Time to Leave Hate Speeches and Embrace Peace in South Sudan
6 min readAs we enter the real path of the implementation of August 2015 signed peace accord, the Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS), it is time for utters of hate speeches supporting both sides of conflict to cease the drama.
By Jok Mayom, Juba, South Sudan
April 14, 2016 (SSB) — The Agreement, signed by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS) and his sacked Deputy, turned rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny (to be First Vice President), Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and Army In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) at the watch of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and other stakeholders is now giving glimpse of hope.
According to my own observation in-person who has eyes on the social media, It is to be recalled, since the ensuing of the December 15th, 2013 that the escalation of the fighting that broke out in Juba to the three states of Greater Upper Nile (GUN); Bor, Bentiu and Malakal respectively, though not officially declared “hate speeches” speculated on social media by warmongers has hands in prolonging the violence.
You may agree with me that the messages spread through commentaries on Facebook and other social media terminals by partisans or drumbeaters either supporting the government or the opposition and especially those who took regional or ethnic (tribal) line created more harms.
Consequently, such writings have negatively affected the innocent and vulnerable groups namely, elderly in unknown cause.
As if that is not enough; and in addition to the uttering, Generalization of ethnicity or communities called it tribe is another ‘hate speech’ amongst others also result into mess. It has simple formulae, just by stopping generalization and only point finger on individual offenders rather than group of people of tribes.
‘Media’ is a double-edged sword, like -the tongue that burns the biggest forest – thence, objectivity, accurate coverage and circulations of information in violent-conflict-sensitive situations is always needed for achievement of lasting peace and restoration of lost hope.
Having noted such commentaries and agreeing that they cause consequences, This writer herein this article informs the utters that it is time to drop the hate speeches on social media and work for peace building, reconciliation and unity of the people and communities of South Sudan.
Allow me to quote, Maulana Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan Minister of Information and Broadcasting who once said “As of now, let us change the language: if you are supporter of the government, don’t write any other unhealthy language. We don’t want any further hostile propaganda, we don’t want hate speech in the radios,” Makuei.
In my take to modify, Maulana Makuei statement, “let us now change our language and become all active pro-peace voices for peace to last and continue its survival in this beloved, beautiful and gleaming newest African Nation”.
Many of the internet warriors, have used and still continue to use networking as a tool for political mobilization towards what is wrongly termed as “regime change and pro-democracy” how when you are making the worse of all by mobilizing people along tribal lines causing human suffering between ethnic groups?? Why can’t you use democratic approaches to attain that change campaign?
All of you will conquer with me that most of the hate speeches did not only stop in writings but they also involved the posting of false pictures of events for example, one of the aircraft that was gun down in Kenya was said to have been gun down in South Sudan’s Upper Nile region during the recent crisis. Many other pictures that did not happen in South Sudan where posted and said to have been happening owing to more killing.
Despite the fact that the level of misinformation and negative campaigning attitudes by the social media users; warmongers and utters who act to be ‘loud speakers’ for the innocent communities has reached, we can still revisit our paths/past and confess of the wrong things we have done. This will make the restoration of the peace and nation building reappears. It’s only through admitting mistakes that forgiveness can reign.
Lets us make a U-turn and begin to sit back on the negativity as we vow to reconcile and plead for the bad things each one has done such as instigating violence so that forgiveness is reach and we begin to build peaceful and prosperous ‘one nation, one people’ as the slogan says.
2016, begun with hope, indeed with hope – a lot of progresses have been happening, the arrival of the 1,370 SPLM/A-IO forces from March 24th through April 01st 2016 and subsequently, the jetting in on Tuesday, 12th April 2016 of the opposition Deputy Chairman Gen. Alfred Ladu Gore.
Dr. Riek Machar who was leading the SPLM/A-IO for nearly three years is expected in the Country to return home on the 18th of April 2016 to be sworn in as First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan then formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) to see all faces once again together.
The clock is ticking for the social media warmongering to stop otherwise we risk the collapse of the inked deal believed to end the conflict.
As I quote from one of the local languages’ (Dinka) phrase or saying, “Thok ciɛ̈m kë lëëth” directly translated “Mouth eat hot thing” I see it wise to advice should it be understood rightly that our mouths can utter badly and cause big harm if words are not filtered well upon release.
Much of the things about “mouth uttering” have been said, biblically, It is written that anything that comes out from the mouth is what can make a person bad or good read James 3:5 also “Tongue can Burnt The Largest Bush” amongst others. With all these, brothers and sisters [the youths] who are the backbone of this country there is need to refrain from instigating violence by stopping the habit now not tomorrow.
As I come to rest this piece, we have to be reminded that there are innocent people in the villages who don’t know what is happening in the political arena, networking or social media. It’s you and me to stop hurting them innocently through what we write and post on social media.
In a nutshell, this writer does not say you should stop expressing your opinions but rather urged you to mind not to harm others. “Utters are not always the victims but the victims are normally the common and innocent people”. This question “What will you gain from such writings that cause harm to innocent people?” is a wakeup call or Reminder. God forbid!!
Jok Mayom lives in Juba South Sudan and can be reached on email; jokpmayom@gmail.com
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