By Dak Buoth Riek Gaaq,
Opinion.
13th October 2014(Nyamilepedia) — ‘‘an educated mind is its readiness to accept its mistakes and, whenever these are pointed out, it apologize to all those whom the mistake might have harmed; and to be seen making deliberate steps not only to compensate the victims but also to make assurance, double sure never to repeat the mistake,’’
Legally, when an accused person or a defendant testify and admitted consciously before the court of law that the claim (s) for which he was accused of are truthful; the presiding judge will from that instant sentence him or her to a period as stipulated for in the penal code. If at all there is a comment the convict would make after a sentence is passed, it would only be limited to leniency request. Thus, the judge’s prerogative to deny or grant leniency depend on the gravity of the act committed and the utmost honesty exhibited by the accused in his testimony.
In his advisory article published on the 11th October 2014 titled ‘‘Magok Rundial of today are the John Luk of tomorrow’’ Hon. John Luk Joak, the former minister of justice and constitutional affairs vehemently and candidly admitted that he was the one who tailored the current tyrannical south Sudan transitional constitution. That then, government of southern Sudan spearheaded by none other than him, intimidated the MPs and bulldozed the draft transitional constitution in to law, ‘‘pass forward today and it is abundantly clear to all concerned south Sudanese that it was a tragic and severe political blunder on my part, ‘‘In light of last year political and military crisis in our beloved nation, I have now unequivocally realized that I had committed a great sin against the people of south Sudan, FORGIVE ME,’’ ‘‘The fact that some leaders are consciously repeating the same mistake today brings me to the million-dollar questions: why would speaker in the name of Magok Rundial willingly commit the political and constitutional blunders of the John Luk of yesterday? Secondly, why would Hon. Isaac Mamur wish to end up the John Luk of tomorrow? Do they fancy themselves that they would be in the Government forever? Are they prepared to suffer the consequences of their blunders as I am enduring right now?
He said adding, ‘‘the national security service bill that was lately enacted in to law is very draconian. ‘‘South Sudanese people should not, once again, invest all their constitutional powers in the hand of one politicized institution. ‘‘It does not matter whether it is the presidency, parliament, judiciary and or national security services under minister Isaac Mamur’’
In respect to this, Some of you who have had an opportunity to peruse his article might have fallen down in childish sympathy and accorded him the forgiveness straight away before posing on him fundamental questions. That is not to say I do not believe in forgiveness, I do. My colleagues whom I attended the African Union (AU) South Sudan commission of inquiry meeting a month ago will attest to this. When a Director of the AU commission of inquiry posed a question to us; ‘‘what sense of justice do you (south Sudanese) wants? I happened to be the first to give an answer, and I said, I would forgive the culprits and the perpetrators of this ongoing conflict if their names are unravel, but only on condition, if they admit honestly and later sought our forgiveness.
However, in John Luk’s voluntary testimony, he erred for being dishonest in his article. He would have done the opposite to earn himself the forgiveness he required rather than opting for conventional rhetoric whose aim is to seek impunity ship to cross the river Nile. To be honest mean, one has to narrate vividly what he did without missing or ignoring tiny part of it; including his reasons for doing what he did. He would have spewed bitter truth and in length how he arrived at his decision to draft that autocratic constitution. Did he do it out of passion perhaps on presumption that he would be in power forever or was he also intimidated as he did to the parliamentarians then?
His article would have brought to light what happened behind the scene by exposing even his accomplices. How did he feel after he became a victim of his own action? What message does he have for his victims, the likes of Isaiah Abraham and Gatluak Gai majak et cetera? What pledge does he have for south Sudanese for him to be forgiven?
I wondered, why is it difficult for Honorable John Luk Joak to instill the art of appreciation for God Sake and for south Sudanese people? The other day shortly after his arrest in December 2013 for allege coup attempt, south Sudanese from all walk of life vigorously campaign for their release from prison so as for dialogue to be given a chance. When they were freed and handed over to Kenya president Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, instead of him and his group which he lead doing the obvious; He again unexpectedly established a political project call ‘‘former detainees’’ whose sole objectives is to wrestle down and sabotage any attempt to restore peace in the country.
Reasonably and in pursuant to these aforesaid indicators, unless otherwise is proven, his appeal for forgiveness stand dismiss for it is unsatisfactory. Based on this conservative article, the public still see that he is yet reform from his ordinary unpatriotic behavior. He would have unearth articulately the particulars of his action; hence, I repeat, ‘the nays have it’’
He is a person on a mission to seek unjust public sympathy that aim at ascertaining cheap political relevance. His dishonest appeal for forgiveness only scratch the old wounds that he perpetuated through his tyrannical constitutional; and it is an insult to the intelligent of south Sudanese people both living and the dead.
I would only anticipate that he give himself a befitting verdict for his unpatriotic behavior by saying, my people, I have done this undemocratic and unjust act against you and my noble profession, I here forth announce my retirement from politics and public life; that he would be going to his rural village in Lou Nuer or any part of the Naath land to do bee farming not even cattle keeping. Upon meditating on that the same, the south Sudanese would decide what next for him.
Nevertheless, it is not everything he said in his article that deserves rubbish reception. It’s desirable that one criticizes and gives credits where it deserves. His advice to Honorable speaker Magok Rundial and Gen. Mabuto Mamur, Misister of national security is godly advice uttered from his real life and political experiences. But since the draconian national security service bill has already passed the august house; the ball is at President Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit‘s court to showcase his wisdom or lack of the same. If he could heed to my words, I would advise him never to ink any spot on that bill in the name of assenting it in to law; for it does not reflect the standard. It should be resend back to august house for further scrutiny.
Hon. John Luk Joak asks for impunity ladder to climb again: ‘‘the Nat have it’’
The writer is a student in Nairobi; he can reach for comments via eligodakb@yahoo.com
