Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
Eleven Soldier Killer As Carnage Plagues Kabul; Trump Prepares For State Of The Union Address; Trump Spars With Jay-Z Over Black Jobless Rate; Stars Take Jabs At Trump With Grammy Skit; Former Allies Clash In Aden; U.S. Deadline To Impose New Russia Sanctions; Russian Police Arrest And Release Opposition Leader. Aired at 8-9a ET
Aired January 29, 2018 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to News Stream.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Afghanistan in mourning after another attack in Kabul, the city reeling from a string of deadly violence. Looking ahead to the State of
the Union, President Trump gears up for Tuesday's big address, we'll take a look at what's on his agenda and everyone else's. And a political
Grammies, the awards feature the Time's Up campaign, U.S. immigration, as well as the musical winners.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: And we begin with more carnage in the Afghan capital. Two days after a massive bombing left residents in shock. Kabul has been hit again,
this time, at a military base. At least 11 Afghan soldiers were killed in Monday's attack.
ISIS has responsibility, saying it targeted the city's Military Academy but authorities tells CNN that the attack actually happen at a military base
near the Academy.
The terror group did not provide any evidence to back-up its claim. This is the fifth major attack by militants in Afghanistan in just the past
month. Joining me now for more in the story is our senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh. And he joins us live from our London
bureau.
And, Nick, more carnage, relentless violence in Afghanistan, and despite 16 plus years of war against these multi-groups, ISIS, Taliban, they are
growing stronger, why?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But essentially the underlying problem with the heart of this conflict has not been
resolved in two sides in these -- those backed by the United States.
And the Taliban is simply have more military -- if where they can to improve their position. It must be no comfort for those people in Kabul
who are reeling from the worst, sort of eight to nine days of violence they have seen n a very long period of time.
The upper gang backed the intercontinental hotel last weekend in Kabul, the Taliban claimed responsibility for presaging that hotel. That came after
literally three days before or after a warning by the U.S. State Department that such hotels were being targeted.
But it appeared the intelligence and security apparatus of Afghan and the U.S. were powerless to prevent that attack. A few days later, a children's
charity in Jalalabad, in the east of the country, that was targeted, this time, ISIS claims responsibility.
Days later, you just reference yourself, over a hundred people lost their lives but an ambulance was used as a suicide car bomb to penetrate some of
the most secure diplomatic areas of the Ring of Steel, normally as the Afghan capital of Kabul.
And then ISIS claimed today's attack. You see pattern there, as almost like they are taking turns, the Taliban and ISIS to claim responsibility to
lead attacks in the heart of the city.
Some say perhaps the older more beleaguered insurgency of the Taliban increasingly extreme, frankly, is competing of a kind of a hardcore lower
ground, you might say. The deaths depravity with ISIS, so younger and finding their fate at Afghanistan after losing territory in Iraq and Syria.
So, a very brutal day in Afghanistan, an awful eight or nine day, and a reminder frankly, the insurgency in Afghanistan is (Inaudible) as the U.S.
effort continues to try and put them in check but consistently fails to.
LU STOUT: And, Nick, how does Pakistan fit into all of this? We know that the U.S. relationship with Pakistan has deteriorated sharply. I mean,
could this lead to even more violence in Afghanistan?
WALSH: Well, possibly, it's always hard to really put Pakistan in the picture of immediate optics or drops in violence. It's not as though they
sort of slip across the border and flick a switch.
Necessarily, yes, Islamabad is particularly angry at a U.S. decision to cut aides to their military. The Pakistani view point is, they rejects
accusations that their country is a safe haven for those insurgents in Afghanistan who cross the border to kind of regroup and re-equip so to
speak.
They say they have lost many lives fighting insurgents and sort of hate tribal areas that mark a boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
They have made a mistake, there are a lot of insurgents in Pakistan and much of the insurgency in Afghanistan get its strength from there.
The issue is, does the U.S. try and cohorts or persuade Pakistan to go along with it or are they better off treating Pakistan as the enemy here.
We haven't seen a massive change frankly apart from the cutting off of the aide, in terms of strategy here but we are seeing though, there is a change
on the grounds in Afghanistan where it's quite clear that Kabul is the target for the different strands of the insurgency here.
There are three different groups at play, the Taliban assisted by another group called the Haqqani Network to be blamed for all other elements of the
attacks of the past week. They are really the same insurgency there, recently, an ISIS, the newcomer on the scene, so to speak.
[08:05:00] This leads frankly, this race for the most brutal extremes of violence leads to nothing more but increase civilian casualties.
I should point out here, President Donald Trump has said that he will win in Afghanistan despite 16 years of America resolutely failing to do that
and interestingly now, we are seeing the U.S. military move to classify parts of its information which are normally use as indicator of success.
