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CNN Live Today

Interview With Zainab Al-Suwaij

Aired April 17, 2003 - 11:17   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The end of Saddam Hussein's brutal grip on Iraq means that exiles are able to go home. Zainab Al-Suwaij attended a town hall meeting this week in Nasiriya to help lay the groundwork for a new Iraq. She fled her country after the Gulf War a dozen years ago, leaving family behind in her hometown of Basra. She joins us now. She's in Kuwait city to talk about her emotional return to her home country.
Thanks for being with us.

ZAINAB AL-SUWAIJ, AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS: Thank you for having me.

KAGAN: First, can you share with us the great emotion you must have had, landing back in Iraq.

AL-SUWAIJ: It was very difficult. It was -- to get back to the country after 12 years of being outside. Most of us couldn't help but to go and cheer after the airplane landed in Nasiriya last Tuesday. It was very emotional day, and mixed with joy and also mixed with a lot of encouragement and happiness that we are -- we are back, and we are trying to help our people inside Iraq and trying to put basic rules or basic establishment for the new government in Iraq.

KAGAN: I want to get to the future of the government in just a moment, but one more personal question for you. As we mentioned, you left a number of family members, including your grandparents, behind. Have you had a chance to be in touch with any family members since you landed?

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. I met some people in the meeting, in that conference, last Tuesday, and one of the people told me that he was with my family, my grandfather, a day earlier. So that really made my day that day.

KAGAN: I bet it did.

AL-SUWAIJ: And I was really very happy and excited.

KAGAN: Yes. I understand, of course, just getting around the country and even telephone communications still difficult. So as you try to do that, we wish you well in those efforts.

AL-SUWAIJ: Thank you.

KAGAN: Now I want to focus a little bit on the future -- the future of Iraq. Tell me about this conference in Nasiriya. So many people have had big questions about who the future leaders of Iraq will be.

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. Many people have this question, and they had many other questions about the future of Iraq, and with the help of General Garner who is there, and also Mr. Halildad (ph) from Washington, we tried to put some basic issues -- or some basic points about our view, and we want a mix of Iraqis -- some people from our side and many people attended the conference who they are from inside the country as well. And we all talked about what's our view, and what we think is going to be the right thing for the future government in Iraq, and we agreed upon about 13 points that we are going to be discussing within about eight days from now in our next meeting.

KAGAN: Still a lot of work to do. Zainab, let me ask you this. What do you think the role of women will be in the future government of Iraq? I know the country you stand in right now, Kuwait, women aren't even allowed to vote there, let alone participate in government.

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. But we are in -- in Iraq, or what we discussed in the past -- in our meeting on Tuesday was the role of women in -- in leadership in Iraq, and also a role of women in many other facilities throughout the country.

We were about five women who attended that meeting, and most of us were from outside, not from inside the country. So we encouraged the people who they came from inside to bring ladies with them next time they attend the conference, so we can have inside perspective from these people.

KAGAN: And do you think, overall, that's what it's going to take, not just on the role of women, but you are going to need a combination of people who have stayed inside Iraq, and people like you who went and made a life elsewhere, yet left your heart, so to speak, back in your home country.

AL-SUWAIJ: Oh, definitely. Definitely. We need the help of everybody and everyone who can help, and participate in rebuilding our country.

KAGAN: And just finally, as I mentioned, I know you have built a life back in Massachusetts. Do you plan to return to Iraq, or will you stay in America?

AL-SUWAIJ: I am hoping to -- I'm planning to go back and help rebuilding the -- helping in rebuilding Iraq, and rebuilding the education system there, and I will be between home and -- back home in Boston.

KAGAN: Well, we wish you well, both in your efforts in Iraq and also in getting in touch with your family, especially those grandparents of yours down in Basra.

AL-SUWAIJ: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

KAGAN: Our best wishes. Zainab Al-Suwaij joining us from Kuwait City. 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 17, 2003 - 11:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The end of Saddam Hussein's brutal grip on Iraq means that exiles are able to go home. Zainab Al-Suwaij attended a town hall meeting this week in Nasiriya to help lay the groundwork for a new Iraq. She fled her country after the Gulf War a dozen years ago, leaving family behind in her hometown of Basra. She joins us now. She's in Kuwait city to talk about her emotional return to her home country.
Thanks for being with us.

ZAINAB AL-SUWAIJ, AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS: Thank you for having me.

KAGAN: First, can you share with us the great emotion you must have had, landing back in Iraq.

AL-SUWAIJ: It was very difficult. It was -- to get back to the country after 12 years of being outside. Most of us couldn't help but to go and cheer after the airplane landed in Nasiriya last Tuesday. It was very emotional day, and mixed with joy and also mixed with a lot of encouragement and happiness that we are -- we are back, and we are trying to help our people inside Iraq and trying to put basic rules or basic establishment for the new government in Iraq.

KAGAN: I want to get to the future of the government in just a moment, but one more personal question for you. As we mentioned, you left a number of family members, including your grandparents, behind. Have you had a chance to be in touch with any family members since you landed?

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. I met some people in the meeting, in that conference, last Tuesday, and one of the people told me that he was with my family, my grandfather, a day earlier. So that really made my day that day.

KAGAN: I bet it did.

AL-SUWAIJ: And I was really very happy and excited.

KAGAN: Yes. I understand, of course, just getting around the country and even telephone communications still difficult. So as you try to do that, we wish you well in those efforts.

AL-SUWAIJ: Thank you.

KAGAN: Now I want to focus a little bit on the future -- the future of Iraq. Tell me about this conference in Nasiriya. So many people have had big questions about who the future leaders of Iraq will be.

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. Many people have this question, and they had many other questions about the future of Iraq, and with the help of General Garner who is there, and also Mr. Halildad (ph) from Washington, we tried to put some basic issues -- or some basic points about our view, and we want a mix of Iraqis -- some people from our side and many people attended the conference who they are from inside the country as well. And we all talked about what's our view, and what we think is going to be the right thing for the future government in Iraq, and we agreed upon about 13 points that we are going to be discussing within about eight days from now in our next meeting.

KAGAN: Still a lot of work to do. Zainab, let me ask you this. What do you think the role of women will be in the future government of Iraq? I know the country you stand in right now, Kuwait, women aren't even allowed to vote there, let alone participate in government.

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. But we are in -- in Iraq, or what we discussed in the past -- in our meeting on Tuesday was the role of women in -- in leadership in Iraq, and also a role of women in many other facilities throughout the country.

We were about five women who attended that meeting, and most of us were from outside, not from inside the country. So we encouraged the people who they came from inside to bring ladies with them next time they attend the conference, so we can have inside perspective from these people.

KAGAN: And do you think, overall, that's what it's going to take, not just on the role of women, but you are going to need a combination of people who have stayed inside Iraq, and people like you who went and made a life elsewhere, yet left your heart, so to speak, back in your home country.

AL-SUWAIJ: Oh, definitely. Definitely. We need the help of everybody and everyone who can help, and participate in rebuilding our country.

KAGAN: And just finally, as I mentioned, I know you have built a life back in Massachusetts. Do you plan to return to Iraq, or will you stay in America?

AL-SUWAIJ: I am hoping to -- I'm planning to go back and help rebuilding the -- helping in rebuilding Iraq, and rebuilding the education system there, and I will be between home and -- back home in Boston.

KAGAN: Well, we wish you well, both in your efforts in Iraq and also in getting in touch with your family, especially those grandparents of yours down in Basra.

AL-SUWAIJ: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

KAGAN: Our best wishes. Zainab Al-Suwaij joining us from Kuwait City. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com