“Letter to Mr. Dhiak Akol Mabior from Australia” by Mr. Daniel Deng Duot

12 MAY 2018  } DHIAK AKOL MABIOR 2 Biella court, LEICHARDIT QLD 4305 Phone:

Deng Jok 16 KORAC DRIVE, BELLBIRD PARK QLD 4300 Phone: 0470280920 0402268292

RE: Deng Duot Deng Joak’s position on A peace Negotiationinitiated by the Current Kongor leadership in Queensland.

Cc: all Executives of state leadership and wider KongorCommunity at large in Qld.

For those who have lived and seen the free and fair democratic world, freedom, justice, and equality are for all human beings. Therefore, I will never give up my right and would fight for it tothe best of my ability. For sure there are many lies, defamations,and vilifications being created here and there following the incident on the night of 4th March 2018 in Redbank plains. It is only in a south Sudanese culture were a person could be defamed and nothing will happened at long last to people who do this. As a result, this has prompted me to pick up my pen and clear myself from these lies and character assassinationconfirmed by the leadership.  To demonstrate that I have no intention putting this community which I had proudly supported and contributed to its welfare for many years since 2006 until the arrival of this conflict. As a matter of fact, I love this community sincerely and I would not want to put it into conflict with itself for my personal differences with one individual. However, I must make it clear that I am not going to address what caused our dispute with the other party in this explanatory letter.

So, I am humble and grateful for the great initiative made by our community leadership to resolve our differences promptly. Meanwhile, the intention of this article is to highlight and clarify the background information about what happened.Consequently, to state what I stand for in this dishonest and misconduct approach by the leadership.

I’m writing today not to overstate my concerns, but to state the primary reasons need for a full consideration by the mediatingleadership. Additionally, this letter is specifically addressing many concerns including the chairperson of this community’s remark after the unfolded quarrel. I know, having a different view on the dispute will automatically affiliate me to be referred as if I am refusing to come for peace. Above all, knowing the way a few members of this Community’s mindset are, and their leadership’s behavior, they will always pick up reasons to justify what they cannot substantiate. If that is how it is going to work on me, so be it; and this should be treated as part of my fight for freedom of expression for myself in this provocative atmosphere.

On the 25th of April 2018, Kongor Community’s chairpersonapproached my elder and presented his view concerning our case. At the same time, the leadership accused me that I have refused peaceful negotiation. This was one of the things the leadership has told my uncle and a community elder at the same time; while the leadership has not approached me in the firstplace to be clear of what I am saying and that I stand by it.

MAIN CONCERNS

Firstly, the main reason and concern in this opinion article is that the Kongor leadership wants to bring us together for a peace negotiation, although I have been reported to the police for an alleged assault on occasionally and bodily harms. Meanwhile, I have not yet been charged by the police in this case for anyone’s information. The allegation assault was report to the police on the 12th of March 2018 respectively. On the 16th of April 2018, there were two senior constables who came to the incident’s address for crime investigations to establish a crime scene. Based on the information I heard they had interviewed the house’s owner.

On the following day, I was called to the police station to be made aware of the allegation and make my statement on it.During the interview, a name of witness was given to me and heappeared to be the current Kongor Community’s Chairperson in Queensland. So, the question is, how can one be a witness and a peace negotiator at the same time? I think commonsense will tell us one person cannot do two things at once in this situation.Given that reporting date on 12th March 2018 and I was made aware on this case on 16th April 2018. I can’t really believe whether the chairperson wasn’t made aware or informed by the grievant person.

Secondly, on the 25th of April 2018, my uncle advised me to accept the negotiation being intended and wished to be undertaken by the Kongor Community Leadership in Queensland in the future. He recommended me that peace negotiation is the best channel to air out my grievances and concerns with people involved in this incident. However. I told my uncle that it is unreasonable to accept Kongor Community Leadership’s peace negotiation while the case is pending and still ongoing with the Queensland Police Service. Hence, I need to finish with the Queensland Police Service’s case first before accepting or not accepting Kongor community Leadership’speace negotiation proposal. Dr John Garang de Mabior once said that, “a bad peace based on lies, deception and insincerity is worse than war.” The leadership following this case is not being honest and sincere in their dealing with me in the current issue. I do not believe they are capable to bring about a peaceful settlement to this case.

I believe that in a fair and unbiased peaceful settlement to this case is achievable through honest and a sincere negotiationteam. However, the current leadership is not fit to settle this case as it has been shown by their current activities. The current leadership needs to value the concerns of all parties involved instead of favoring one side. Incitement and backing up one side will not solve this case at the community level. Otherwise, Iwould rather deal with Queensland Authorities for good.

