Pennod 8 Cadw Cwmni gyda John Hardy


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-Welcome to Cadw Cwmni...

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-..the series which provides

-a platform for your stories...

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-..and offers a personal perspective

-of historical events.

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-Later we celebrate 75 years...

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-..of Britain's contribution

-to overseas education.

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-But first, an eyewitness account

-of one of our history's atrocities.

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-The mere mention of the place

-sends shivers down the spine.

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-Aberfan.

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-The Aberfan landslide

-resulted in tragedy...

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-..on Friday 21 October 1966.

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-At a quarter past nine

-in the morning...

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-..a spoil tip of coal

-from the Merthyr Vale colliery...

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-..collapsed onto

-the village of Aberfan...

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-..burying a primary school,

-20 houses and a farm.

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-144 lives were lost

-in the tragedy...

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-..including five teachers

-and 116 children...

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-..most of whom were aged

-between seven and 10 years old.

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-Following the landslide...

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-..a tribunal was called...

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-..to investigate

-the causes of the disaster.

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-The coal tip's owners,

-the National Coal Board...

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-..claimed it was a natural disaster.

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-But it later transpired

-that the National Coal Board...

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-..had been aware of the subsidence

-some months previously.

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-The National Coal Board was ordered

-to pay 50 pounds compensation...

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-..to every family that had

-lost a child in the disaster.

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-It was a paltry sum

-for a human life.

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-No-one was ever sacked

-or prosecuted for the tragedy.

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-A day which has been etched on

-the minds of those who were there.

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-I remember passing through

-as a child of 10.

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-My first guest was there.

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-Reverend Professor D Ben Rees,

-welcome to Cadw Cwmni.

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-When did you hear about

-the Aberfan disaster?

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-The tragedy happened

-at 9.15 in the morning.

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-Within 10 minutes, I saw ambulances

-hurtling down the road...

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-..past Cilfynydd common.

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-The house where I lived

-in Abercynon overlooked the valley.

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-News came on the radio...

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-..that a state of emergency

-had been declared in Aberfan.

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-I jumped in the car...

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-..in the clothes

-I had been wearing around the house.

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-I got in the car

-in my old clothes...

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-..and drove to

-Pantglas Junior School.

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-Despite your associations

-with Liverpool...

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-..your ministry

-was in South Wales at the time.

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-How far away from Aberfan were you?

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-I was four or five miles away.

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-I moved to Abercynon in 1962...

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-..but my ministry

-also covered Penrhiwceiber.

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-In 1965 I took on another chapel

-in the Aberfan area...

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-..known as Merthyr Vale.

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-I'd spent a year...

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-..getting to know the residents

-of Aberfan and Merthyr Vale.

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-What sort of community

-existed in Aberfan in 1966?

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-It was very close knit.

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-There were many

-Welsh speakers in the community.

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-It was a working-class society...

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-..and very close knit.

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-The people were warm and friendly.

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-Everybody knew one another...

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-..and more than one generation

-of the same family lived there.

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-What awaited you when you arrived?

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-I'll never forget it.

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-For people like me...

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-..there was

-nothing much we could do...

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-..apart from

-get stuck in and clear the debris...

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-..and help people with

-the search-and-rescue mission...

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-..by removing the slurry...

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-..in order to penetrate

-the enormous tip...

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-..which consisted of water,

-coal and so on...

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-..and get to the little children...

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-..who were trapped inside

-together with some of the teachers.

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-You were

-a young minister at the time.

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-It was a new experience for you.

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-How do you console people

-when a tragedy like that happens?

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-It's a case of

-just being there for them.

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-I'd dealt with bereavement

-before the Aberfan tragedy...

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-..when a young boy

-was killed in a traffic accident.

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-I remember

-breaking the news to his parents.

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-I learnt that the most important

-thing was to be there for them...

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-..and praying with them,

-as I did in Aberfan.

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-I accompanied the fathers

-to the two chapels...

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-..where the bodies

-of the children were lying...

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-..to identify them.

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-They were glad

-to have someone by their side.

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-The fathers were grateful.

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-Only one person at a time

-was allowed in the chapel...

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-..and I accompanied them.

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-My presence was a comfort

-to the fathers and the families.

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-They'll never forget that.

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-You were also present

-at the burial services.

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-As I recall, the major funeral

-was held on 27 October.

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-I attended the service.

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-A service was held

-to lay to rest 82 of them...

