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Comparison of the Understanding of Various Political Concepts by the Lost Boys and from the German Perspective Due to the more radical growing Islamization, the conflict between non-Arab southern Sudan and the Arab government of the north emerged again in 1983. During the second Sudanese civil war (1983-2003) about two million people were killed and even more southern Sudanese were displaced. More than 27,000 boys fled from Sudan to other countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia or Kenya. Most of them at the age between six and nine, they escaped their villages and the war without knowing whether their families were still alive. Many refugees died of starvation and thirst or were killed by government troops. Those who escaped walked thousands of miles without food or water. Aid organizations call the survivors of this exodus the „Lost Boys“. In 2001 the International Rescue Committee helped resettle nearly 4,000 of these boys in the United States. These boys are now allocated in about 38 cities in America. They escaped war, murder and supression. The Lost Boys came to America because they desperately sought to find freedom, education, and most important, peace. With the help of the "Intergovernmental Authority on Development," peace negotiations were on the way. The conflict officially ended in 2005 with the signing of the "Comprehensive Peace Agreement" in Naivasha, Kenia. The resettling program of the Lost Boys in America paused after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, but it was restarted in 2002.

2 2. The Purpose of Government For the Lost Boys, government is nothing good. Even though they know it exists, they think of it in terms of danger and a great deal of annoyance. “The next day my father gathered all of us together. “Listen carefully,“ he said. “You must be prepared. The government troops are Arabs and call themselves Muslims. [...]. They call us slaves or infidels and want to kill us for not circumcising our girls and becoming Muslims like them“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 44). Even though the Lost Boys are aware of the government’s existence, they fear it more than they aprreciate its existance. Unlike Americans they do not have expectations regarding the government. “So the government troops were attacking our villages because we looked the same as the SPLA and spoke the same language“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 50). Before the Civil War broke out in Sudan, they lived according to their own cultural rules, which also differed from village to village and region to region. To them, the purpose of government means danger. They do not expect the government to provide them with anything they need, or even help. Instead, they are fleeing from the government and its troops. “With no food and little water, we trekked a hundred miles, staying away frim Toch, where the Sudanese government had its army“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak, 109). They rejected living the way government wanted them to live and therefore became refugees. “Kuany told us the SPLA rebel forces had destroyed a government troop convoy here earlier, and that was why the government was sending troops to destroy our villages“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak, 68). But they chose their (religious) freedom over supression. They grew up with the knowledge of a government that lies and enslaves people who do not obey it. “That’s were the first war began in 1947 when the students rebelled and were massacred by the government troops“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak

3 105). Germans are always very pessismistic when they think about their government and there is a general mistrust in governmental actions. Due to our history we tend to be skeptical and show as little patriotism as possible. Germans are very sensitive when it comes to their political history, and they mostly avoid being regarded as patriotic and oppose strong leadership, which distinguishes them from Americans. An interesting way to distinguish between average citizens in the United States and Germany is to call out the word "leader" in a room full of Americans or the equivalent German word "Führer" in a room full of Germans. The differences become visible immediately. The Americans prick up their ears in anticipation, while the word "Führer" produces a look of consternation on German faces. (Steingart). When it comes to government and its purpose, Germans do expect a lot, but on the other hand are very pessismistic whether these expectations are going to be fulfilled. Typically, Germans always have something to complain about regarding governmental actions. According to the survey Perspektive Deutschland, people are mostly afraid to loose their jobs, but despite their generally pessimistic attitude, satisfaction has increased (Jacobi).

3. Perception of America For the Lost Boys, America is the country where they hope to find all they wish for: peace and education. It is the last station of a long escape and the only chance to attain a better future. To them America represents the hope to live peacefully, without war and the fear of the people around them. “They told us we must be very friendly in America, more than people were in the camp, because Americans were used to being

