GENEINA, Sudan — A Sudanese father of two who once worked as a human rights defender now lives in a refugee camp after surviving an attempt to end his life by Islamic extremists.
Before Ibrahim Ismaeil Ibrahim, 34, left Islam and dared to criticize the religion he worked as a writer and human rights defender in Darfur Region’s state of West Darfur for the Sudan Contemporary Center for Studies and Development. As he chronicled human rights violations by Islamic extremists, he became disillusioned with the religion and put his faith in Jesus Christ, he said.
At his home in the West Darfur capital of Geneina in January 2013, Ibrahim, his wife and two young children were unhurt in the late-night attack by what he believes was one of the Islamic extremists threatening him.
His employer contacted Front Line Defenders, an organization dedicated to assisting human rights defenders, especially those in danger. The group provided him funds for an airline ticket to Cairo, Egypt, from Khartoum, Sudan, and accommodation for three months, he said.
He rejoined his wife, 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter in Chad. Eventually the reunited family traveled to another country in Africa, undisclosed for security reasons, where they live as refugees at a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees camp.
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