Gayle Williams
Encyclopedia
Gayle Williams was an aid worker for SERVE Afghanistan
of joint British
and South African nationality. She was shot on her way to work in Kabul
, Afghanistan
by two men on a motorbike. Zabiullah Mujahid
, a spokesman for the Taliban, claimed responsibility for her death and said she had been killed "because she was working for an organization which was preaching Christianity
in Afghanistan".
and raised in Empangeni, KwaZulu Natal. Her mother took her to live in Middlesbrough
, England during her secondary school years, after which she went back to South Africa to study biokinetics and occupational therapy
at the University of Zululand
. After that she returned to London to work with disabled and deprived children.
and Pashtu. She was determined to work in-country and was stationed in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar
in 2006, working with disabled children, blind and deaf children, and children hurt and maimed by landmines and fighting in the country.
The charity SERVE Afghanistan is Christian in its beliefs, but denies that it tried to spread Christianity. Colleagues stressed that Williams was extremely careful not to try to convert Afghans.
She was well aware of the risks of working in Afghanistan. Some 4,000 people had been killed there in 2008, of whom one third were civilians. Taliban violence had been targeted against aid workers to spread fear and undermine the Government's claims to be bringing security. In April 2008, because of the danger to charity workers there, Serve recalled its staff from Kandahar to Kabul.
Williams had attended the funeral of a colleague a few weeks before her own death, and expressed a wish to be buried in the same Christian cemetery in Kabul if she were to die in Afghanistan. A friend recounted at her funeral that she said, "These bodies are only temporary. When I get to heaven I will have a new body."
Douglas Alexander
, UK Secretary of State for International Development
, condemned the murder: "Her killing was a callous and cowardly act by people who would take Afghanistan back to the dark days of the Taliban tyranny which scarred the country for so long."
Mike Lythe, head of Serve Afghanistan, said, "This is a tragedy... She knew the dangers, but Afghanistan is where she wanted to be." Following the killing, the organisation suspended its work in the country. The Foreign Office also updated its advice for people travelling to the country, stating that no part should be "considered immune from violence".
The London-based scholar Ziauddin Sardar
described the killing as "another barbaric act in the name of Islam" and called on all Muslims to condemn the Taliban.
Following Williams' funeral, her mother and sister met President Hamid Karzai
who wished to express his condolences. Her sister Karen Williams stated that they had forgiven the killers as Gayle would have done.
The family arranged a memorial service in London the week after. They asked for no flowers but for donations to be sent for the welfare of deprived Afghan children.
Responding to the murder of Gayle Williams, there were some calls by atheists for Christians to end evangelism
. However, a worldwide commission of evangelical
Christian theologians
, meeting in Bangkok
on 23–25 October, reaffirmed the importance of holistic mission.
A "prayer walk" for Williams' family and colleagues was arranged for 8 November 2008 in London, stopping to pray outside embassies of countries where Christian believers face persecution
.
The Centre for Safety and Development, which gives training to avoid attacks on humanitarian workers
, notes that Williams trustfully walked the same route to work each day, and advises workers with NGOs to take more precautions.
SERVE Afghanistan
SERVE Afghanistan is a Christian charity registered in UK which works in Afghanistan carrying out community development, education and training projects, particularly for Afghans with disabilities....
of joint British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and South African nationality. She was shot on her way to work in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
by two men on a motorbike. Zabiullah Mujahid
Zabiullah Mujahid
Zabiullah Mujahid is one of the self proclaimed spokesmen for the Taliban who is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan. He has acted as a media conduit between the isolationist rebel forces and Western media teams. He was interviewed with his back towards the TV camera in early 2009 by CNN reporter...
, a spokesman for the Taliban, claimed responsibility for her death and said she had been killed "because she was working for an organization which was preaching Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in Afghanistan".
