Why are there so many Sudanese people in Australia? Personal comments and criticisms

Yesterday I posted my two part article that I had been working on. This is the first article that I have created for the portfolio, and on the whole I am very pleased with the result. I'm happy with the standard of writing style and I believe that the article achieves the goals that I intended it to. It is well researched, contains very little of my personal opinion and there is very scarce amounts of needless content.

Although I think that my two part article is effective in educating readers about Sudan and the Sudanese community, there are some things that I would like to change.

Firstly, The format of the article is a Journal Article, rather than a news article. For this reason it is lengthy, has more content, and is more academically toned. When I first set out to create the article, I was interested in making a piece that took the form of an editorial that may be posted on a news website. However, the article organically took the shape of an Academic essay form, of which I am now accustomed to after years of university study. For this reason, I am going to conclude my work on this topic by rewriting a new article which will be an attempt at news form. I will need to change my style and learn how to properly structure my unique content (the subject matter of the interviews) within the context of Sudan.

Secondly, I learned a lot about how much work needs to go into the creation of an article such as this. Initially I wanted to get it onto my blog within a few weeks of the interviews, but instead it took 2 months. This is in part because of how busy my working and social life has been, but also because I made no attempt at a deadline. Again, this is different to what I am accustomed to from university, and I will probably seek to have some form of personal deadline in future.

These are the two major criticisms I have about the article that I have done, apart from some minor criticisms such as structure and language that could potentially be improved.

Why are there so many Sudanese people in Australia? part two

Part 2: Sudanese Refugees in Australia

When a nation takes in asylum seekers, they are granted permanent residency visas to ensure that they can remain under their protection for the rest of their lives. Since 2000, Australia has granted permanent residency to 28,275 Sudanese Refugees.

Figure 1: Graph that displays Refugee intake from Sudan or South Sudan since 2000. 

                     (Data provided by immigration Australia)

Year	Amount of people
2000	961
2001	1281
2002	2612
2003	4644
2004	7356
2005	3885
2006	3679
2007	1360
2008	723
2009	732
2010	270
2011	221
2012	184
2013	367

Figure 2: A table which displays the graph data in number form.

Although there were Sudanese people living in Australia before 2000, there was a rapid exodus from the region during the most recent conflict in Darfur. The urgent need to grant asylum to Sudanese Refugees can explain the increase of intake between 2003 and 2006. It was not until the end of 2006 that the number decreased, after the scattered conflicts in Sudan were downgraded from crisis levels following the end of the Darfur insurgency in 2005 and the signing of the Naivasha Agreement (CPA) which ended the North/South civil war.

It is interesting to note that many of the Refugees that came from Sudan during this period would have been already waiting in Refugee camps for many years prior. Most of those who were displaced by the early century conflicts are likely still in Refugee camps, some of which will have moved back home.

To be granted asylum in Australia, Refugees must apply through the UNHCR. This is a lengthy process and can sometimes mean that they need to stay in dangerous locations or within poverty stricken refugee camps for a harmfully long period of time. It is common that Refugees can spend between 5 and 10 years waiting for an accepted application through the UNHCR. Many will never find asylum. After a waiting period, Refugees coming through the UNHCR must gather money to purchase plane tickets to make their way to their country of Asylum. The wait of the refugees relies almost solely on the amount of spots that countries are offering to asylum seekers, and where they choose to take them from.

Who are Refugees?

Refugees are people who meet the criteria of the UN’s 1948 refugee convention, of which Australia is a signatory. This convention was widely accepted into international law to protect those who are fleeing violence. As outlined by the UN, Refugees are non-combatants who are fleeing from violent political, religious or ethnic persecution. These people become refugees when their own Government fails to act as their protector, and is commonly that from which they are fleeing.

Joseph Mangong and James Manut, two Sudanese Refugees living in Australia

I came to know Joseph and Manut through my connections to St Peter’s College. Both have incredible stories to tell about their journey from the conflict stricken Sudan to Australia as Refugees. I was lucky enough to talk to both of them individually and they shared with me some of their story and their thoughts about the Sudanese community in Australia. They both belong to the Dinka tribe, which is the majority tribe in South Sudan. There is a large population of Dinka in Adelaide and they are mostly Catholic. Because they have moved from a vastly different culture and have unique struggles, it is important for Sudanese refugees to stick together. For this reason, it’s common that the community will organise celebrations or mourning ceremonies in community halls. This community is not just a loosely connected network of friends; it is simultaneously a support group, a friendship group and a group of familiar faces for those who may feel homesick. When together, they will do things such as dance, eat, or hold group discussions if there is a particular issue that they need to address.

