Youth in Western Equatoria mobilize for peace and harmony

December 21, 2015 (YAMBIO) – Youth groups in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state have called for peace and unity among various groups in the state. Over 50 youth members attended in Yambio, the state capital, a two-day forum on peace and conflict management organized by the civil affairs division of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

President of youth union in the state, Simple John, said the key recommendations that resulted from the gathering were instrumental in peace making and harmonization of the youth factions.

“The topic of the discussion was to acquire skills on how to resolve conflict as youth and promote peace among the community and we thank UNMISS civil affairs for supporting this program,” John said.

The peace forum brought youth from churches around Yambio and youth from civil society groups as well as among armed youth.

William Biningba, a participant youth member at the occasion, said youth should be for peace, saying the youth were being used by politicians to kill each other, but youth should stand up to denounce such acts against youth to give them a room to go to school and be good future leaders.

“Youth should be peace makers in South Sudan and in all communities, not to be used by individual politicians for their personal gain which could not build youth to be good future leaders,” Biningba asserted.

Conflict erupted in Western Equatoria state this year and spread to almost all the ten counties in the state which resulted to so many people killed, women raped, property looted and thousands of people displaced.

After the workshop where they identified sources of the conflict, the youth agreed to engage in general cleaning at the state hospital on Monday to show their solidarity with the government to end crisis in the country.

(ST)