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| Juliana Ruhfus |
Our job is to uncover stories of the how power is applied, for better or worse, in all corners of society, in all parts of the planet.
Documentaries are the heart of our show.
They're the people part of People & Power - snapshots of human experience which grab you through strong stories and unforgettable pictures.
We work with independent producers and reporters around the world to take you to the grassroots, drawing on their local knowledge and expert understanding of the issues on their home turf.
| Coming up this week on People & Power: |
DEMOCRACY THAI STYLE
Airing Tuesday 16th January
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| Thailand finds itself at a crossroads |
The overthrow of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has highlighted a deep divide in Thai society and underlined fundamental flaws in the country’s political system.
Thaksin’s populist policies won him enormous support among rural voters, who rewarded his Thai Rak Thai Party with two landslide election victories. But Bangkok’s middle class came to regard him as a corrupt, authoritarian leader who undermined state institutions, muzzled the media, committed human rights abuses and subverted democracy. People & Power investigates a tale of two Thailands.
RECONSTRUCTING SOUTHERN LEBANON
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| The reconstruction of southern Lebanon begins |
People & Power travels to the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon to see how people are rebuilding their lives, following last summer's conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Bint Jbeil is staunch Hezbollah territory and amidst the ongoing divisions between the government and the opposition, the town is holding onto Hezbollah more than ever before. But as People & Power found out, Hezbollah's power comes accompanied with a growing chorus of criticism and charges of dominance.
THE BATTLE FOR THE PANAMA CANAL
Airing Friday 19th January
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| Ships get bigger but the canal does not |
Thousands of ships pass through The Panama canal each year, as they transport vast quantities of goods around the world. As the amount of goods which are traded internationally has expanded rapidly - so too has the size of the ships carrying them. As a result, The Panama canal is now too narrow to cope with the new mega-ships which have entered onto the commercial shipping scene.
This episode of People & Power explores the stark divisions within The Panama over whether the canal should be expanded to meet the new demands of the global economy. Leading politicians argue that the monumental renovation project would ensure that The Panama continues to benefit from its unique position at the crossroads of global commerce.
However, several Panamanians believe that the economic and social costs of expansion are too high. These tensions came to a head when a referendum was held about the issue in October 2006.
WILMA’S WARNING
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| Nature’s devastation |
Wilma Subra, an environmental scientist and activist, believes that the ‘sludge’ spread around during hurricanes and storms can become extremely hazardous if it mixes with industrial pollution deposited in the area.
Three days after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused manifest destruction, her tests revealed a less obvious reason for concern; the soil in many places that they had struck now contained high levels of carcinogen toxins.
This episode of People & Power follows Subra’s work and gains an insight into the powerful vested interest groups that she is up against. In June 2006, shots were fired at her office from a passing car, missing her by only a few feet. But despite threats on her life, Subra remains determined to make industry face up to the long-term consequences of pollution.