Joseph Mangong

Born in 1986 in a small town called Tonj (pronounced Toing), Joseph is part of the Abuk Juwiv clan. He grew up unable to have an education due to the crippling effects of the civil war. During the Northern offensive of 1992, Tonj was raided by unknown northerners, most likely Khartoum Government forces or an Islamic militia. This violent raid resulted in the death of Joseph’s father and separation from his Mother and brothers. From this day, the 6 year old Joseph began a journey by foot that involved a trip to Ethiopia and back, then to the Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya. Although Joseph was with other Refugees on this journey, he was with no one that he knew. Over the course of 1992, he walked approximately 2,600 kilometres. To put that into perspective for Australians, he walked a straight line from Adelaide to Darwin. The terrain that he crossed was sometimes arid, and sometimes thick rainforest. When he arrived in Kenya, he spent the next decade in the Kakuma Refugee camp with a man named Kel Wol, a member of his tribe from Tonj that he managed to find.  It was here that Joseph grew up, gained a basic education through the UNHCR and learned how to speak English. In 2001, he was transferred to a Refugee camp for Southern Sudanese people in Northern Uganda. From here, his application to become a permanent resident in Australia was accepted and in 2003 he moved to Perth.

Since then, Joseph has married Ajor (Kel Wol’s niece), has a 5 year old daughter named Alek who has just commenced primary school at Brahama Lodge, and a younger son named Deng. He works as a groundsman at St Peter’s College alongside Manut, and has miraculously come back into contact with his Mother and Brothers who he was separated from in 1992. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the UNHCR’s work and Australia’s decision to grant a residency visa.

James Manut

James Manut was born in 1967 in a small village called Agok, in the disputed Abyei region of South Sudan. When he was young, he did not go to school due to the war; instead he was a village farmer. In 1993, his village was raided by northerners and he fled north with his family. It took 6 months for him to travel to Khartoum by foot, a city where he lived for many years with large numbers of other Southern Sudanese refugees. In 200* he travelled to Cairo, Egypt. In both of these places, he was wary of his status as a Christian, and often feared persecution from Muslim people. Cairo is where he made his successful application for residency in Australia, and in 2004 he arrived in Adelaide. Manut has a partner named Akol and a 16 year old daughter named Adut, both still live in South Sudan. He hopes that someday they will be able to come to Australia with him.

Like many communities that have tribal backgrounds, the Sudanese community in Australia has elders that act as guides and leaders. Manut is an elder in Adelaide, and his position was earned through respect and age. His perspective from this position is valuable to understanding the way in which Sudanese refugees are integrating and progressing into Australian society. Manut’s role as an elder is similar to that of our own Australian Indigenous elders; he acts as a role model and as a mediator for those who are in need of wisdom, encouragement or advice in regards to relationship disputes or other family and community issues.

One of the major issues that the Sudanese community has been facing is problems with youth and education. According to Manut, a significant difference between Australia and many African countries is the standard of education. Although this is not surprising to hear, it is striking to notice how much emphasis Manut was putting on its importance. He thinks that as time goes on and the youth of the community stay in school, the issues that they currently face will diminish. Recently across Australia there has been fear of Sudanese gang violence. Although there was a period of violence in recent years, there has since been a progression in the Sudanese community. As Manut puts it, 3 years ago there were many issues with the youth, many of which were leaving school and turning to alcohol. However, there has been a clear change for the better since then. This was important to hear, because it shows that there is not stagnation in the Sudanese community. They are moving forward from the Sudanese conflict and refugee camps, and as Manut put it, “are saving their life”.

