British teacher avoids jail in Ethiopia
March 8, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — A British teacher avoided a prison term in Ethiopia on Friday despite refusing to comply with a court order to apologise to a Swiss charity for accusing it of covering up sex abuse at a children’s home.
Jill Campbell was convicted of defamation in 2001 and ordered to apologise to Terre Des Hommes-Lausanne (TdH) or face jail. But lawyers for the charity said it had dropped the demand for an apology, noting that her husband Gary, also convicted for defamation in the same case, had said sorry.
The couple had compiled evidence that helped convict David Christie, the British director of an orphanage run by Terre Des Hommes-Lausanne, of abusing several young boys. He was sentenced in 2003 to nine years of hard labour.
The charity admitted the abuse had happened but rejected the couple’s accusations of a cover-up.
Emerging from a small courthouse in the capital Addis Ababa, Campbell was met with hugs, kisses and cheers from a group of supporters, both foreigners and locals.
“This case is not about me,” she said. “It’s about the victims who have been left behind.”
Gary Campbell had apologised to the charity but later said this was so someone would be free to look after the couple’s two adopted Ethiopian children. Jill Campbell had faced a possible six months in prison for refusing to apologise.
Surrounded by friends, family and well-wishers at her home, Campbell told Reuters that she didn’t feel like celebrating until the victims of abuse were treated fairly.
“I have two children so it would have been tough to go to jail,” she said.
“But going to prison would have highlighted this case again. TdH have never apologised to the children who’ve been abused or offered them any compensation or psychological help.”
Among those at Campbell’s home was a 26-year-old man who said he had been a victim of abuse in the orphanage when 14 years old. He did not want to be named.
The Campbells have lived in Addis Ababa for 14 years and are known locally for their charity work.
(Reuters)