NEGOTIATION ACTION PLAN 

Thirdly, let me consequently acknowledge the negotiation actionplan by Kongor Community leadership of Queensland. This is a good thing when it is done honestly and practically. The leadership needs to bring two of us together to the negotiating table. I sincerely appreciated the idea for a number of reasons, some are more valid than others, but many times they do it so for one simple thing: negotiation works when it is done thoroughly and independently without influence from third party. It may not work perfectly; indeed, it may just barely achieve any of its objectives. It may not be as clean, easy, quick, or cheap as envisioned. It is certainly not a guarantor of a successful negotiation conclusion. However, there is always will be ultimate, sufficient results produced to make it an attractive adjunct to a negotiating team or party’s interest. So, you can see I like the negotiation action plan, but I did not appreciate the procedures which the incomplete and incompetent regime istaking in presenting their action plan in this matter.

I’m willing to come and negotiate with whoever offended me if the leadership of KCQ considers the following conditions:Briefly, I will thereafter dismiss negotiation if the following points are not met with these criteria. 

1. First, I will consider a negotiation if my offender and the leadership witnessing the misconduct allegation being put on me on 12th March 2018, to Queensland Police Service is withdrawn with immediate effect.

2. Second, my offender must therefore be willing to accept negotiation organized by an independent party which is not headed by the current chairperson of Kongor Communityleadership of Queensland.

3. Third, I must be made aware of the position of my offender whether he is willing to negotiate in the first place.

4. Fourth, if the Queensland Police Service dropped the complaint taken against me on 12th March 2018, due to the lack of substantial evidences. Consequently, I will not consider negotiation further.

5. Fifth, if the negotiating team is selected I must then be given a list beforehand so that I know who the organizing committee members are. Because I do not want those idiotswho do not help themselves to come and make no sense to me.

6. Sixth, I must be serviced with written notice by the Queensland Police Service and the community leadership with their written letter confirming the withdrawal of the case. 

In these circumstances, the leadership must fully consider all the above mentioned six points as their central theme for peace to take place. The leadership also needs to re-think about theircurrent activities and an unfair treatment of one party in this conflict. In saying so, the chairperson should have demonstrateda fair treatment of all parties for me to consider him as a legitimate leader for all people of Kongor in Queensland.

Furthermore, often some people thrive only when there is an adversary to challenge rather than seeking a common ground, some refuse to budge and choose to justify their positions. Rather than settling this dispute peacefully, some people prefer to score points. In principle hostility sets up barriers between people which is therefore shown by wrong judgments, blame and manipulation. 

For those who are genuinely interested in putting hostility aside and discovering a way to peacefully resolve our conflicts, there is an option: Mediation. It involves two or more people who can’t agree on a solution to their problem and mediator. It offers an accepting space where people can tell their stories to leadership whom they trust. In addition, the leadership as mediators is a neutral who has no stake in the outcome of the mediation, who doesn’t take sides in the dispute, and who assists the participants in creating their own mutually beneficial solutions. 

For a mediation to realize its full potential for transforming the negative relationship between disputants, the parties need to engage themselves wholeheartedly in the mediation process. Although the leadership has failed to follow this case in aright way, these are the points it should aim to peacefully solve this dispute:

1. Resolve their dispute peacefully,

2. Mediators should discuss all issues that are relevant and necessary to resolve the situation,

3. Mediators can then express their concerns orally to the other party and demonstrate that they have heard the other party's concerns,

4. All parties shall accept responsibility for their own behavior and for the part they can play in creating harmony in the relationship, and

5. Go beyond the boundaries of their own point of view to reach a mutually beneficial solution.

The above statements and points were supposed to be followed by the leadership. Truly they leadership had failed remarkably to follow a genuinely bureaucratic way to resolve our dispute. Surely going beyond and well above as far as mediation’s concern will bring us together for a peaceful resolution. 

Suddenly, I feel obligated to bring these remarks to your leadership attentions right now, so you can see why I am not trusting you as a chairperson. These kinds of attitudes toward one person are hostile.

