A youth leader in South Sudan’s Yei River State is urging youth in the area to shun tribalism, hatred, and violence and embark on promoting peaceful co-existence in order to pave a way for unity and development in the state.

Satimon Ale, the chairperson for Yei River State Youth Union said it is time all youth-led associations re-focus their energies towards embracing national diversity and development.

“Let’s leave out issues of conflict, be focused on peacebuilding, and don’t be driven by these politicians for confusion and their own interest. We have the strength and let’s use our strength to develop this nation through agriculture and other positive developmental activities,” said Ale.

Jean Tabu, a local female youth from Mukaya County said the continuous violence and conflict in the country deeply divided communities. But she says it is now time to promote peaceful co-existence.

 “Peaceful co-existence starts from our families with all relatives, our neighbors and to the whole country.  We will not stand for tribalism because it will not take us far. It is us to embrace togetherness and peace as one people one country,” Tabu added.

The speakers made the remarks at the end of a 3-day peacebuilding workshop over the weekend organized by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization ( CEPO) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

In a statement to Radio Tamazuj, CEPO said the workshop aimed at strengthening capacities of young people to promote effective peacebuilding in Yei River State.

“As CEPO we believe that young people have the strength to influence positive change in the community. Youth have been victims during times of conflicts; therefore we brought these young people to erase the mindset of violence and instill in them a new mindset of peacebuilding, reconciliation, peace advocacy and to propagate the importance of social cohesion as one people living in one nation,” the statement partly reads in part.

The participants were drawn from the 13 counties of Yei River State, representatives from greater Bahar-el-Ghazal, Upper Nile, greater Equatoria, musicians, comedians, radio presenters, and football associations.