Education and early career
Williams was born in ZimbabweZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and raised in Empangeni, KwaZulu Natal. Her mother took her to live in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, England during her secondary school years, after which she went back to South Africa to study biokinetics and occupational therapy
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
at the University of Zululand
University of Zululand
The University of Zululand has been designated to serve as the only comprehensive tertiary educational institution north of the uThukela River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its new status is in accordance with South Africa's National Plan for Higher Education aimed at eradicating inequity and...
. After that she returned to London to work with disabled and deprived children.
Work in Afghanistan
Williams had been fascinated with Afghanistan, and worked with Afghan refugees in camps in Pakistan, starting to learn DariDari (Eastern Persian)
Dari or Fārsī-ye Darī in historical terms refers to the Persian court language of the Sassanids. In contemporary usage, the term refers to the dialects of modern Persian language spoken in Afghanistan, and hence known as Afghan Persian in some Western sources. It is the term officially recognized...
and Pashtu. She was determined to work in-country and was stationed in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
in 2006, working with disabled children, blind and deaf children, and children hurt and maimed by landmines and fighting in the country.
The charity SERVE Afghanistan is Christian in its beliefs, but denies that it tried to spread Christianity. Colleagues stressed that Williams was extremely careful not to try to convert Afghans.
She was well aware of the risks of working in Afghanistan. Some 4,000 people had been killed there in 2008, of whom one third were civilians. Taliban violence had been targeted against aid workers to spread fear and undermine the Government's claims to be bringing security. In April 2008, because of the danger to charity workers there, Serve recalled its staff from Kandahar to Kabul.
Williams had attended the funeral of a colleague a few weeks before her own death, and expressed a wish to be buried in the same Christian cemetery in Kabul if she were to die in Afghanistan. A friend recounted at her funeral that she said, "These bodies are only temporary. When I get to heaven I will have a new body."
Responses to her death
Gayle Williiams' death was headline news in the UK.Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
, UK Secretary of State for International Development
Secretary of State for International Development
In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for the Department for International Development and for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world...
, condemned the murder: "Her killing was a callous and cowardly act by people who would take Afghanistan back to the dark days of the Taliban tyranny which scarred the country for so long."
Mike Lythe, head of Serve Afghanistan, said, "This is a tragedy... She knew the dangers, but Afghanistan is where she wanted to be." Following the killing, the organisation suspended its work in the country. The Foreign Office also updated its advice for people travelling to the country, stating that no part should be "considered immune from violence".
The London-based scholar Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar is a London-based scholar, writer and cultural-critic who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations...
described the killing as "another barbaric act in the name of Islam" and called on all Muslims to condemn the Taliban.
Following Williams' funeral, her mother and sister met President Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
who wished to express his condolences. Her sister Karen Williams stated that they had forgiven the killers as Gayle would have done.
The family arranged a memorial service in London the week after. They asked for no flowers but for donations to be sent for the welfare of deprived Afghan children.
Responding to the murder of Gayle Williams, there were some calls by atheists for Christians to end evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
. However, a worldwide commission of evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian theologians
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
, meeting in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
on 23–25 October, reaffirmed the importance of holistic mission.
A "prayer walk" for Williams' family and colleagues was arranged for 8 November 2008 in London, stopping to pray outside embassies of countries where Christian believers face persecution
Persecution of Christians
Persecution of Christians as a consequence of professing their faith can be traced both historically and in the current era. Early Christians were persecuted for their faith, at the hands of both Jews from whose religion Christianity arose, and the Roman Empire which controlled much of the land...
.
The Centre for Safety and Development, which gives training to avoid attacks on humanitarian workers
Attacks on humanitarian workers
Humanitarian aid workers belonging to United Nations organisations, PVOs / NGOs or the Red Cross / Red Crescent have traditionally enjoyed both international legal protection, and de facto immunity from attack by belligerent parties. However, attacks on humanitarian workers have occasionally...
, notes that Williams trustfully walked the same route to work each day, and advises workers with NGOs to take more precautions.