Deng Adut

Last updated

Deng Thiak Adut (born 1984) is a defence lawyer and refugee advocate in Western Sydney, Australia, and a former child soldier from South Sudan. His story is told in a popular short video by Western Sydney University, where he earned his law degree. He was named the 2017 New South Wales Australian of the Year.

Contents

Early life

Adut was born in 1984 [1] near Malek, a small fishing village in South Sudan near White Nile River. He is a member of the Dinka people. [2] : 4–5  [3] [4] One of eight children, [3] he had a happy early childhood spent with his family at their banana farm. [5] [6]

At the age of around six or seven, [note 1] Adut was taken from his mother and marched for 33 days to Ethiopia along with 30 other child conscripts. [4] During the march, some boys died of starvation or thirst, others were shot by bandits, and others attacked by wild animals. [4] The boys were forced to fight for the Sudan People's Liberation Army in the Second Sudanese Civil War. [3] [7] They were brainwashed and given daily doses of khat, a herbal stimulant drug popular in East Africa. [4] Adut was taught to use an AK-47 assault rifle and other weapons. He witnessed many atrocities, including people dying from dehydration and a grenade explosion and children committing suicide. [8] [5] [3] At 12 years of age he was shot in the testicles and back and almost bled to death. [8] [5] [4]

In 1995, Adut's older half-brother, John Mac, smuggled Adut out of Sudan at night in a truck under sacks of corn. [5] [9] [4] Adut spent 18 months in a refugee camp in Kenya. [9] The United Nations granted both brothers refugee status, [5] and in 1998 when Adut was 14, Australia granted both boys a visa. [9]

In Australia

Adut reached Australia in 1998 at age 14 due to sponsorship by Christian aid workers Bob and Christine Harrison. [5] [4] He was part of the third family to come to Australia as Sudanese refugees. [10] He had little education and did not know English, [11] and initially felt isolated as a member of the only black family in Blacktown, Sydney. [5] At 15 Adut taught himself English, in part by using The Wiggles children's television program and the Bible as examples, though Adut is an avowed atheist. [5] [10] [4] He worked myriad part-time jobs including making concrete, carpet, windows and doors, catching chickens, working in a meat factory, working in a petrol station, and mowing lawns. [8] [6] [3] He became an Australian citizen in 2001. [4]

In 2001, Adut completed a TAFE course equivalent to a high school certificate. [2] : 74  Subsequently he completed an Advanced Diploma in Accounting at TAFE. [7] He rejected an offer to study at Macquarie University following racist remarks by Macquarie law professor Drew Fraser, [2] : 82  instead accepting admission to Western Sydney University on a scholarship. The first in his family to earn a university degree, Adut graduated with a Bachelor of Laws, [5] and worked for Grace Legal and then LN Legal. [2] : 87, 91  Along with solicitor Joseph Correy, Adut co-founded AC Law Group and is still a partner, [6] [5] supporting youths of Western Sydney's Sudanese community as a defence lawyer. [11] [12] He performs much of his work pro bono . [6] [2] : 89  [4]

Adut founded the John Mac Foundation in honour of his half-brother, John Mac Acuek, who helped Adut escape South Sudan and died in 2014 while leading an effort to rescue South Sudanese civilians from ongoing conflict. [13] The Foundation provides higher education scholarships to students from refugee backgrounds. [6] Adut sponsors "Savannah Pride", a Blacktown basketball team. [9]

In 2017 Adut condemned the ban on immigration to the United States ordered by US President Donald Trump. He said, "The culture of punishing the innocent and weak countries has got to stop. It's not stopping wars; it's creating them. It's creating economic deprivation for the local people; the victims are the poor, the ones that have no skills, the refugees." [14]

Adut completed a Master of Laws in Criminal Prosecution at Wollongong University [2] : 137  and has a scholarship to return to Western Sydney University for a second Master of Laws in International Governance. [4] He ultimately aims to return to South Sudan to prosecute those responsible for the conscription of child soldiers. [15]

