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CNN Live At Daybreak

Afghans Remember Massoud

Aired September 09, 2002 - 06:29   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of Afghans packed a stadium in Kabul to remember a Northern Alliance leader assassinated one year ago.
CNN's Christiane Amanpour covered the tribute.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At the stadium here in Kabul, which speaker after speaker reminded the world had been under the Taliban a stadium of terror, thousands of Afghans turned out to commemorate the one year anniversary of the assassination of who is now a national hero, Ahmed Shah Massoud.

For his role in fighting communism during the '80s and especially the struggle against the Taliban during the '90s, people here call him a brave warrior and a fearless fighter, someone whose contribution to Afghanistan's history will remain forever in the books of time.

Speaker after speaker recalled that Ahmed Shah Massoud had a vision for this country, a vision that Afghanistan should be free, should be united, should be a country of moderate Islam. Ahmed Shah Massoud's 13-year-old son, who survived him, delivered a poignant image. Sitting under the great portrait of his father, surrounded by dozens of wreaths that had been brought to him by various dignitaries, he said that his father, the hero, Ahmed Shah Massoud, had been murdered by terrorists who hoped to kill his vision. But he said that would never happen. His father's vision for a united, free and independent Afghanistan would continue forever.

Importantly, today was full of symbolism, designed, perhaps, expressly to counter what they call here the dark years of the Taliban. Women took part. There was not a burka to be seen. There were young children, including a little girl, a girl who under the Taliban would not have been allowed to go to school, read a poem to this crowded stadium and went up to the young son of Ahmed Shah Massoud and delivered a portrait of the father to the son.

Today was one full of symbolism, because Ahmed Shah Massoud has become an icon in many parts of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Messages were read from the former Shah, Zahir Shah, who is known as the father of the nation. He said that this country owes its freedom to Massoud. Messages were read from Hamid Karzai, the current president, who is not here because he is traveling to the United States to commemorate the events of September 11. He had said that without Ahmed Shah Massoud, this country perhaps would forever have been occupied.

COSTELLO: Christiane Amanpour from Kabul this morning.

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