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CNN Saturday Morning News
Thousands Protesting War With Iraq in Jordan
Aired February 15, 2003 - 09:17 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.
HIEDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Jordan. From the capital, Amman, to the River Jordan, thousands of people are also protesting war with Iraq.
CNN's Rula Amin joins us by videophone now from Amman. Good morning to you, Rula.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via videophone): Good morning to you, Heidi.
It's pouring rain here. However, the demonstration that was scheduled to start at 4:00 local time did start. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) opposition groups, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) opposition groups, Islamic, socialists, nationalists, all have joined efforts to try to get a license to allow this demonstration to go on. The number is not large. About 2,000 people are almost participating in this demo.
This is very small number when you compare it to the demonstrations in Europe, but in Arab standards, this is a significant demo because most countries don't allow demonstrations, don't allow protests to go on, and there is no such culture of people going on the streets to express their voices.
But our -- the people here in this demo in Amman, they are voicing their opposition to a possible war in Iraq. Some are very strong supporters of the Iraqi president, but many of them are not supportive of Saddam Hussein. They simply say they are concerned for the fate of the Iraqi people, because (UNINTELLIGIBLE) if there is a war, they feel that the Iraqi civilians will pay the highest price.
Many of the slogans that were raised here were -- was a message to the Arab leaders. Many of the people in the Arab world, here in Damascus, in Cairo, in Yemen, in different Arab countries, are very angry that Arab leaders, Arab countries, are actually cooperating with U.S. efforts, opening up their countries, allowing U.S. troops to use their capitals in order to prepare for this war.
And there are -- there is a very strong call for these Arab leaders to withhold their cooperation, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Rula Amin, thank you for your perspective there from Amman.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 15, 2003 - 09:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HIEDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Jordan. From the capital, Amman, to the River Jordan, thousands of people are also protesting war with Iraq.
CNN's Rula Amin joins us by videophone now from Amman. Good morning to you, Rula.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via videophone): Good morning to you, Heidi.
It's pouring rain here. However, the demonstration that was scheduled to start at 4:00 local time did start. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) opposition groups, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) opposition groups, Islamic, socialists, nationalists, all have joined efforts to try to get a license to allow this demonstration to go on. The number is not large. About 2,000 people are almost participating in this demo.
This is very small number when you compare it to the demonstrations in Europe, but in Arab standards, this is a significant demo because most countries don't allow demonstrations, don't allow protests to go on, and there is no such culture of people going on the streets to express their voices.
But our -- the people here in this demo in Amman, they are voicing their opposition to a possible war in Iraq. Some are very strong supporters of the Iraqi president, but many of them are not supportive of Saddam Hussein. They simply say they are concerned for the fate of the Iraqi people, because (UNINTELLIGIBLE) if there is a war, they feel that the Iraqi civilians will pay the highest price.
Many of the slogans that were raised here were -- was a message to the Arab leaders. Many of the people in the Arab world, here in Damascus, in Cairo, in Yemen, in different Arab countries, are very angry that Arab leaders, Arab countries, are actually cooperating with U.S. efforts, opening up their countries, allowing U.S. troops to use their capitals in order to prepare for this war.
And there are -- there is a very strong call for these Arab leaders to withhold their cooperation, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Rula Amin, thank you for your perspective there from Amman.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
