GIRIFNA Mourns a Human Rights Champion and Tireless Supporter

Human rights champion, Osman Hummaida: 1960-2014.

This week, Sudan lost one of its sons to a sudden bout of illness, Osman Ali Hummaida, who sought to liberate our nation from the chains of injustice and impunity. A tireless champion for human rights, Osman mentored many young activists and human rights defenders inside and outside Sudan. He believed in the cause he so bravely fought for until his untimely death. The Sudanese regime tried to silence him through abuse, torture, imprisonment and forced exile. However, he never bowed or compromised in the face of insurmountable pressure and intimidation.

He was an unstoppable advocate for the rights of the myriad victims of the Inqaz regime. For Osman, it was personal. He and countless Sudanese experienced firsthand the brutality of the “Ghost Houses”–the dungeons of torture that constituted the hallmark of the regime’s practices in its early years. He was instrumental in establishing networks and organizations that aimed to shine light on the regime’s brutality.

As we and countless others fondly remember Osman, we are reminded that his work is yet to be completed. The struggle he championed carries on. Justice and accountability for victims in all corners of Sudan must and will be achieved. Osman Hummaida’s name will continue to inspire current and future generations of activists to carry on and complete the journey he was not able to finish.

May he rest in peace.