SUDAN / MIDNIGHT CELEBRATIONS

Thousands of Southern Sudanese flocked to Juba's main streets at the stroke of midnight to celebrate and wish each other well and the best of luck as the country inaugurates its independence day celebrations. UNMIS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:43
• Production Date: 8 July 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SUDAN - UNMIS
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL AFFAIRS; LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL MOVEMENTS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; ELECTIONS
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U110708m

Description

STORY: SUDAN / MIDNIGHT CELEBRATIONS
TRT: 1:43
SOURCE: UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 9 JULY 2011, JUBA, SUDAN

1. Various shots, people around neon flickering neon lights
2. Various shots, neon lights
3. Med shot, neon light showing 9th July
4. Med shot, neon light with flag with writing reading ‘Free at last”
5. Wide shot, motorists and residents shouting with joy
6. VOXPOP (English) Woman:
“I don’t have the voice to talk. I am very happy. I thank God for this day and I am sending good luck to all the southern Sudanese.”
7. Med shot, candle alongside road
8. Various shots, people shouting with joy
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister for Information:
“My goodness, great joy for me and for the people of the Republic of South Sudan. This is the wonderful day we have all been waiting for. One is so happy that we have become the recipient of what so many people had died for including our late chairman Doctor John Garang. For one to be alive and to see this day as you can see what happiness more can you say.”
10. Med shot, woman along street draped in flag
11. Wide shot, motorcyclists making way through traffic

Storyline

Thousands of Southern Sudanese flocked to Juba’s main streets at the stroke of midnight to celebrate and wish each other well and the best of luck as the country inaugurates its independence day celebrations.

Emotional and waving flags, some ululated, and others beat drums to mark their independence saying it was a great joy to finally see the 9th a day was realised after Southern Sudanese voted overwhelmingly for secession in a referendum which was negotiated in a peace agreement signed in 2005.

Braving the night, men, women and children streamed into this normally empty night streets, shouting and waving as the countdown to midnight came and went.

VOXPOP (English) Woman:
“I don’t have the voice to talk. I am very happy. I thank God for this day and I am sending good luck to all the southern Sudanese.”

On one street, neon lights flashed with various independence day celebration messages showing that the 9th of July has indeed dawned.

Candles symbolising peace were lit along roads in this once garrison which had been instrumental during a two decade long war.

SOUNDBITE (English) Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister for Information:
“My goodness, great joy for me and for the people of the Republic of South Sudan. This is the wonderful day we have all been waiting for. One is so happy that we have become the recipient of what so many people had died for including our late chairman Doctor John Garang. For one to be alive and to see this day as you can see what happiness more can you say.”

The 9th of July officially ends the Comprehensive Peace Agreement period.