By Peter Gai Manyuon
March 6, 2015 (SSNA) — John Luk Jok is a South Sudanese politician, a Member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/SPLA). He is the former Minister of Justice in the Cabinet of South Sudan. He was appointed to that position on 10 July 2011 and was sacked in July 2013. More interestingly, according to some people within South Sudan, they assumed that John Luk is a graduate with Bachelor Degree of Law from Khartoum University and obtained another Postgraduate Certificate in Petroleum respectively.
Absolutely, John Luk Manipulated the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011 and he is the problematic figure in South Sudan conflict. The Genesis of South Sudan current civil war is caused by former Minister John Luk Jok. Constitutional crisis of the Republic of South Sudan is the root cause of the current civil war.
The Constitution of 2011 replaced the existing 2005 Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan. The constitution establishes a presidential system of government headed by a President who is Head of State, Head of Government, and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
Where will you find on earth powers are given to one person? Who can deny that John Luk is parasite and useless human being?
All intellectuals in South Sudan and globally were aware about the plans between John Luk and President Salva Kiir in 2011. There is no way that could bring conflict in South Sudan if John Luk did not participate/manipulate directly. He (Luk) is the problematic, instigator of all the current killings in the entire country of South Sudan. World must know that the genesis of 2013 crisis in Juba was as a result of “one man made constitution” not people document. John Luk must be the first person to answer questions at the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the peace is achieved.
Interestingly, John Luk is the only man who works for his interest not South Sudanese citizen’s wishes. The Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011, is a document that shall haunt former Justice John Luk Jok in all his life, because he knows that it is a bad document that never gives South Sudanese people hope or aspirations. More so, the recent crisis is being caused by the Constitution of South Sudan 2011. What kind of Lawyer is John Luk in South Sudan Context?
I am very confused some times of the current mess caused by one gentleman. As a lawyer he is aware of the so many fenestrations that a common man can easily spot without strain. It is not true that Justice John Luk is not aware about the worthlessness of the document and its future negative connotations on the new state and the people.
Hence most of the South Sudanese People begin to feel that Luk Jok has turned into a gold digger and want to secure his position at the expense of the nation by appeasing Salva Kiir and his clique and giving an iron rod to the Emperor to torture the poor people of the South Sudan who never enjoyed peace dividends since the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. What a shame to John Luk?
The theory is that Luk Jok wants to punish the people of the South for failing him in April elections 2010 where he was defeated by Taban Juc who became the Member of the Parliament representing Akobo East in South Sudan National Assembly. The third theory was that Luk Jok wants to come closer to Salva Kiir so that he could be in Mayardit government for long time; which did not succeed and eventually he (Luk) was arrested for some time in Juba after he was accused with his friend of plotting a fail coup in December 2013.
In other highlights, South Sudan former justice minister John Luk Jok appeared before the country’s upper house – the Council of States – on 25th of June 2013 to clarify on the legality of the Lakes state’s governor’s tenure. And in his 16-pages document presented before the Council of States members. He (Luk) insisted that President Salva Kiir had not violated any article of the Constitution since he acted on powers vested upon him by the law.
The former justice minister told lawmakers that there had been no violation of the Constitution, adding that the caretaker governor of Lakes State was being kept in the position based on a “doctrine” of necessity. Now who can deny John Luk Jok of not being behind the crisis of South Sudan?
In 2014, South Sudan’s former justice minister, John Luk Jok, says he regrets his role in drafting the current Transitional Constitution 2011, which he says gives the president excessive powers.
He asked South Sudanese citizens to forgive him for the role he played in drafting and passing of the Transitional Constitution, which he described as the “unpopular” supreme law of the land. In fact , what is logic on all those statements from John Luk?
John Luk is known as a small Lawyer that, do not think about the lives of his people. Very regrettable indeed!
I will not forget John Lok from all these messes going on in South Sudan!
The author is Independent Journalist and Columnist who has written extensively on issues of Democratization processes and Human Rights in South Sudan. He is currently doing his Second Master Degree in Public Relations and Media Management in the Republic of Uganda-Kampala. Follow him on [email protected].