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CNN Saturday Morning News

Taliban Trial of Aid Workers to Resume Today

Aired September 29, 2001 - 07:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Christiane Amanpour watching things on the ground in Islamabad. We've been talking about these aid -- eight Western aid workers on trial, accused of preaching Christianity. Developments now, with Christiane live in Islamabad.

Christiane, hello.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Bill, we're actually tracking several stories, including this one that you mentioned.

You know there are two Americans, two Australians, and four German aid workers who have been basically captured and on trial, or rather imprisoned and on trial, by the Taliban since late August. They have a lawyer that's been appointed from here in Pakistan who is on his way in. He went in yesterday.

And they expected this trial to resume today, but it's been delayed for a day, and we're not sure why. But this is the state of affairs for these eight aid workers currently being held in Kabul in Afghanistan.

On another major issue of great concern to the humanitarian community and indeed to many of the so-called donor nations -- United States, Britain, all the European nations, and all other countries looking here -- the U.N. is now trying to take in its first convoy of aid since the attack on the United States September 11, when all the international aid workers withdrew.

There is, obviously, a desperate crisis and a desperate need by millions of people there who depend entirely on international assistance, so the U.N. is sending in today by a very precarious mountain route 200 tons of food and warm clothing and even some educational books, we understand, via trucks and via four-wheel drives.

And then, for the most difficult parts of that route, they're going to have to unload those 200 tons and put them on pack beasts.

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ERIC LAROCHE, UNICEF: At that border, then you have to put all these equipment and shipment onto donkeys. And we will need 4,000 donkeys to go through a pass which is called the Lahori Pass, which is 4,000 meters high. So it is a snowy area, and we have a very short period of time to go there. So it's very important that we do it right now, because within a few weeks' time, it will not be possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: So you can get an idea of 4,000 donkeys, this is an extraordinarily difficult task for the U.N., but one that is desperately needed by the people there. This food and assistance going to the Northern Alliance anti-Taliban territory, where there are millions of people in need. And the U.N. trying to negotiate also with the Taliban to get equipment and assistance into there.

Now, on another issue, there was a pro-peace rally held today in Islamabad in the capital here of Pakistan. It was very peaceful, it was quiet. Nonetheless, the government did break it up. Police were out, and they took away the organizers. Really, the government here is not inclined to tolerate too many protests. And so today was a good example of that, where they basically shut up these people and stopped their protest, even though it was very peaceful and there was no violence whatsoever, Bill.

HEMMER: Christiane Amanpour from Islamabad with us. Christiane, thanks. We'll be checking in throughout the morning here.

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