Recognition

In 2015 Western Sydney University produced a short video about Adut's life up to his 2012 reunion with his mother, who was still living in Adut's childhood home in South Sudan. [7] [8] Viewed over 2 million times on YouTube, [2] : 140  Adut says it "has helped others understand the horrors that see people seek asylum in safer countries", and helped him promote the importance of education. [2] : 140 

On 27 October 2016 Adut was awarded the 2016 Law Society of New South Wales President's Medal. Society president Gary Ulman said the award is "testament to [Adut's] personal and professional achievements over a number of years, and to his outstanding contribution to the community of Western Sydney." [15]

Also in 2016 Adut was named New South Wales Australian of the Year for 2017. The announcement was made by the state Premier Mike Baird, who said Adut "has channelled his success into helping hundreds of people in the state's Sudanese community navigate their way through the Australian legal system." [6]

An acrylic and oil on linen portrait of Adut titled Deng by artist Nick Stathopoulos won the People's Choice Award in the 2016 Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. [16]

Selected publications

Notes

  1. ↑ 6 according to various news sources [3] [7] [1] or 7 according to Adut's autobiography [2] : 12 

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinka people</span> Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan

The Dinka people are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Mangalla-Bor to Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and the Abyei Area of the Ngok Dinka in South Sudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Sudanese Civil War</span> Conflict from 1983 to 2005 for South Sudanese independence

The Second Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. It was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and the Blue Nile. It lasted for almost 22 years and is one of the longest civil wars on record. The war resulted in the independence of South Sudan 6 years after the war ended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Hills, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Seven Hills is a suburb in the Greater Western Sydney region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 33 kilometres (21 mi) North West of the Sydney central business district. Seven Hills is within the local government areas of the City of Parramatta and Blacktown City councils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salva Kiir Mayardit</span> President of South Sudan since 2011

Salva Kiir Mayardit, also known as Salva Kiir, is a South Sudanese politician who has been the President of South Sudan since its independence on 9 July 2011. Prior to independence, he was the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, as well as First Vice President of Sudan, from 2005 to 2011. He was named Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 2005, following the death of John Garang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Boys of Sudan</span> Group of refugees from southern Sudan

The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the conflict. The term was used by healthcare workers in the refugee camps and may have been derived from the children's story of Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. The term was also extended to refer to children who fled the post-independence violence in South Sudan in 2011–2013.

Sudanese Australians are people of Sudanese origin or descent living in Australia. The largest population of Sudanese Australians reside in Victoria (6,085).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Riminton</span> Sri Lankan-Australian journalist and TV presenter

Hugh Riminton is a Sri Lankan-born Australian foreign correspondent, journalist and television news presenter. He is currently national affairs editor and occasional presenter of 10 News First. He previously co-anchored Ten Eyewitness News with Sandra Sully until February 2017.

African Australians are Australians descended from any peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa, including naturalised Australians who are immigrants from various regions in Sub-Saharan Africa and descendants of such immigrants. At the 2021 census, the number of ancestry responses categorised within Sub-Saharan African ancestral groups as a proportion of the total population amounted to 1.3%. Note that Australian official statistics are based on country of origin not race, hence African immigrants of European descent and their descendants are included as African Australians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Rowland</span> Australian politician (born 1971)

Michelle Anne Rowland is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has represented the Division of Greenway in the House of Representatives since 2010. She was a member of the shadow ministry from 2013 to 2022, and was elected President of the New South Wales Labor Party in October 2021. She is now the Minister for Communications in the government of Anthony Albanese following the ALP's victory in the 2022 Australian federal election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taban Deng Gai</span> South Sudanese politician

Taban Deng Gai is a South Sudanese politician who has been one of the Vice Presidents of South Sudan in the unity government since February 2020. He served as the First Vice President of South Sudan from 23 July 2016 to February 2020. He was mining minister before being appointed as acting first vice president.

