Peace Accord Ends Sudan's North-South Civil War

By Liane Hansen

Published January 8, 2005 at 11:00 PM CST

The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the Sudanese government sign a peace agreement, ending more than 20 years of north-south fighting. The continuing conflict in and around Darfur, where tens of thousands have died in the country's west, is not affected by the accord.

The deal ratified by Sudan's vice president and a rebel leader comes after more than eight years of negotiations. Some 2 million people are estimated to have died in the struggle. Hear NPR's Liane Hansen and the BBC's Ishbel Matheson.

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Liane Hansen

Liane Hansen has been the host of NPR's award-winning Weekend Edition Sunday for 20 years. She brings to her position an extensive background in broadcast journalism, including work as a radio producer, reporter, and on-air host at both the local and national level. The program has covered such breaking news stories as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the capture of Saddam Hussein, the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Columbia shuttle tragedy. In 2004, Liane was granted an exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay prior to his report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The show also won the James Beard award for best radio program on food for a report on SPAM.