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-..that day in the cemetery.

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-Whenever I'm in the vicinity,

-I go to visit their graves.

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-I knew many of the families.

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-It was a very difficult time.

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-Language

-can sometimes be very explosive...

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-..and problems arose from that.

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-It's difficult

-trying to explain it...

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-..but what affected the families...

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-..was the language that was used.

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-There were so many words

-uttered in the services...

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-..that reduced them to tears.

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-Words like

-school, children, mountain, coal...

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-..or even rain.

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-So many words were emotional

-triggers, so I avoided using them...

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-..because they caused

-so much hurt for people.

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-It made me mindful

-of the words I used...

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-..in the service and in the sermon.

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-I had to tread very carefully.

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-During the aftermath...

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-..my sole purpose

-was to comfort the families...

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-..in their hour of need.

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-They were completely helpless.

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-I was a member

-of the Aberfan Disaster Committee...

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-..which dealt with the fund...

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-..that received donations totalling

-a million and a half pounds.

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-I knew the National Coal Board

-was culpable.

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-They lacked sensitivity

-in the matter...

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-..and so did Lord Robens.

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-He and the NCB

-wanted to take the money from you.

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-They did take the money from us.

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-They took 150,000 of the money...

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-..to pay for the removal

-of the slurry and debris.

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-That's scandalous.

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-The families received some justice

-but it was too little.

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-We had to wait until

-the Labour government of 1997...

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-..for the 150,000 taken by the NCB

-to be reimbursed.

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-But the value of that money was

-far less than it had been in 1966.

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-They added nothing to it.

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-I remember talking to someone

-who had survived the disaster.

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-He said that

-some of the Aberfan community...

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-..were left with a sense of guilt.

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-That's true. They'd experienced

-profound suffering.

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-Some of them confided in me.

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-When I go to Aberfan,

-I visit those I know.

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-I agree with your point.

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-They suffered greatly,

-both psychologically...

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-..and emotionally.

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-But in adversity,

-we did our best to comfort those...

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-..who had endured a tragedy...

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-..that none of us can comprehend.

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-Similar tragedies happen...

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-..but that situation

-was incredibly harrowing.

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-You were in the middle of it.

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-How did you cope with it personally?

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-Looking back, it was far from easy.

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-I was young.

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-Many people were very supportive.

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-I had been touched

-by people's kindness.

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-That sustained my faith

-in the human race.

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-It was important that others...

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-..continued to remember

-about the community.

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-Efforts were made

-to comfort the communities...

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-..in Aberfan and Merthyr Vale.

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-It would've been easy for you

-to lose faith.

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-Many people did lose faith.

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-But what was of great solace...

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-..was seeing how the English Baptist

-minister, Reverend Haines...

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-..who had lost

-two children of his own...

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-..remained in the area

-throughout his ministry.

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-He was an exemplary figure

-for young ministers like myself.

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-Unlike him, I could leave Aberfan

-at the end of the day.

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-I mentioned earlier,

-for those of a certain age...

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-..the mere mention of the place

-sends a shiver down the spine.

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-What goes through your mind

-when you hear the name?

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-The heart-rending cries

-of the children.

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-It is probably the greatest tragedy

-we have suffered as a nation.

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-Senghennydd was tragic because of

-the miners who lost their lives...

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-..but they were adults.

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-These were young children...

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-..who hadn't had the opportunity

-to live their lives.

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-We felt so helpless in it all.

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-They were

-the lost generation of Aberfan.

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-Thank you for joining me, Ben...

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-..and recounting your story.

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-Join me again after the break.

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-.

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

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-Welcome back to Cadw Cwmni.

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-We now turn our attention to Africa

-and other overseas countries.

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-The British Council

-was founded 75 years ago.

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-It has been instrumental

-in developing...

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-..educational opportunities

-for less privileged people overseas.

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-International education...

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-..has been a pillar

-of British diplomacy...

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-..for 75 years.

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-One of the prime objectives...

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-..was to promote

-culture, education, science...

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-..and the British arts overseas.

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-They quickly realized...

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-..that education was one of

-the most important tools...

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-..in the developing world.

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-Learning English...

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-..was one of

-the most important skills...

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-..since knowledge

-was imparted to them in English.

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-Centres were established worldwide.

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-There are currently

-100 centres around the world.

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-They learn English

-and promote British culture...

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-..in all those countries.

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-I'm joined by someone who's been

-involved with the project.

