Episode 16

Tha Eòrpa air aithris air iomadh sgeulachd chudromach bho air feadh mhòr-thìr na h-Eòrpa eadar dùnadh ionad-niuclasach Chernobyl san Ucràin agus sgrios Beslan ann a Osàidia a’ Tuath.

 Anns a’ phrògram bidh agallamhan le cuid de na luchd-naidheachd a bha ag aithris thairis air na fichead bliadhna sin bho chuid de na dùthchannan is sgìrean as doire agus as frionasaiche san Roinn Eòrpa.

Bha Anna NicLeòid na neach-naidheachd air Eòrpa, agus gu math cleachdte ri bhith ann an suidheachaidhean gu math cunnartach thairis air iomadh turas gu na dùthchannan Balcanach nuair a bha An t-Seann Iùgoslabh a’ bristeadh suas. Thuirt Anna: “Turas a bha sinn ann bha cogadh a’ dol eadar Cosobhaich Albàinia agus Serbia. Bha sinn fortanach gu robh ceanglaichean aig an eadar-theangaiche le cuideigin san KLA Albàinianach agus an ath latha thug i sinn gu àite far an robh na ceudan de shaighdearan reubaltach air cruinneachadh mar thaic dhan KhLA – b’ e sinne an aon sgioba naidheachd a bh’ ann, agus dhomh fhìn, bha e follaiseach nach robh sìth air fàire agus gum biodh cogadh ann luaithe na maille.”

Airson an neach-naidheachd Mìcheal Bochanan, ’s e turas gu math duilich a bh’ ann dha gu làrach Chernobyl, is e dìreach 25 bliadhna a dh’aois ann an 1996, an turas nach dìochuimhnich e gu bràth. Thuirt Mìcheal: “Tha cuimhne agam air càraid pòsta a thill air ais a dh’fhuireach san sgìre truaillte agus cuideachd a’ chlann ann an Bealaruis. Ged a tha mi air coinneachadh ri iomadh neach thairis air nam bliadhnaichean nam neach-naidheachd, bidh mi fhathast a’ smaointinn air na daoine a choinnich mi ann an Chernobyl agus a’ beachdachadh air dè thachair dhaibh.”

Chaidh Suzie Algie, a bha ag obair air a’ phrògram airson dà bliadhna, dhan Tuirc ann an 1999 nuair a bhuail crith-thalmhainn an dùthaich. Thuirt Suzie: “Is e seo sgeulachd a thug buaidh mhòr orm – bha e cho duilich faicinn an sgrios a rinn an crith-thalmhainn. Bha aon teaghlach gu h-àraid air a bheil cuimhne agam. Bha iad a’ fuireach ann an teanta agus cha robh fiùs dealan no uisge aca – bha cho beag aca ach fhathast bha iad cho aoigheil agus a’ tairgsinn cupa tì dhuinne.”

With its focus on European issues, Eòrpa has reported on some of the most hard-hitting stories from across the continent from the disaster at Chernobyl in the Ukraine to the massacre at Beslan in North Ossetia.

Former Eòrpa Reporter Anna MacLeod was one of those who experienced such danger on trips to the Balkans as the bloody break-up of Yugoslavia gathered momentum. Anna said: “When we arrived there was fighting happening between the Albanian and Serbian Kosovans.

“We were fortunate to have a translator who had a contact within the rebel Albanian KLA and the next day she took us to where there were hundreds of new KLA conscripts gathered – we were the only news team there to witness this, and for me it was obvious that peace was not on the agenda and that the outbreak of war was imminent.”

For Michael Buchanan, at the tender age of 25 he was given the daunting task of reporting from the Chernobyl disaster zone in 1996 - and it is an assignment that is indelibly marked in his memory. Michael explained: “I remember the couple we met who had returned to the affected area to live and also the children in Belarus. Considering all the people I have met through my years of reporting, I still often think of those from Chernobyl and wonder where they are now.”

Suzie Algie, who reported on Eòrpa for two years, brought viewers the plight of those caught in the Turkish earthquake of 1999. Suzie commented: “This is the story that had the greatest impact on me – it was so sad to see the devastation the earthquake had caused. I remember one particular family who had lost their home and were living in a tent with no electricity or running water – they had so little but were still so hospitable and offering us tea.”