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CNN Live Saturday

New Afghan Government Faces Daunting Challenges

Aired December 22, 2001 - 15:02   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get started this hour in Afghanistan. With the Taliban crushed, Hamid Karzai taking control now of the Afghan government today in Kabul. The country is shattered by two decades of war, and it will need billions of dollars in international aid to get back on its feet. Mr. Karzai will lead for just six months, when tribal chiefs will choose a new government. But he pledged, if nothing else, Afghanistan will be peaceful during his time in office, and the people will get help.

From Jalalabad now, CNN's Nic Robertson reporting that there are great expectations for Hamid Karzai and his new government.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cobbler Stilah Hudin (ph) Abdul Gulang (ph) spent the time Taliban years feet apart, stitching, scraping and gluing the dilapidated shoes of Jalalabad back together.

But it wasn't always that way. Stilah Hudin was a teacher, he said. Shoes helped pay the way. But under the Taliban it became a full-time job.

"I have a good education," he says, "and I want to good job. I want peace, and the economy to improve."

Indeed, all these shoe repairers have great expectations of their new government.

"To bring peace, the government needs to organize the workers and restart the ministry," says Abdul. "I am weak," says Gulang, "but I work so my children can go to school. We want a bright future."

In his nearby store, Mohammed explains he was a nurse until the Taliban forced him out of his job. His idea of the future is clear.

"They should bring peacekeepers to take the weapons and bring peace," he says.

Visiting him in the store: his long-time friend Sher (ph) adds, "2,000 to 5,000 peacekeepers is not enough, even for one province. They should send about 50,000 peacekeepers because Afghanistan is full of weapons." Across the road, the TV station has seen its share of good times and bad. Expensive broadcast equipment now dysfunctional after years of Taliban-enforced neglect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The big responsibility for the government is to rebuild the TV stations -- this one and others -- to help show people good programs.

ROBERTSON: When the Taliban closed the station, they laid off many staff. Once-popular music videos were left to gather dust.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The new government has many difficulties to collect weapons and to hire professional people. There are many of them, but they are working in the markets.

ROBERTSON: In his studio, Asadullah prepares a news broadcast. He came back after the Taliban left, and now tracks carefully reports that some government officials oppose peacekeepers.

ASADULLAH HISAR SHAHIWAL, NEWS READER (through translator): Experience shows armed people in different groups cannot bring peace. Ninety-five percent of people want peacekeepers to come and take the weapons.

ROBERTSON (on camera): The formula for happiness here appears to be simple, according to the people here: no guns, which equals peace; and jobs for all, which equals prosperity, good education and proper health care.

The challenge for the interim government: realizing those ideals. And failing that, lowering expectations just a little.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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