. No so in Al-Bashir’s Sudan. This is the story of Hawa Abdalla,
an ordinary Darfuri woman activist, working in the IDP camp of
Abushouk, Darfur, where she is employed as a civilian member of UNAMID
peace-keeping authority. In May 8th, 11, the infamous government Sudan
Media Centre (SMC), otherwise known as Sudan’s intelligence mouth,
published Ms Abdalla’s picture posing with a bible in hand. Her very
appearance with a bible in Al-Bashir’s Sudan alarmed many human rights
activists in the country and abroad. The US based Human Rights Watch
and Sudan’s Darfur Lawyers Association signalled their concern about
Ms Abdalla‘s safety and they are rightly justified to do so. Ms
Abdalla is now facing accusations of apostasy, proselytizing,
Christianization of minors and many other crimes. No matter that ever
since their insidious take over of the country, Al-Bashir and his
fellow fanatics have never stopped proselytizing at home and abroad.
But Sudan and its home-grown fanatics follow a logic that is alien to
many other nations: it is their moral duty to proselytize while it is
a crime for followers of other faiths to invite others to join their
religions! While I hasten to stress the innocence of Ms Abdalla
regarding the declared accusations, I equally remind the reader of the
case of the Sudanese preacher and philosopher Ustaz Mahmoud Mohamed
Taha. He was executed for apostasy in 1985, even though he remained to
his death an internationally acclaimed Islamic leader and reformist.
Ms Abdalla’s predicament should not only be read within dynamics of
Sudan’s national politics. Hers is part and parcel of national and
international politics. In 2009, Hawa Abdalla was arrested by the
security officer on alleged dissemination of information leading to
ICC ruling against Al-Bashir. Her current arrest took place on May
5th. She was kidnapped by the security agents, transported to
El-Fashir and later to Khartoum where her place of detention remains
unknown to her lawyers, acquaintances and civil right activists. Just
like her previous arrest, this too has its international dimension. It
took place days before the successful US attack on Bin Laden and the
subsequent call by his fellow fanatics for revenge. Like the fox in
the Dinka children story spreading rumours among his prey that he has
turned vegetarian, Al-Bashir claims to have renounced terrorism,
espoused democracy and become a sincere champion of human rights. His
false claims elevated him into a trusted ally of the US government and
its war against terror, and fooled many at home to participate in his
fake election for the presidency. Events of last two weeks, including
arrest of Ms Abdalla, should make us all rethink Al-Bashir and his
government. It is no exaggeration to state that Sudan has been turned
into an incubator for Muslim fanatics and a nursery for national and
international terrorism.
It is true that far too many “Muslim” dictators, including Al-Bashir”
have tarnished the name of Islam locally and abroad by their unjust,
oppressive and corrupt governance. However, and when it comes to the
international image of Islam, none can surpass Bin Laden. It will take
Muslims decades to recast Islam as a religion of peace, justice and
mutual co-existence. Following outbreak of news regarding death of Bin
Laden, Al-Bashir’s regime came pretty close to shutting down Sudan by
way of official mourning of Bin Laden. The speaker of Khartoum’s
National Assembly Ahmed Ibrahim Tahir addressed a Parliamentary
Session praising Bin Laden as a Mujahid (holy fighter) and described
the US war on terror as “genocide against Muslims”. He further added:
“if they [Americans] are so thrilled with his death, then they
should lift their hands off Afghanistan and let the Afghans run their
own affairs”,
(www.Sudatribune, May 2nd).
The Speaker’s speech was interrupted by MPs who chanted Martyr,
Martyr, in reference to Bin Laden.
The Parliamentary mourning was also echoed at the public level by
Al-Bashir’s inner circle. Public prayers for Bin Laden, described by
Alsudani.net as attracting thousands (and Islamtoday.net as hundreds)
were organized and performed in a central park in Khartoum. The
overseers of the prayers were the usual staunch supporters of the
regime. It included influential member of the Official Association of
Muslim Ulama (scientists) Sheikh Yousif Abdel Haye, Head of Sunna
Supporters Group Sheikh Abu Zaid Hamza and Head of Just Peace Platform
Al-Tayib Mustafa. The latter, who is an uncle and confidant of
Albashir is notorious for his opposition to the CPA - which his group
describes as “unjust”, and is well known for his hatred of almost
every thing: the USA, Europe, Israel, South of Sudan, Darfur and of
course the ICC. The prayers were accompanied by inauguration of
Brigade of Bin Laden which many Mujahideen joined on the spot. The
newly established Brigade is to be affiliated with the Just Peace
Platform.
In their public payers, Abdel Haye hailed Bin Laden as Mujahid who
abandoned earthy life for the sake of God and whose legacy will live
in the hearts of Muslims and inspire them to answer call for jihad
against infidels, crusaders, Jews, America and its supporters.
Hamza joined in the frenzied attack on the USA and challenged Muslim
rulers to become like Bin Laden. He further invited them to commission
arms and soldiers under their authority to fight the infidel enemies
of Islam and liberate Jerusalem. Sheikh Attia Mohamed Saeed, another
member of Sudan’s Official Association of Muslim Ulama affirmed
determination of his followers to follow Bin Laden’s path, involve in
jihad and establish an Islamic state.
Throughout the prayers, the speakers were interrupted by the chanting;
“with Jihad we raise flag of God”, “Bin Laden Bin Laden, Martyr,
martyr” and “Khayber, Khayber oh Jews, the army of Mohamed will come
back” (Khayber was a battle fought in early days of Islam where
Muslims emerged victorious against their Jewish neighbours).
If that is not enough to clone a Sudanese Bin Laden, Al-Bashir’s
regime remains persistent. In May 8th, the family of convicted
terrorist Mohamed Osman Yousif received a message that he was killed
in Somali. Yousif belonged to the Islamic militant group Ansar
al-Tawhid (Islamic based monotheism) and was convicted for the fatal
attack on American citizen John Granville who worked for USAID in
Khartoum, 2009. Yousif was sentenced to death and was awaiting
execution in high security Kober Prison in Khartoum but managed to
escape with fellow convicts through sewer pipes. An analyst who is
familiar with the prison indicated such an escape cannot be achieved
without assistance of officials close to the government. Yousif’s
family home received many visitors including government officials. But
the mourners also included Minister of Defence Abdel Rahim Mohamed
Husain, a close associate of President Al-Bashir. The Minister
declined talking to the media but left that opportunity to Yousif’s
father who offered an impressive insight into the matter:
“I am calling the government to release the Islamic youth from
prison and also for the court to cancel the decision against Mohamed
(his son), because they were answering President Al-Bashir’s call when
he told them to fight international troops in Darfur”
(www.Sudantribune, May 9th).
Thus, the President of Sudan has been instrumental in the current wave
of hatred against what Sudanese fundamentalists call “Christians, Jews
and Crusaders”.
The position of these fanatics has been further augmented by
independence of the predominantly Christian South, scheduled for July
9th 2011. Following the overwhelming Southern vote for independence
(98.83%), Al-Bashir declared that the remaining Sudan will be 100%
Arab and Muslim. Of course this is a foolish and plainly inaccurate
reading of the country. North Sudan will still house a sizable
minority of Christians from the South, in the Nuba Mountains, in the
Blue Nile region and in almost all urban centres of the country. The
Arab dimension of the presidential statement is as farcical as to call
Al-Bashir’s sanity into question. However one look at this, it is
difficult not to conclude that religious fanaticism is bred and nursed
by the government itself. Hence, Ms Abdalla’s safety cannot be taken
for granted.
Author is Head of Bureau for Strategic Planning of JEM. He can be
reached at: [email protected].
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