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CNN Live At Daybreak

Help Reaching Iraqis From Outside Country

Aired April 16, 2003 - 05:56   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Scenes of Iraqis cleaning up in Baghdad.
And another reminder for you. In about five or 10 minutes, we're going to take you live to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany, where some injured U.S. troops will hold a news conference. We're expecting to hear from four injured troops from the Army, Specialist Paul Stratton from the Marines, Captain Shawn Basco, Private First Class Michael Meyer and Marine Corporal David McCallen. So when that press conference begins, of course, we'll take you there live.

A U.S. media company has begun supplying Iraqis with new TV programming. Westwood 1 is relaying two hours of live news and also plans to offer a longer program called "Iraq and the World." That U.S. government funded show will include translated editions of American networks' news broadcasts. CNN is not taking part in the project. A network statement says, "As an independent global news organization, we did not think it was appropriate to participate in a U.S. government transmission."

Little by little, help is reaching Iraqis from outside the country.

As CNN's Rym Brahimi reports, it can be something as simple as a bottle of water or a letter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not much, but it's a start. These 20 tons of bottled water are among the very first non-governmental humanitarian supplies leaving Jordan since the war in Iraq began a month ago. The water was donated by a Lebanese businessman. The truck, at a cost of $1,000 for the trip, was provided by the Jordanian Al-Jazi Shipping Company (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't done anything yet for them. We kept watching and this is, it's not, it's not assistance. We, it's, I feel ashamed that you are interviewing me for a truck load of water.

BRAHIMI: A Japan-based group, asyrianchristians.com (ph), is organizing the shipment. Ken Joseph (ph) was born in Japan, but is of Iraqi descent. Joseph says donations from many Jordanians, Iraqis and other Arabs living outside of Iraq paid for food that they will be carrying into Iraq. And on this trip to the land of his ancestors, Joseph is also carrying with him some peace of mind.

KEN JOSEPH: Right now one of the biggest problems is that people can't -- there's no telephone or postal service, so people don't know if their family is alive or where they are.

BRAHIMI: He says he's taking more than 500 letters and e-mails from Iraqis living abroad and who haven't been able to get in touch with their relatives since the telephone exchanges were bombed last month.

JOSEPH: From the calls you've been getting it's basically just, you know, like here, you know, "I'm very worried about my family living in Baghdad. Can you please help me contact them?

BRAHIMI: Many envelopes have maps drawn by the senders because accurate delivery is challenging, as road signs in Baghdad are a rarity. Wasila Erakat (ph) is one of hundreds to send word through asyrianchristians.com in the hope she'll hear from her aunt.

WASILA ERAKAT: I want to be sure if she's OK with her cousin and husband. I sent a letter for her and marked it for the team for her house and her telephone number there. And just to get, to be sure that she's OK or not.

BRAHIMI: The group is also taking along 10 donated satellite telephones to allow those who've received letters to call their loved ones for 30 seconds each to say they're OK. Thirty seconds on the phone, a letter of comfort or a bottle of water, any of which can mean a moment of relief to Iraqis.

Rym Brahimi, CNN, Amman, Jordan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 April 16, 2003 - 05:56   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Scenes of Iraqis cleaning up in Baghdad.
And another reminder for you. In about five or 10 minutes, we're going to take you live to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany, where some injured U.S. troops will hold a news conference. We're expecting to hear from four injured troops from the Army, Specialist Paul Stratton from the Marines, Captain Shawn Basco, Private First Class Michael Meyer and Marine Corporal David McCallen. So when that press conference begins, of course, we'll take you there live.

A U.S. media company has begun supplying Iraqis with new TV programming. Westwood 1 is relaying two hours of live news and also plans to offer a longer program called "Iraq and the World." That U.S. government funded show will include translated editions of American networks' news broadcasts. CNN is not taking part in the project. A network statement says, "As an independent global news organization, we did not think it was appropriate to participate in a U.S. government transmission."

Little by little, help is reaching Iraqis from outside the country.

As CNN's Rym Brahimi reports, it can be something as simple as a bottle of water or a letter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not much, but it's a start. These 20 tons of bottled water are among the very first non-governmental humanitarian supplies leaving Jordan since the war in Iraq began a month ago. The water was donated by a Lebanese businessman. The truck, at a cost of $1,000 for the trip, was provided by the Jordanian Al-Jazi Shipping Company (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't done anything yet for them. We kept watching and this is, it's not, it's not assistance. We, it's, I feel ashamed that you are interviewing me for a truck load of water.

BRAHIMI: A Japan-based group, asyrianchristians.com (ph), is organizing the shipment. Ken Joseph (ph) was born in Japan, but is of Iraqi descent. Joseph says donations from many Jordanians, Iraqis and other Arabs living outside of Iraq paid for food that they will be carrying into Iraq. And on this trip to the land of his ancestors, Joseph is also carrying with him some peace of mind.

KEN JOSEPH: Right now one of the biggest problems is that people can't -- there's no telephone or postal service, so people don't know if their family is alive or where they are.

BRAHIMI: He says he's taking more than 500 letters and e-mails from Iraqis living abroad and who haven't been able to get in touch with their relatives since the telephone exchanges were bombed last month.

JOSEPH: From the calls you've been getting it's basically just, you know, like here, you know, "I'm very worried about my family living in Baghdad. Can you please help me contact them?

BRAHIMI: Many envelopes have maps drawn by the senders because accurate delivery is challenging, as road signs in Baghdad are a rarity. Wasila Erakat (ph) is one of hundreds to send word through asyrianchristians.com in the hope she'll hear from her aunt.

WASILA ERAKAT: I want to be sure if she's OK with her cousin and husband. I sent a letter for her and marked it for the team for her house and her telephone number there. And just to get, to be sure that she's OK or not.

BRAHIMI: The group is also taking along 10 donated satellite telephones to allow those who've received letters to call their loved ones for 30 seconds each to say they're OK. Thirty seconds on the phone, a letter of comfort or a bottle of water, any of which can mean a moment of relief to Iraqis.

Rym Brahimi, CNN, Amman, Jordan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com