By Baraka John
At least 50 participants from diverse backgrounds on Tuesday convened in Yambio for a one-day community forum dedicated to combating hate speech and conflict-driven narratives issues, increasingly recognized as drivers of tension and violence in South Sudan.
He commended DRF for addressing such critical issues in Yambio and encouraged the organization to extend future sessions for deeper learning.
“These programs should not stop; they should be continuous. The state government is committed to supporting initiatives coming from Juba. The first training by DRF was enjoyable, and the team on the ground is doing good work by bringing communities together,” Fura stated
Group Discussions
The forum brought together government representatives, traditional authorities, church leaders, women and youth groups, civil society members, and journalists. Many expressed their appreciation for both the September training and the ongoing initiative.
In September, DRF conducted media literacy to community members in Yambio on mis/disinformation.
Helen City, Journalist at Yambio FM applauded the forum and expressed readiness to share the knowledge.
“The September training opened my eyes to how misinformation spreads so quickly. Today’s forum has given me practical tools to counter hate speech in my community.” City added
Hadia Badi, women’s group representative revealed how hate speech split communities apart.
“As a woman representative, I see how rumors divide people. These trainings help us preach peace and unity with confidence.” Badi disclosed
Gordon Basa, civil society representative, acknowledged the effect of hate speech on social fabric and calls for more awareness among communities.
“I am happy DRF continues to empower us. The knowledge we gain is not just for us but for the entire community.”
Badri Ueko, traditional leader most of the conflicts that happened are driven by hate speech that are perpetuated online.
“Our community has suffered from rumors and mistrust. These trainings give us hope that we can rebuild trust and live peacefully.”
According to the participants training pertaining hate speech is critical to sustaining resilience against harmful narratives.
The forum, organized by Digital Rights Frontline (DRF) based in Juba, comes as a follow-up to a similar training held in September aimed at empowering communities to counter harmful information circulating online and offline.
Hate speech, misinformation, and conflict-centered messaging continue to pose significant challenges to peaceful coexistence across the country. In Western Equatoria State, particularly in Yambio, unverified online content, rumors, and targeted inflammatory messages often escalate existing political mistrust, social grievances, and intercommunal tensions.
The forum sought to strengthen local capacity and create a unified community response. The one-day forum discussed ways to building awareness on the impact of hate speech, developing collective mitigation strategies both online and offline and providing space for dialogue, learning, and coordination among grassroots actors.
Speaking during the opening session, Mr. Isaac Fura, Director General at the Ministry of Information and Communication in Western Equatoria State, underscored the importance of continues effort to create awareness to the community on the danger of hate speech.