By Peter Gai Manyuon, MIRD, PGD-PR, and BAMC
March 26, 2015 (SSNA) — Dr James Okuk got his PhD from University of Nairobi in December 2009, where his thesis was” Justice and Poverty Reduction in South Sudan” a research that was criticized by most of the South Sudanese intellectual globally due to the fact that, his work lacks substance for people consumption globally and South Sudan respectively. Dr James Okuk has been a bodyguard of Dr Lam Akol since then until the time he became a PhD holder.
He is the small boy of Dr Lam Akol since the time Lam brooked away from the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and formed his party SPLM-DC. When Dr Lam Akol went for exile (he) Okuk became so critical to the government of South Sudan and he was called to answer questions relating to why he criticizes President Kiir on the Media http://www.southsudannewsagency.com/news/top-stories/dr-james-okuk-to-appear-in-court-for-criticizing-president-kiir. He was among the target analysts that talk always for voiceless. The question is; what happened to Dr James Okuk now days?
Hence, after President Kiir allows Dr Lam to come back to South Sudan in 2013, Okuk became a good friend to the government of South Sudan up to date. What category of people can we classify Okuk in South Sudan? Is James Okuk an Independent scholar or a follower of Dr Lam Akol?
Well; after reading article of Dr James Okuk on Sudan Tribune website I was very concern when contextualizing the content of the piece of his article. I as well took my time reading his narrations up to the end and I never get an intellectual analysis but rather I got only lies, hilarious or rollicking words that lack intellectual dynamism but he is pleasing Juba regime through using amusing statements . What a disgrace?
Why responding to James Okuk this way?
Hon. Stephen Par Kuol wrote an educative article on 23th of March 2015 titled “The fallacies of bashing both sides in South Sudan Conflict” http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article54367 and in the summary content of the article diplomat Kuol mentioned about Nuer massacre in 2013 December and etcetera.
However, there was immediate response from James Okuk who claimed to have been a political analyst and a lecturer at the University of Juba- South Sudan. On 24th of March 2015 (he) Okuk wrote article titled “Justifying the Fallacy of bashing both sides in South Sudan Conflicts” http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article54385and in the content of the article (he) Okuk acknowledged that indeed target killings took place but he denied the catastrophe from being refer as genocide and as well denied that those who got killed were from different tribes of South Sudan not Nuer civilians only. What a great lie?
Does Okuk know the definition of the word “Genocide” or he is a PhD holder by default? To remain James Okuk once again, genocide refers to the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group or it can be defined as the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.
In fact, if we don’t refer what happened in Juba as genocide, which word will be use to define the recent killings of thousands of Nuer civil population in houses due to their ethnicity. I think Dr James Okuk might be under pressure when writing the article or he was forced to write in order for him to be look as Juba Intellectual by President Kiir political sycophants, political orphans and thieves.
Nonsensical statements should be avoided this time by people like James Okuk!
Truly speaking my dear countrymen and ladies, Dr James Okuk should go for check up or see Neurologist to find out whether his brain is in well position or he is having infectious mental disorder that is disturbing the gentleman. Where on earth will you find a PhD graduate talking like a mad person or a child of three years? Accept in South Sudan where some people claims to have read books while their psychological blackboards are empty upstairs.
Absolutely, after reading the article I decided to doubt the intellectuality and thinking capacity of Dr James Okuk in Juba or wherever he might be at the movement and I don’t think I will ever agree with whatever he will write in the media again since he is not objective enough.
Obviously, I came to know James Okuk recently in the Republic of South Sudan. James Okuk has been writing objectively before the crisis of South Sudan emerged on the 15th of December 2013 whereby Nuer were massacre in thousands in Juba. Surely most of the people globally are aware of the number of civilians got killed due to the fact that, they were from certain ethnicity in South Sudan. Who is Okuk to deny? If world admitted and government of South Sudan accepted, then who is Dr Okuk to talk nonsense?
More so, all South Sudanese people have admitted that people were killed in Juba by some group of “village boys” that were instructed by the top leadership of the government of South Sudan.
Who is James Okuk to deny the massacre of the Nuer Civilians? Is Dr James Okuk mind safe from disorder or something is disturbing Okuk?
In conclusion, primitiveness is about eighty percent (80%) in the Republic of South Sudan, people sometimes think negatively about other or went someone lack something to eat, once begin to think for new avenues for survival. Very disappointing and disgraceful scenario!
God of heaven should help South Sudanese this time!
The Author is an independent Journalist and Columnist who has written extensively on issues of Democratization Processes and Human Rights in South Sudan. He is currently doing his Research on the “Influence of Propaganda in South Sudan Conflict” for Award of his Second Master Degree in Public Relations and Media Management.