Briefly, let me explain why I think the chairperson got his full hands in this dispute because of his statements.  On the night of 4th March 2018, the Chairman of the Community referred to as at “Fault or at wrong to my offender” witness told me after our altercation. Secondly, when he was told that his name has been found in a witness’s box. The chairperson of KongorCommunity says this was a “propaganda”. According to Cambridge English Dictionary. Propaganda is information, especially of biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view. Substantially, based on the two-statements, it appeared to me that the leadership has absolutely confirmed and put their support to one side of the equation in this battle. The leader should have had strong evidences before making a full judgment.  And indeed, they have done it. I have been told privately that the leadership had confirmed their alliance with the other party. And obviously this is proven beyond reasonable doubts through Chairperson’s action and lack of communication with me. 

COMMUNITY SYSTEM OF COURT

There are many different laws, rules are regulations in any legal institutions or tribunal. In Queensland Civil and AdministrativeTribunal or court of law (QCAT). Someone must have lodged their application against one another for a case to proceed. Secondly, in all states and territories of Australia, in a criminal court of law a police or prosecutor representing the State mustcharge a person to appear in the court of law. Now in our case. A community that is well represented by the leadership will always find a way to resolve any rising issues. Moreover, it is not necessary for any party involved to complaint to a leadership for leaders to take an action. I would argue that if the community is truly independent in this case, they must first secure other the party who has gone to the Queensland Police Service, but deal with me later. But because they have already taken side, that was why they accused me of refusing negotiation. Finally, leadership should not underestimate me, there is no day I will complaint or lodge my complaint to the current leadership. This is because I have been vilified and disparaging for a long time on social media and the leadership has not done anything about it whatsoever.

Once and for all, I really appreciated it for taking up action to uncle Aguerdit. I have listened to the Chairperson through it and I have understood where the leadership is coming from. I do not know much the intimate dynamic of approached of the kongorcommunity here in Queensland, but I can imagine to a greater extend how toxic things might be, given the things happened to me after the incident on the night of 4th March. 

This approached had given me an opportunity of refusing to be painted as “the” problem, but I have accepted to be part of “a”problem that needed to be sorted out. The question I asked myself is, what is the problem? The answer to that is not the fact that my offender and I had an argument or a fight, because that is just the symptom of a problem. The real answer is no one knows including the two of us who are at the very pointy end of this issue. Therefore, the mediation or peace talk as others might call it, therefore, it is up to the Queensland leadership seekingmediation is a great idea. The beneficiary of that mediation is not going to be  me nor my offender, but the KongorCommunity in Queensland and other states as well because conflict a ye wook (conflict is contagious). The leadership should know very well that these things destroy relationships among people in the community and the best thing to do is for everyone to try their very best to bring about better understanding.

My personal advice to the leadership of Queensland, I have and I will be committing myself to the mediation because I have nothing to loss and nothing to gain, but the Kongor community has everything to gain. So, I make it as a donation to the Kongorcommunity’s harmony.

It is clear, the Office of the Kongor community want to facilitate the mediation; let them do it and I will refrain from making the chairman part of the problem regardless of whether he is siding with party or not; that is for the Kongor community to Judge during the mediation. I also do not want leadership to see uncle Aguerdit as my uncle in this context. He is “the”Kongorcommunity elder in this case and no one should side him with me. If he happened to be more fare to me because he is myuncle, that is for the Kongor community to judge and if he is hard on me in order me accept peace because he is my uncle, then that is also for the Kongor community to judge.

To conclude and sum up these many concerns, this opinion is an attempt of my own perspective and experiences, to cast the picture about the dilemma of our community in relation to my involvement on the night of 4th March 2018. I want my readers to view this letter as not a challenge to Kongor Community leadership of Queensland. But rather than a piece of constructive argument which is vocal about the wrong approach and how it should it have been handled at the beginning. However, I am not persuading anyone to believe in me but to listen carefully to my accounts on the suggested agenda without a probable cause of action. On the one hand, let me emphasis that if the Community leadership wants to bring us together, they should have not persuaded the articulated politics of incitement and tried to apply fake justice on the other hand. Therefore, the leadership should also be aware that I’m not kind of a person who would be intimidated and threatened with lies to accept fake a peace. In addition, fancy shall have learned through their own experiences in the past. I will accept the talk if all necessary steps and reasons above have been satisfied. Age is not essentially important in justice system. We are all adults in our own rights and we practiced our own adulthood in everyday activities of our lives.  I hope I will get a reply from whom it may concerns.Once noticeable and springboard reason for this rebuttal letter is to reject a fuel discussion and rumor that I, Deng does not want to talk!

The leadership do not have to agree with me at all.

                                                                                        Sincerely yours

                                                                                         Deng D D. Joak

                                                                                    Deng Jok

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