Peace activist William Ongoro has asked the people of South Sudan to shun hate speech and work on building positive relationships.

The former Coordinator for the National Platform for Peace and Reconciliation denounces the spread of insulting and harmful messages on social media and other avenues, and says people should instead use such platforms to promote peace. 

“Hate speech is associated with people who are dissatisfied and angry,” said Ongoro, adding that deliberate efforts must be made by everyone to set aside their anger and work towards dialogue and reconciliation.

Ongoro has also asked the government to use the national dialogue announced by President Salva Kiir in December as an opportunity to mend fractured relations and explore additional ways of resolving conflict. 

“This conflict has broken our social relationships, so this dialogue is important to transform our lives and bridge our conflicting positions,” Mr. Ongoro says.

He stressed the need for ‘wide consultations’ among the grassroots so as to have a more informed agenda during the dialogue process.

In this interview with Regina Gorle, Mr. Ongoro states that the dialogue needs be held ‘swiftly’.