They recently classify the number of Afghan soldiers and police that are being killed or injured, mother information is substantially be less
successful going forward, so a dark time in Afghanistan, One with less information to measure exactly the progress of the campaign.
LU STOUT: Very interestingly here, information being suppressed to provide, I guess some sort of perception of success in Afghanistan. Nick
Paton Walsh, reporting live for us, thank you.
The escalating violence in Afghanistan is certainly weighing on the Trump administration as the president prepares give that first State of the Union
Address before Congress and the American people.
A senior Trump administration official says that Tuesday's speech will focus on building a safe, strong and proud America. Here is Kaitlan
Collins.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump gearing up for his first State of the Union address where he's expected to tout the economic
progress of his first year in office while rallying support behind key legislative initiatives like infrastructure and immigration.
MARC SHORT, DIRECTOR OF WHITE HOUSE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: I think the president is going to talk about how America is back.
COLLINS: The immigration plan unveiled by the White House last week would provide a pathway to citizenship for nearly 2 million undocumented
immigrants in exchange for $25 billion to fund the president's border wall. The plan would also make major changes to legal immigration, a key sticking
point that Democrats have called dead on arrival.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), MINORITY LEADER: That plan is a campaign to make America white again.
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D), WEST VIRGINIA: We don't need that type of rhetoric on either side. The president has laid out what he wants. That's a good
starting point.
COLLINS: The president's high-profile speech coming amid controversy over Mr. Trump's reported attempt to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller last
June.
SHORT: The president has never intimated to me in any way desire to fire Robert Mueller.
COLLINS: Republicans warning the president against taking this step.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Everybody at the White House knows it will be the end of President Trump's presidency if he fired Mr.
Mueller.
COLLINS: But showing little urgency to take action on two bipartisan bills that would protect the Special Counsel.
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (D), MAINE: It certainly wouldn't hurt to put that extra safeguard in place given the latest stories. But, again, I have
faith in the deputy attorney general.
MICK MULVANEY, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET: I don't think there's a need for legislation. Right now there is not an issue. So why
create one when there isn't a place for it?
COLLINS: The majority of Democrats arguing that Congress must take action.
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: There is a credible case of obstruction of justice against the president of the United States.
COLLINS: CNN has learned that in recent weeks, Mr. Trump has been complaining about wanting to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein,
as well. Rosenstein oversees Mueller in the Special Counsel investigation.
The New York Times reports that the controversial memo spearheaded by House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes reveals that Rosenstein approved an
application to extend to the surveillance of former campaign Trump associate Carter Page last spring, indicating the Republicans may be moving
to seize on Rosenstein's role as they seek to undermine the Special Counsel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And that was CNN's Kaitlan Collins reporting. Now President Trump is sparring with Jay-Z, at issue here, the unemployment rate for
African-Americans in the U.S. Mr. Trump, hit back at comments at the music mogul during an interview on Van Jones' new show on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHAWN "JAY-Z" CARTER, RECORDING ARTIST & ACTIVIST: He is somebody who's now saying look, I am growing -- I am dropping black unemployment. Black
people are doing well under my administration.
Does he have a point that maybe Democrats have been giving us good lip service but no jobs, maybe he is going to say terrible thing and put money
in your pocket. Does that make him a good leader?
No, because it is not about money at the end of the day. Money is not -- doesn't equate to like happiness, it doesn't. That's not missing the whole
point.
You treat people like human beings. That goes back to the whole thing, you are going to treat me really bad and paid me well. It is not going lead to
happiness. It is going to lead to like, you know, again the same thing. Everyone's going to be sick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: And Donald Trump reacted. He took to Twitter to say quote, somebody please inform Jay-Z that because of my policies, black
unemployment has just been reported to be at the lowest rate ever recorded.
Now it is true that the African-American unemployment rate in the U.S. hit a record low of 6.8 percent last month. That is still well above the rate
of 3.7 percent for white Americans.
Now Jay-Z isn't the only celebrity taking aim at President Trump's policies. During the Grammy awards show on Sunday, a number of celebrities
took jabs at the White House. Brian Stelter has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He had a long-time fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald's.
[08:10:00] Nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's it. We've got it. That's the one.
CLINTON: You think so?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes.
CLINTON: The Grammy's in the bag?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the bag.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton making a surprise appearance in a Grammy award skit featuring celebrities doing dramatic
readings from the tell-all book Fire and Fury.
SNOOP DOGG, RAPPER: Trump did not enjoy his own inauguration. He started to get angry and hurt. The stars were determined to embarrass him. I
definitely wasn't there.
CARDI B, RAPPER: Trump wasn't happy his 6:30 dinner with Steve Bannon. Then more to his likely, he was in bed by that time with a cheeseburger.