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-Welcome to the programme,

-Eddie Williams.

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-How long have you

-been involved with the project?

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-I was working

-at Reading University at the time.

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-The British Council

-wanted to send someone to Rwanda.

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-They asked Reading University

-to find suitable candidates.

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-I was the only one in my department

-who could speak French.

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-At the time, the only languages

-spoken in Rwanda...

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-..were Kinyarwanda and French.

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-French was the official language.

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-Because I spoke fluent French

-I was sent to Rwanda.

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-What did

-your work entail in Rwanda?

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-They wanted to improve

-the English department...

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-..at Rwanda University.

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-Instead of concentrating...

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-..on English linguistics...

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-..and literature

-such as Shakespeare and Dickens...

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-..they wanted to focus more

-on the English language.

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-They wanted to improve

-their standard of English.

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-I went there to help change

-the English syllabus...

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-..from something old fashioned...

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-..to something that enabled them

-to learn English better.

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-It sounds odd to be teaching

-Dickens and Shakespeare in Rwanda.

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-Is it fair to say

-that's rather colonial?

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-Yes, it is.

-They also learnt Greek and Latin.

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-You wouldn't believe

-the things they learnt.

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-Rwanda is famous for its problems...

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-..such as the poverty and civil war.

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-That was the situation like

-when you were there?

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-I was there before the civil war

-and the university was elsewhere.

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-Back then it was in the north

-but it's since moved.

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-The Hutus and Tutsis

-weren't at loggerheads at the time.

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-Most of the Tutsis were in Uganda...

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-..waiting for their opportunity

-to re-enter the country...

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-..which is what happened in the end.

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-You mentioned it in passing

-that you speak French...

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-..and you also speak

-Welsh and English.

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-How many languages do you speak?

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-My Welsh is very poor,

-I have to admit...

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-..but I also speak English and

-my French is better than my Welsh.

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-I can get by in other languages.

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-Such as?

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-A little Spanish and a little Greek.

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-I lived in Cyprus for a while.

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-I also learnt Turkish.

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-I was working on the Greek side...

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-..but I learnt a little Turkish

-to familiarize myself.

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-But I've forgotten a lot of it.

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-I speak a little Arabic

-and a little Chichewa...

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-..which is commonly spoken

-in the east of Africa.

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-It's similar to Swahili.

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-I know enough to ask for water,

-put it that way!

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-You said you lived in Cyprus, which

-is another interesting country...

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-..because of the division.

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-Had Turkey taken over the north?

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-No. I was there before that.

-I lived there from 1967 to 1971.

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-Everything changed after that.

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-The Greeks left the north of the

-island and the Turks left the south.

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-A population exchange occurred.

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-Few Greeks

-live in the north nowadays.

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-Wherever you go,

-trouble seems to follow.

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-No trouble ensued in Caernarfon!

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-Caernarfon's safe at the moment!

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-Going back to the fact...

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-..that the British Council

-is celebrating 75 years...

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-..how significant

-has it been over the years?

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-In my opinion,

-it's been very significant.

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-It always has been very important.

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-But it's more work

-than what it's worth nowadays...

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-..especially when

-it comes to teaching English...

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-..and English literature.

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-They used to earn

-more money years ago...

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-..and their contracts were better.

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-If you worked for

-the British Council up until 1990...

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-..it was quite prestigious.

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-But as far as I can tell

-it's changed quite a bit.

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-Most people

-have short-term contracts...

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-..and there's less money around.

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-I think they've closed

-almost every library overseas.

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-Books have

-since been replaced by computers.

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-From what I see...

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-..more young people

-are going in and out of it.

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-In the old days, someone

-would start at 30 years of age...

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-..and stay there all his life.

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-You've travelled

-a fair bit yourself.

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-Did you go to France

-purely to learn the language?

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-I wanted to learn French. That's

-why I moved to France for a year.

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-I was at university

-during the 1960s...

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-..and they weren't keen on students

-having a year abroad back then.

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-The people who were teaching me...

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-..couldn't speak French

-very well themselves.

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-If I was going to leave

-with a French degree...

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-..I should at least be able

-to speak fluent French.

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-It was more difficult in those days.

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-They weren't keen for me

-to go to France...

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-..but I went to Lyon for a year...

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-..before returning

-to finish my degree.

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-When you landed in different

-countries and travelled around...

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-..were things already in place...

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-..or did you start

-with a clean slate?

