GIP Event: "Disturbed in their Nests"





Polytechnic’s GIP on Monday featured Alepho Deng, acclaimed South Sudanese author who was “welcomed to America in 2001 as one of the Lost Boys of Sudan” and Dr. Joseph Jok, his IRC case worker. Dr. Jok provided a historical perspective of the religious and ethnic conflicts which contributed to the Sudanese Civil War (1987-2005) as well as the ongoing dispute between Sudan and South Sudan over the oil-producing territory of Abyei. Mr. Deng shed light on the experiences addressed in his recent novel, Disturbed in their Nests, which he personally signed for Poly GIP students. He discussed not only the distress of war, but the hardships related to living as a refugee for nine years and being uprooted from his home and country.
Mr. Deng’s positive life perspective despite tragedy is inspirational. His credits his ability to overcome challenge to the “power of the mind.” In the author’s words, “Perseverance is a battle with one’s own mind; the key to success is inner-narrative.” As an example, Mr. Deng shared “mind games” that helped him continue on when he traveled homeless and starving from place to place as a displaced victim of war. Moreover, Mr. Deng defines evil as “objectification: we vs. them.” “Might does not make right.” The belief that “only our way is right,” is a dangerous mindset and deterrent to conflict resolution. 

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