South Sudanese Australians are people of South Sudanese ancestry or birth who live in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmond Atalla</span> Australian politician

Edmond Atalla is an Australian politician and professional engineer. A member of the Labor Party, Atalla has represented Mount Druitt in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since 2015. The child of Coptic Egyptian parents, Atalla is known for his advocacy for members of Australia's Coptic community.

Thomas Jok Deng is a professional soccer player who plays as a central defender for J1 League club Albirex Niigata. Born a South Sudanese refugee in Kenya, he has represented the Australia national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Bol (runner)</span> Australian middle-distance runner

Nagmeldin "Peter" Bol is an Australian middle-distance runner who competes in the 800 metres. He represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics, placed fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and won the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Bali</span> Australian politician

Stephen Louis Bali is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the Electoral District of Blacktown since a by-election held to replace former Labor leader John Robertson in late 2017. He previously served as the mayor of Blacktown City Council between 2014 and 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adut Akech</span> South Sudanese-Australian model (born 1999)

Adut Akech Bior is a South Sudanese-Australian model. Akech made her fashion week runway debut as an exclusive in the Saint Laurent S/S 17 show and went on to close both their F/W 17 and S/S 18 shows as an exclusive. In 2018, she was chosen as "Model of the Year" by models.com, an honour which was repeated the next year. Models.com includes Akech in its list of the "New Supers."

Ajak Deng is a South Sudanese-Australian model.

Aguil Chut Deng Acouth, also known as Aguil de'Chut Deng or Aguil Chut-Deng, was a South Sudanese revolutionary and activist. She was a member of "Katiba Banat", the women's battalion of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), during the Second Sudanese Civil War.

Deng is a common first or last name used among the Dinka people of South Sudan, meaning "rain". It is often given to boys who are born when it is raining. It is also believed to be the name of an ancestor, the first son of the god Nhialic.

Akuch Kuol Anyieth is a South Sudanese-Australian academic and writer.

References

  1. 1 2 Tufvesson, Angela (4 December 2018). "From bullets to Blacktown: the rise of an African war boy". Law Society Journal. Retrieved 21 September 2022. Deng Adut was introduced to readers in September 2014...[when] Journalist Jane Southward spent the day with Adut, then 31...
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Adut, Deng (2016). Songs of a War Boy. Sydney, N.S.W: Hachette Australia. ISBN   978-0-7336-3651-6.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Transcript: Deng Thiak Adut's Australia Day speech". Sydney Morning Herald. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Lehmann, Megan (22 October 2016). "In the dead of night – Child soldier turned lawyer Deng Adut transforms trauma into hope". The Australian. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hocking, Rachael (22 January 2016). "First day: The former child soldier practising law in Sydney's west". SBS News. SBS . Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Whitbourn, Michaela (7 November 2016). "Deng Adut named NSW Australian of the Year". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Stories of Unlimited – Deng Thiak Aduk, Defence Lawyer". Western Sydney University . Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Deng Adut on being a child soldier, moving to Australia and dealing with racism". 7.30 . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 King, Simon (25 January 2017). "Deng Adut's path from child soldier to model citizen" . The Australian. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  10. 1 2 Adut, Deng (13 November 2016). "Deng Thiak Adut: Australia was 'a place that was as strange to me as Neptune may be to you'". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 February 2017. Extract from Songs of a War Boy.
  11. 1 2 "Child soldier and refugee turned lawyer Deng Adut is a nominee for Australian of the Year". The Daily Telegraph. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  12. ↑ "Defense Lawyer and Refugee Advocate Deng Thiak Adut to Deliver 2016 Australia Day Address". Australia Day Council of NSW. 21 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017. Press release.
  13. ↑ Riminton, Hugh (23 January 2014). "South Sudan refugee John Mac Acuik killed on mercy mission in homeland". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  14. ↑ "NSW Australian of the Year Deng Adut calls President Trump's immigration ban 'hypocritical'". Nine News. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  15. 1 2 "Former child soldier wins NSW Law Society President's Medal". The Law Society of New South Wales. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Nick Stathopoulos: Deng – Archibald Prize 2016". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.