4 friendly.“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 289). The Lost Boys experience America also as a whole new world. All that is normal to western civilizations, for them is a new experience and another journey, because they now need to adjust not even to a whole different culture, but also catch up with living surrounded by technologies, which even sometimes to Western people can be a task. „I went to the library and read more about America because cultural orientation had ended two months earlier. It was easy to forget and the day they had showed everyone how to use the flush toilet, I hadn’t been there so I had to read about that in a book.“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak, 291) Besides all what they dream America to be like and what they hope for, among the strongest hopes is get education; they value America as a relief from their refugee life and a chance to be what they want to be. “We are so happy and thankful that the American government has come to take you out. Some of you will come back and try to help us out here in this desperate situation. You’ll shape our lives in the future“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak, 292). The German attitude towards America is made of passionate love and hate. There exists a kind of schizophrenic relationship with America (cf. Teschke). The German culture is influenced by the American culture, even though some Germans do not regard this as positive. On the other hand, they tend to take a position, setting themselves above the average American, stating them as ignorant and with little knowledge about the world’s other countries. The German-American relationship is build upon the long history they share (cf. Berman, 6). If Germans are skeptical towards their own government actions, it is not surprising that they are even more to America and their government. „Moreover we have to be careful today that the basic human rights are not annulled under the pretext of combating terrorism. No one has the right to anti-terrorism

5 "bonus".“ (Fischer). But before the Iraq war tensioned the transatlantic relationship, there yet existed several (cultural) differences regarding such important topics as war and peace, religion, sex and marriage, life and death. Germans mostly show a more nontraditional attitude towards those topics, while they think of Americans as being too traditional and conservative. Other differences relate to politics. Issues like preventive war, international rights and law, welfare state, death penalty, Guantanamo and even the Kyoto protocol, shape the relationship towards America and make it more complicated. The war in Iraq can be seen as a magnifying glass under which all these differences manifested, making the relationship even more difficult. Still, to German people, what is going on in America is important and they watch the actual primaries for example with increasing interest. (cf. McGroarty)

4. War War is the situation in which the Lost Boys grew up. It shapes their attitude towards the world and their appreciation of certain values. While being refugees, they only wait for the war to end, like a situation that needs to be endured or an illness that needs to be overcome by being patient. “We waited for the war to end so we could go home“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 103). For the Lost Boys war need to be overcome so they can go home, at first their only aim while enduring all the murder, bombing, rape and hunger. “[...]. I only thought of home and waited for the day the war would end and I could return to Sudan“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 107). War also makes them homeless besides all the other punishments it puts them through. It ruines their homeland and therefore makes them think in sadness of what had become of Sudan. War somehow steals their homes. “I

6 longed to go home, but not like this – not running again, not back into the battles. My beautiful homeland wasn’t a home in wartime“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 136). From a German perspective, war is seen differently than in America or as the Lost Boys see it. Most Germans – except the older ones who lived during the second world war – can not imagine what it is like to live during war. Today, the experiences of this generation during the Nazi dictatorship still shape German attitudes towards war in general. Many Germans “believe in the collective guilt of all adult Germans of the generation alive at the time.” (cf. Bertelsmann Stiftung). German news also pay a lot of attention to foreign countries and foreign conflicts and wars. Even though they do not cover every ongoing conflict, foreign wars or crises are always covered in the daily news. Due to our own (political) history and the two wars build on wrong reasons, Germans think of war in terms of the last possible solution to international conflicts. Their different attitude towards war also played a major role in the relationship to America, recently.

Contemporary, unified Germany maintains a largely critical attitude to the militarism of its own national history and tends to draw de facto pacifist lessons: war is regarded as the absolute evil, military solutions to international problems are shunned at all costs, and therefore any current war—such as the United States’ war in Afghanistan or Iraq—is typically viewed through the lens of the German experience in the world wars. This leads to the projection of German metaphors onto American policy: in the extreme, George W. Bush is equated with Adolf Hitler (cf. Berman, 8).

Regarding the German-American relationship, the war in Iraq posed serious issues to this relationship. This demonstrates the Germans' negative attitude towards war in general and as a preventive means. Germans opposed to move into Iraq, even more without the allowance of the United Nations security council. As Joschka Fischer, the former German

7 foreign minister, famously pointed out to Donald Rumsfeld: “My generation learned you must make a case, and excuse me, I am not convinced.“ (cf. Connolly). Instead Germans tend to favor solving international issues diplomatically. That the German past still shapes the attitude towards war is also demonstrated by the recent speech chancellor Angela Merkel gave before the Israel parliament, which was seen by German news as a historic moment and valued as important (cf. Putz).

