From the BBC
Mrs Gibbons said the incident had "all come as a huge shock to me" and that going to prison was "terrifying" although she never actually spent any time in the Omdurman women's jail.
She said: "I never imagined this would happen. I am just an ordinary primary school teacher.
"I am very sorry to leave Sudan. I had a fabulous time. It is a beautiful place and I had a chance to see some of the countryside.
"The Sudanese people I found to be extremely kind and generous and until this happened I only had a good experience."
"I wouldn't like to put anyone off going to Sudan.
"I would like to thank Lord Ahmed and Baroness Warsi and I would like to thank all the people who have worked so hard to secure my release and make my time more bearable."
Mrs Gibbons said she was treated the same as other Sudanese prisoners and that the Ministry of Interior sent her a bed, which was "the best present".
She is a great woman. I would love to send her a present!
"Sudan is not really a country at all, but many. A composite layers, like a genetic fingerprint of memories that were once fluid, but have since crystallized out from the crucible of possibility" Jamal Mahjoub, a Sudanese novelist
5 comments:
I'm sure if something similar happened to one of us Muslims , without any exceptions , we would have cursed & condemned the government/people of religion who did this to us. But Ms. Gibbons seems to still believe that the majority of Muslims are very nice & Sudanese people are kind. That's really great.
I am really trying to figure out how an American would have responded.
Hell, I am trying to figure out how I would have reacted. I would have been all over the news over here when I am back doing some serious defacement out of pure anger.
I mean that is the irrational side of me. Of course I would rethink it. But that would be my initial want.
How gracious she is to say those nice things after her experience. A true lady.
Or maybe she is being so gracious because she is afraid what might happen if she isn't as gracious...
hmmm...
No I think that it was genuine. We all make mistakes. It is good that she has not been unreasonably punished for violating a cultural norm.
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