Peace for South Sudan?
From Our Own Correspondent
BBC
4.4 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 30 April 2016
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It's been a momentous week in South Sudan, where a national unity government has been formed under President Salva Kiir as his old enemy, the rebel leader Riek Machar returned to the capital Juba for the first time since the civil war broke out in December 2013. Can these men now lead their country to a much longed-for peace? Imagine being fined four years' salary for having a second child. That's what used to happen in China. We meet a rare family in Beijing with two daughters. Cuba's Fidel Castro is celebrating his 90th birthday this year. Last week he effectively said goodbye to his key supporters, but there is no sign that his fellow revolutionaries, now well into their eighties, are going to retire any time soon. If you'd suffered the kind of radioactive contamination that came with the fallout of the accident at Chernobyl, would you risk building a nuclear power plant? Ukraine's neighbour Belarus is hoping that atomic lightning won't strike twice. And if you're going on a pilgrimage to Lourdes in the French Pyrenees, you may find that a trip to a beauty spot in the nearby mountains can be as soothing, if not more, than a wander around town. Just don't try and catch a bus there, at least not until July.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Thank you for downloading this edition of From Our Own Correspondent. |
| 0:04.0 | It was first broadcast on the 30th of April 2016. |
| 0:08.0 | We have stories from South Sudan, China, Cuba, Belarus and France. |
| 0:14.0 | Here to introduce them is Kate A.D. |
| 0:17.0 | Hello. |
| 0:18.0 | Family planning is no personal matter in China. |
| 0:21.0 | The state introduced a one-child policy several decades ago, though |
| 0:24.9 | modifications are underway. We hear what it's like to be in a family with two daughters. |
| 0:31.6 | The word Chernobyl still strikes a chill with most people, with the consequences |
| 0:35.9 | of a nuclear accident in Ukraine still around, why risk building a new plant next door in |
| 0:41.6 | Bellerose? It's the year it seems of 90th birthday |
| 0:46.3 | celebrations. Not only Her Majesty, but Cuba's Fidel Castro. He's content in |
| 0:51.8 | retirement, but his supporters have yet to get the message. |
| 0:56.0 | But first to South Sudan, a very young country, independent only five years ago, and subsequently engulfed by civil war. |
| 1:05.2 | It's had another tumultuous week with the return of the rebel leader, Riek Macha, to the capital |
| 1:10.5 | Juba. |
| 1:11.8 | As part of a peace agreement, he's been sworn in as a first Vice President, |
| 1:16.5 | and yesterday a new government of National Unity was formed under Machia's old enemy, President |
| 1:21.3 | Salvakir. Is the future brighter? James Copnell ponders it. |
| 1:26.8 | The two men stared at each other, hostile, unblinking, perhaps concealing a few nerves. They circled warily testing for weaknesses. |
| 1:35.7 | One was draped in a leopard skin, complimented incongruously by a red arsenal scarf around his waist. |
| 1:42.4 | His adversary sported an obviously synthetic imitation leopard skin, and this was sport, a wrestling tournament for peace in Juba Stadium in front of several thousand excited spectators. Two muscly mirror images battling |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.