5. The Role of Interest Groups and International Organizations When the millions of Sudanese people fled from their homes through Africa and into other countries, they also found shelter in some refugee camps on the way. Some of these camps provided the refugees with food and water, but others were worse and there was no protection from robbery or even murder among the refugees. Far away in an industrialized country, most western people imagine those refugee camps more peacefully than the Lost Boys experienced them. To them the international organizations are a place where they found sleep, food and drink for a while, and in the better camps even the education they desperately longed for. But still, they could not feel really safe or lucky, because there was no real protection and enough food and water supplies for all refugees to live peacefully. “After six years I found that I hated Kakuma more than anywhere else because of how people thought about us. The word “refugee“ was very strong on the Kenyan’s tongues. It meant “useless“ to them.“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 277) For the Lost Boys, aid organizations like the "United Nations" were helpful for a while, but they could never rely on their help and provision of nourishment. "Things got worse when the UN cut back the rations and I soon learned how it goes in a refugee camp.

8 There is food and there is education. The education is fine, but the food is not enough. You have to choose between education and food“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 276). Most Western country people may think that in a refugee camp people get enough food and medication. For the Lost Boys the aid organizations are just one step forward to a better future which once might be attainable for some of them. They still do not feel at home in these camps and they still try to keep themselves busy so that they do not think about their homelands, families and hunger. Being a refugee is something that many people cannot understand. Refugee life was like being devoured by wild animals. We live five of us in one house. The little ration we received we collected together and cooked as a meal once a day. [...] It was hard for boys to go to school with empty stomaches. [...] All we could do was read to keep busy or gather together and tell stories to forget the hunger (Deng, Deng, Ajak, 274). Aid organizations are figures in the political culture of Germany. But as Germans tend to favor seriousness, those organizations who can be trusted receive a official seal guaranteeing the persons who donate money to these organizations the seriousness and reliability of the particular organization. In order to achieve this seal aid organizations must provide that the donations they received are verifiable. Furthermore, if they receive more than 250,000 Euros, their donations are controlled by a certified accountant. All this makes aid organizations, like other German institutions, very bureaucratic and shows the need for transparancy concerning the work of aid organizations, if they want to be recommended by Germans. However, to the public aid organizations are important and a lot of people donate money or take part in non-governmental organizations and voluntary work. People who are donating or participating in voluntary work are not the rich ones. (cf. DW World Correspondents Report) In recent years the average amount of money

9 spent by Germans also increased and Germans tend to donate more than other European countries. But donating in Germany is made easier, as non-profit organizations offer tax breaks for donation. (cf. Baeva)

6. The Value of Family To the Lost Boys family is truly important. It is in the family where they learn about their country's history, and also about their family's history. The elders are supposed to take care of the younger ones and the younger ones listen to the elders and learn from them. In southern Sudanese culture, the elder people are still regarded as the wise ones, who know more according to their experience which extends with the age. “It was on these nights with my family when I learned the most about my ancestors and the Dinka people and how we were supposed to live.“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 6) In Dinka culture, family is still organized traditionally. The women are supposed to care for the children, make food and support their men. Men can have several wifes what is not regarded as unusual, it just makes the family even bigger. The role of men is to provide enough food to live and to educate the boys and take care of them. “Benson’s and my mother was the third wife. Each wife had her own family area and the houses were built apart from each other with crops in between. Deng, my father, was a hardworking man. [...] My father, in the Dinka tradition, counted his wealth through cattle“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 12). In all the years the boys escaped the war, the value of family was even more important. During war time the brothers and cousins always took care of each other and when they were separated, they were always worried about their relatives. “All I could think about was how much I was separated from my family now. They could never find me so far away“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak 73). According to the Dinka tradition, when the Lost

10 Boys met relatives in a town or village during their escpape, the elders always protected the younger ones. Furthermore, the value of family extended during the civil war, because thinking of their families helped them to survive and kept them motivated to move on even if it seemed impossible.

While in Thiet, we ran into my older brother, Yier. [...] Peter , Joseph and I were thankful to see someone else from our family, especially someone older who could look after us and give us advice. My heart longed for my parents ther to love, protect and advise me. I missed my father every day. When Yier was suddenly called away to the north to fight with the other soldiers, my chest went hollow. Family had become so precious to me. Without it I was like a tree alone in a desert.“ (Deng, Deng, Ajak, 110-111)