Final words: The future of Sudan, South Sudan and the community in Australia

Although the Republic of South Sudan has been free from conflict with the North since 2005, it is not yet at peace. It remains the youngest state in the world and is offering an example for historians and scholars to examine the formation of a new state, and the process by which a nation is built. South Sudan is currently in conflict again, as the SPLA/M is going through leadership quarrels involving current President Salva Kiir (part of the Dinka tribe) and former Vice President Riek Machar (of the Nuer tribe). Both have different visions for the direction that South Sudan should take, and both seek Governmental control due to ethnic tensions between their tribes. This conflict began in December with an attempted coup, and continues on today.

Despite the continuing cycle of violence, both Joseph and Manut are hopeful for the future of South Sudan. That hope is also there for the future of the Australian Sudanese community.  Their hope is sincere and warming and I believe them.

Although most of the violence in Sudan has been towards Black Christians in South Sudan and Darfur, it is easy to forget that Arab Muslims have been victims of the conflict as well. Although the Government of Sudan is Muslim controlled and they have a heavy burden of guilt over atrocities and oppression, many innocent Muslims were swept up in the conflict all the same. It is important to note that this is not a story of good Catholic vs evil Muslim.

As a final point, I would like to thank both Joseph and Manut for agreeing to give me their time and their thoughts. As a young journalist it’s valuable to have the opportunity to speak to people with the experience that they have, and this article would not exist without them. Thank you.

Why are there so many Sudanese people in Australia? Part one

An investigation into the history of Sudan and the Sudanese Community in Australia by Thomas Russell

It is true when people say that Australia is a largely multicultural society as our nation consists of far more than its original indigenous inhabitants and the ancestors of British colonists. This multiculturalism adds new dimensions to our nation in the form of religious perspectives, food, music, culture and global understanding. But why are they here? Each community has its own story to tell, most are people who have immigrated as skilled workers, but some of which have been granted residency on humanitarian grounds. For many people, the reasons for which an ethnic community is in Australia may be obvious. For example, most Indian, Chinese and European people in Australia are skilled workers. The Vietnamese, Iraqi and Afghan communities in Australia have their origins which trace back to their own respective wars. But what of the Sudanese people? They make up the largest African community in Australia, but the reason for which they are here is scarcely understood more than “it was just one of those African conflicts”. The purpose of this article is to enlighten those who wish to understand more about the past of their Sudanese neighbours in Australia, and who they are. Part one of the article provides a short history of modern Sudan and its conflicts and part two is a discussion about the Australian Sudanese community.

Part 1: A short history of modern Sudan

Sudan is a nation in north east Africa. It is geographically characterised by the Deserts of the north and west, the Nile River in the east and the Tropical Rainforests in the south. Being in eastern Africa (the birthplace of humankind), Sudan is home to some of the oldest societies of people in the world. Before the major Religions Christianity and Islam took hold in the region, the indigenous people of Sudan followed numerous native religions and spoke a diverse range of languages. Like many African populations, the Sudanese people have a tribal based society.

In 1899, the British Empire laid colonial claim over Sudan through the rule of the Egyptians. Like all other colonial powers in Africa, their rule was detrimental and their actions still have heavy political ramifications, especially in relation to ethnic lines. In 1956 after over half a century of Egyptian and British Governance, Sudan gained its independence.

Sudan’s economy has historically been dependent on the oil fields in the South. For many years, oil has been pumped from Southern Sudan through a system of pipelines and made its way to Port Sudan on the northern coast for export.

Map of Sudan and South Sudan

(http://thecasualtruth.com/files/images/Map%20of%20Sudan.jpg)

The North-South Civil War

The history of post-colonial Sudan has been marred by a bloody conflict between the Northern Government and Southern Rebels. The root causes of the war are that the Governance of Sudan fell exclusively into a sect of Arabic Islamic Elites in the capital city of Khartoum. This is a result of the transition from the Egyptian/British colonial rule which gave favour to Arabic Muslim people when leadership was considered. They made numerous attempts to enforce Sharia law onto Christian populations and neglected the allocation of oil money to the outer regions of the state (predominately the South and Darfur in the west). For many years, Oil pumped out of the southern regions (where 98% of Sudan’s oil is) but money never came back. The corrupt Government elites under numerous non-transitional regimes stole or allocated finances in unfair and greedy ways. This was the fuel for civil conflict in Southern Sudan, enacted by a people who felt oppressed both religiously and economically and that their place within the Sudan was second-class.