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-It depends, sometimes

-they met you at the airport...

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-..escorted you to the hotel

-and it was hunky dory.

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-It depends which country

-you're in and what else is going on.

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-Whenever you meet people

-who've travelled...

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-..you always end up asking them...

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-..which is their favourite

-and least favourite country.

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-I'm happy where I am at the moment.

-I love living in Wales.

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-You have to say that.

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-No, I don't have to but it's true.

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-I've lived in many countries.

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-If I had to live in one place,

-where would I like to live?

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-Ethiopia is a great country,

-especially up in the mountains.

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-Are you fond of Africa in general?

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-Yes, I like Africa,

-especially Ethiopia.

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-That's your favourite place,

-but where wouldn't you return to?

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-I don't like saying it but

-it'd have to be Lagos in Nigeria.

0:20:280:20:33

-It was one of

-the worst places I've visited.

0:20:330:20:36

-There are so many people there

-and they all want your money.

0:20:360:20:41

-They're always trying to sell you

-something or con you in some way.

0:20:410:20:45

-I remember leaving there one time

-and a person saying to me...

0:20:460:20:50

-.."If you want to

-get through the airport quickly...

0:20:500:20:53

-"..you must bribe people."

0:20:530:20:55

-I told him

-I didn't have a clue how to do it.

0:20:560:20:59

-He told me not to worry and to put

-5 or 10 in each of my cases...

0:20:590:21:03

-..and I wouldn't need

-to say a thing.

0:21:030:21:06

-So I got to the airport, the man

-opened the case and ushered me on.

0:21:060:21:10

-I had no problems.

0:21:110:21:12

-Have you ever felt in danger?

0:21:130:21:16

-At times, yes.

0:21:170:21:19

-My worst experience in Africa was

-being stopped by drunken soldiers.

0:21:190:21:24

-That sometimes happens,

-especially when they have guns.

0:21:240:21:28

-I get scared because you

-never know what's going to happen.

0:21:280:21:33

-It doesn't happen often but I've

-encountered it a couple of times.

0:21:330:21:38

-The uncertainty at a checkpoint?

0:21:380:21:40

-The uncertainty at a checkpoint?

-

-Yes, that's right.

0:21:400:21:42

-I remember working

-in Juba, South Sudan.

0:21:420:21:45

-I was doing some research work

-in a small village called Awiri.

0:21:450:21:51

-It was just me and a driver

-in a small four-wheel drive.

0:21:510:21:56

-It was two o'clock in the afternoon

-and the driver said to me...

0:21:560:22:00

-.."We must be careful...

0:22:000:22:02

-"..because the soldiers

-have been drinking all morning...

0:22:020:22:06

-"..and they are drunk,

-so leave it to me."

0:22:060:22:09

-The first checkpoint was just

-a piece of cord across the road.

0:22:100:22:14

-He said,

-"I see the general is here."

0:22:140:22:17

-He jumped out

-and had a chat with the general.

0:22:170:22:20

-Since he was

-transporting a white man...

0:22:200:22:23

-..he wanted to show him

-that everything was above board.

0:22:230:22:28

-He had all the necessary papers

-and off we went.

0:22:280:22:32

-When we came to the cord, there was

-a man holding a gun in one hand...

0:22:320:22:36

-..and a cigarette in the other.

0:22:370:22:41

-The driver put his foot down,

-swerved and drove past him.

0:22:410:22:45

-I said to him,

-"Why didn't you do that last time?

0:22:450:22:50

-"Why did you go past this one?"

0:22:510:22:53

-"The last ones had guns," he said.

0:22:530:22:55

-"But this one had a gun also,"

-I replied.

0:22:560:22:58

-"Ah, yes,

-but he had no bullets in it."

0:22:590:23:01

-He'd clocked the AK-47...

0:23:030:23:05

-..without the magazine attached.

0:23:060:23:08

-But that's what really frightens me.

0:23:090:23:13

-Drunken soldiers.

0:23:130:23:15

-That's the most dangerous thing

-in Africa.

0:23:150:23:19

-Thank you for joining me.

0:23:190:23:21

-Thank you.

0:23:220:23:23

-If you've a story to tell,

-then why not get in touch?

0:23:230:23:28

-There's a platform

-for your stories here on S4C.

0:23:280:23:32

-Until next time,

-from me, John Hardy, goodbye.

0:23:320:23:35

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:23:540:23:56

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