To Germans the value of family is important, though it adjusted to the life circumstances. Recently, a survey showed that family is ranked among the most important values of Germans, followed by honesty. (cf. Heidel and Lisberg-Haag). Despite the high value of family, the birthrate in Germany is dropping and politicians as well as the media make this an issue on the daily agenda. The decline in birthrates led to a national conversation about the role of fathers and mothers. Clearly, the role and self-understanding of women has changed over time due to the rights women gained. Women in Germany, especially the younger ones, do not see themselves in the traditional role as a wife. They tend to want to achieve both success in their job and in raising and having an own family. Therefore, there are discussions and reforms going on to make it more easier for women to have both, a job and a child. One of the most recently reforms minded men in their role as a father. Families with a new child, who decide that the father is going to stay at home for the first years receive benefits from

11 the federal government in form of money. The government, which is now led by a female chancellor, also wants to provide more places for children in daycare centers. This brought up serious discussions between the female family minister and a Catholic bishop, who criticized the plans (cf. DW World). Regarding this last occurences one can say, that Germans tend to think in non-traditional ways of the social norm and ideal of a family. A survey conducted by the Gallup Institute gave evidence to this, stating that the majority of Germans think it is morally acceptable to have children outside of marriage (cf. Gallup Institute).

Comparing the understanding of the Lost Boys and the Germans on the discussed five topics, it seems clear that there are tremendous differences. Both view the world from a very diverse perspective and with variable experience and knowledge. However, what both the german people and the Lost Boys share is the total refusal of war – neither as as solution to solve disagreements in one country or between countries. What they both have in common is the high value of family, even though Germans value it for different reasons than the Lost Boys do, and the understanding of what family means is even different. For the Lost Boys family is very traditional, it is one of the reasons they struggled through all the bad they underwent, and it is also one of the most important reasons why they want to achieve a better life in America. They want to help their relatives who were left behind in southern Sudan, because they regard it as their responsibility to be there for each other and protect each other as a family. To Germans family is seen in a more flexible way. Either if it is the homosexual couple that rises child, or a single woman who lives with their children alone after a divorce, Germans

12 regard family as an important value in their lifes. What can be said by comparing this western perspective with that of these refugees is that, it is important to look beyond the own country and be open to learn from what other countries and cultures value and what they do not value. If one is open minded to that, one can detect the things diverse countries have in common and the reasons for why things are seen differently overseas or in the south of Africa, for example. Being open to these experiences, like the Lost Boys are, because they demonstrate it by living in America for a longer time now, helps shaping individual values – may the reject the mothercountry values or not. Through this process one receives broader knowledge of the world’s cultures, enabling oneself to shape its own mind.

13 Works Cited Baeva, Nadja . "DW World ." DW World. 17 December 2004. 25 Mar 2008 . Berman , Russell A. "Anti Americanism in Europe:A Cultural Problem." Hoover Institution Press DP0 HBERAE0100March 2004 1-30 24 Mar 2008 . "Bertelsmann Stiftung." 12 February 2007. Bertelsmann Stiftung. 24 Mar 2008 . Connolly, Kate. "I am not convinced, Fischer tells Rumsfeld." Telegraph UK 10 February 2003 24 March 2008 . Deng, Alephonsion, Deng, Beson, and Ajak, Benjamin They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky. 1st. New York: Public Affairs, 2005. "DW World Correspondents Report." DW World . 25 September 2007. 25 Mar 2008 . "DW World Society." DW World. 23 February 2007. 24 Mar 2008 . Fischer, Joschka. "Address by Joschka Fischer." United Nations. 57th Session of the United Nations General Assembly 14 September 2002 24 March 2008 . "gpns Special Report." Gallup Institute. 07 November 1997. 24 Mar 2008 .

14 Heidel, Uschi, and Isabell Lisberg-Haag "Farewell to an Ideal." DAAD Letter. 03/07 03 December 2007 24-26. 24 March 2008 . Jacobi , Nicola . "Goethe Institut Archive." Goethe Institut. May 2006. 25 Mar 2008 . McGroarty, Patrick . "Germans Weigh in on US Election." Spiegel Online. 05 February 2008 24 March 2008 . Steingart, Gabor. "A Cry for Leadership." Spiegel Online. 18 December 2007 24 March 2008 . Teschke, Jens. "The German Fascination About Obama." NetZeitung. 27 February 2008 24 March 2008 . "The German Way&More American Influences." The German Way&More. 25 Mar 2008 . Putz, Ulrike. "Merkel in the Knesset: We would never abandon Isral." Spiegel Online. 18 March 2008 24 March 2008 .