This civil war is defined in two parts, although both were fought over the same reason. The First Sudanese civil war began in 1955 and stretched until 1972, and the second started in 1987 and ended in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The North/South civil war is one of the bloodiest human conflicts since World War II, claiming between 1 and 2 million lives. The second Civil war was fought between the SPLA/M (Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement) and the Khartoum Government. Throughout the duration of the conflict, there was division amongst the ranks of the SPLA/M about their goals for the future. Some were fighting for a new Sudan that had equal representation and an end to religious and economic oppression from the Khartoum Government through national unity, and others were fighting for separation from the Sudanese state.

In the period leading up to the CPA which ended the fighting, the idea of a unified Sudan gained popularity under the SPLM’s leader John Garang. The CPA was an agreement that gave Southern Sudan a 6 year period of ceasefire in which they could work out together if they wanted to unify or separate, with a vote held in 2011. After Garang’s death in a helicopter crash in 2005, the latter idea of separation took hold and eventually a landslide result of 98% of people voted for separation from the North. Thus, the Republic of South Sudan was formed and remains the youngest state in the world today.

The conflict in Darfur

The Darfur conflict began in 1987 as the Nomadic and agricultural tribes of the region began to violently clash over the lack of resources. Over the past century, the Sahara Desert has been expanding into Sudan. This has meant that the amount of liveable ground is decreasing, and the previously co-existing tribes have needed to compete to survive. In 2003, the Sudanese Government from Khartoum began a counter-insurgency to end the civil war between the Arab Nomads and Black villagers. This counter-insurgency took the form of violent attacks which saw indiscriminate murder amongst innocent people and caused extreme levels of conflict related deaths.

Sudan came into the global spotlight in 2006 with the widely reaching “Save Darfur” campaign, a US grassroots movement of people and intellectuals for the “end of the Genocide in Darfur”. It was based on the work of Brian Steidle, an ex-US marine turned African Union photographer. Although the movement appeared well intentioned, they extrapolated the data that was collected in Darfur and spread claims that Genocide had taken place, resulting in the murder of between 300 and 400 thousand people. However, the most accurate figure according to a panel of African Union experts, which was published by the “Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters” (CRED) is approximately 120 thousand. Only 20-30% of which was caused by direct violence. The rest are due to the desertification that Darfur is suffering, meaning that it is easy to disrupt people’s ability to have access to food and clean drinking water if there is a violent conflict taking place. Although these deaths are still as a result of the conflict and are not blameless, it is interesting to observe the enormous difference in the claims of the “Save Darfur” campaign and the statistics as outlined by the World Health Organisation’s affiliate the CRED. It is also interesting to note that the campaign began in 2006 and called for a US intervention on the ground (“Out of Iraq, into Darfur”), even though the African Union had intervened and stabilised the situation over a year earlier. The important point on Darfur and wider African conflicts that can be learned from the “Save Darfur” movement is that it is easy to misrepresent humanitarian crises for your own gain. This discussion of “gain” for the “Save Darfur” movement will not be discussed in this article. This paragraph has been added to dispel the glaring popular view of the conflict in Darfur as a genocide that has murderously claimed up to 400,000 lives since 2003. Although the difference between 400,000 and 120,000 deaths is arbitrary in relation to severity and the importance of the conflict, it is historically and politically important to understand the reputable realities and truths. This line of argument has been taken from Ugandan born academic Mahmood Mamdani’s book, “Saviours and Survivors”.

Leaving behind discussion of misrepresentation, it is true that Darfur was in a crisis between 2003 and 2005, and no one was safe from persecution. Islamic people and Christians all the same were indiscriminately swept up in violence. Since the counter-insurgency ended, the violence in Darfur has been existent but does not constitute a crisis according to the UN. Darfur still lacks ethnic unity and a proper stable economy in the midst of an expanding Sahara desert. Sadly, many Darfuris still live in the deplorable conditions of the desert refugee camps. They are subject to illness, violence, malnutrition and rape. For these reasons, it is of great importance that Refugees are granted asylum and aid organisations are kept funded by donors.

Although there is more to the history of Sudan than just these two modern conflicts, I chose to focus on them to be concise and to keep focus on the origin of Sudanese Refugees.