Why am I even reading this (BLEEP).
STELTER: The skit prompting backlash from Mr. Trump's allies. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeting that the skit ruined the awards show. And
the president's son going after Clinton, calling the opportunity to read an excerpt from the book a great consolation prize for losing the presidency.
Trump's denigrating comments toward immigrants from African nations, which he reportedly called shitholes, coming up repeatedly.
LOGIC, RAPPER: Give us you're tired, you're poor and any immigrant who seeks refuge.
BONO, SINGER: Blessed are the shithole countries who gave us the American dream.
STELTER: Prior to U2's performance, Cuban-Mexican immigrant singer Camilla Cabello paying tribute to DREAMers.
CAMILLA CABELLO, SINGER: Tonight, in this room full of music's DREAMers, who remember that this country was built by DREAMers, for DREAMers, chasing
the American dream.
STELTER: A number of artists also honoring the Me Too movement, wearing white roses in solidarity.
JAMELLE MONAE, SINGER: We come in peace, but we mean business. And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words, Time's Up.
STELTER: Singer Kesha, who has been tied up in a legal battle with her producer over alleged sexual abuse, with the moment of the night, giving an
emotional performance of her hit song, Pray.
KESHA, SINGER (singing): I hope you find your peace, falling on your knees.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: It was a strong performance by Kesha. And that was CNN's Brian Stelter reporting. And in the midst of all the political jokes and support
for social movements, the Grammy's was still about celebrating the music, about the achievements in music industry.
The biggest winner was Bruno Mars. He took home trophies for song of the year, album of the year, as well as record of the year. And for a recap of
the whole night, you can check out CNN.com/entertainment.
You are watching News Stream. And up next, CNN is giving exclusive access inside the Civil War in Yemen. We are going to take you to the front
lines, to the battlefield and speak with the very people affected by the fighting.
Also ahead, as Russians protest in the next election, we'll bring you an exclusive interview with a leader who called them to the streets of Moscow.
[08:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is News Stream. And to Yemen now, where the government has accused Southern
separatist of attempting a coup.
Government forces clash with separatist fighters in the port city of Aden. Eighteen people were killed. The government has called on the Saudi-led
coalitions to intervene, both groups used to be on the same side fighting Houthi rebels in the north.
Now let's bring in CNN's Nic Robertson. He joins us now live from Abu Dhabi. And, Nic, these were deadly clashes at the weekend taking place
across Aden. What led to this violence?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, these tensions have been in existence for quite some time. I mean, if you talk to people in Aden as we
did when we were recently, they all start talking about 1974 and even going back before that.
There have been three Civil Wars in the past four decades between the North and the South, so these sort of fundamental basic tensions between southern
separatist who want a separate southern states and others in Yemen have long existed.
Right now, they really spring from how the southern separatist see that they were the ones in Aden who initially fought back and push the Houthis
out of Aden. And then when the internationally recognized government of Yemen, it is decided to, you know, reestablish himself and his authority.
The only place they could do it was a second city Aden, so the southern separatists sort of fill it, the government has been slightly foisted upon
them that they accepted it.
But they have been feeling more recently that it hasn't been essentially, you know, paying -- paying some of the wages as supporting them in the way
that they expected it. So that's the underlying tension here.
The fighting this weekend was still going on early this morning. What we have been able to do the week before was get the first western reporters
access inside Yemen, not just Aden but other areas and this is a taste of what we found.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: This is tactical flying. Just feet above the desert, banking around hills close to the Saudi-Yemeni border. We're in Saudi military
Blackhawk helicopters. We're flying some Arabs in Yemen. It's about a hundred miles east of the capital.
The Saudis lead the coalition backing the internationally recognized Yemeni government against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Both sides have
criticized the civilian casualties.
Apache gunships ride shotgun for protection. We are the first western journalists the Saudi government is taking in to Yemen. They promised
transparency.
We travel high in the mountains, visit the Yemeni government front lines. Let's stay down. We're keeping low here because we've been told the
Houthis down in the valley below might be able to see us.
And the victims of three-year long war -- check this out. He's showing me this is a gun truck, used to drive this gun truck. This is you, the
driver?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ROBERTSON: A visit with child soldiers in rehab suffering PTSD, questions Yemen's leaders. How is the situation here in Aden? But the Houthis, the
prime minister told me, are now doing is they are printing their own money with the help of Iran.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have no government. We have no government. We have only non-government.
ROBERTSON: And questioned the people about those same leaders. I met the prime minister yesterday in his office on the other side of the city.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our (Inaudible) says this. He is a liar.
ROBERTSON: What are looking at here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a printer that was use to print (Inaudible).
ROBERTSON: And meet Yemenis who, despite everything still have hope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want education. We want to have jobs.
ROBERTSON: Understanding the war here, what everyone's going through, is a little like peeling an onion, layer after layer. We want to peel back
those layers for you, expose the war and the struggle to survive it.
He says the Houthis used this picture of him taking his son to be buried, to say that his son was killed in a coalition airstrike. He says that
wasn't true. So many voices, so many stories and so few have been heard before.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[08:20:00] ROBERTSON: So, some of those people you see us talking to there were -- identified themselves really as southern separatists.
They have been supporting the government and the government official I talked to this morning told me that he thinks that this effort by the
southern separatist there on see if the government, attempted coup as the prime minister is calling it.
He said he doesn't think it will work. However, the fighting has been going on again today. So the situation still very, very unsettled in Aden
at least six. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Incredible reporting there from inside Yemen. (Inaudible) for three years and thousands of lives throughout this major humanitarian
catastrophe, looking forward to your reporting in the days to come. Thank you so much, Nic. Nic Robertson reporting there.
Now a major oversight in the use of fitness trackers has led to a dangerous breach in U.S. military security. Now, we're going to show you some heat
maps.
They are showing the movement of security forces in remote military bases, jogging trail, supply routes, ocean clearly through a fitness tracking apps
called Strava.
Now the data is uploaded by thousands of military personnel who have connected their fitbits or smart watches to Strava. And according to the
Washington Post, observers found a suspected CIA base in Somalia and a patriot missile defense site in Yemen.
The Pentagon says it is taking matters seriously and will see if there needs to be more training to keep personnel safe. Now the minister of
Israel is in Moscow where he's been visiting sites of Jewish history with the president of Russia but their conversation will likely focus on the
security of Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu promised to press Vladimir Putin on preventing Iran from establishing its military in Syria and from trying to establish military
sites in Lebanon.
Now meanwhile, a deadline is hanging over Moscow in just a few hours from now the U.S. is expected to unveil a list of Russian businesses and
individuals to be hit with the new round of sanctions.
Fred Pleitgen joins us from Moscow. And, Fred, again the U.S. Treasury is set to release this list. It will have names of oligarchs with close ties
to Vladimir Putin. How significant is this move?
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it probably is quite significant and not because this would immediately lead to sanctions, in fact it won't
immediately lead to two sanctions but just the fact that these names are most probably going to be out there.
Not just the names of many business people and oligarchs who were close to Vladimir but also their financial information, and potentially also
financial information about their spouses and their children as well.
Now of course, one of the reasons, Kristie, why so many business people here in Russia are quite apprehensive about this and fear this move coming
out is they don't want to be on such list and they fear that it could lead to sanctions very quickly.
And could lead to them being on list of sanctions in the not-too-distant future, so the big question is going to be for the Trump administration --
first of all, is it going to act on this list, and turn it into something potentially at the foundation for new sanctions.
And then the other thing that we are going to be looking forward to is whether or not they're going to publish this list, this report in full with
all the information or whether some of the names might be kept confidential, and in annex or something, something of the government in the
United States can do to protect some of the sources on the financial dealings of some of these people.
So, you can clearly see that the Russians very apprehensive about this report and many, many people here really very much looking toward when that
report gets released, as we said it, is said to be later today unclear when exactly today that supposed to be though. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, a lot of people are eagerly anticipating this report. Ahead of the released this list, what has been the reaction so far in
Russia?
PLEITGEN: Yes, well, you know, the Russian government spokesman -- the Russian president spokesman, Dmitry Peskov has spoken for Vladimir Putin,
he was asked about this in a conference call earlier today.
And he called this an attempt to meddle in Russia's upcoming election or to influence the upcoming election. It is something the Russians have been
saying for a while.
They believe that some move by the West or aims towards influencing Russia's presidential election which of course is going to happen at the
end of March.
But it shows just how seriously the Russians are taking this report because they believe that it could have a big impact on necessarily the way the
vote goes but certainly the way things could pan out until then.
So they have said that they are going to look at this very closely. They are going to analyze this. At this point, they say look, we haven't seen
the report yet. So there's...
LU STOUT: OK, unfortunately we just lost that connection there with Fred Pleitgen. That was Fred Pleitgen reporting live from Moscow. Apologies
for that technical issue there.
Now, there has been in staying the Russia anger over the presidential election there in Russia, due to take place in March.
That is field that we see in Moscow over the weekend of protest, police responded by detaining, and then releasing on bail, the organizer and
opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Matthew Chance spoke exclusively with Navalny just before he marched.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[08:25:00] MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Russian police quickly swooped in on the opposition leader, fighting through his supporters, to
drag Alexei Navalny away from the nationwide protests he'd organized.
He now faces another span in a Russian jail, an occupational hazard, he told me ahead of the protests, when standing up to the Kremlin.
As the leading opposition figure in Russia, you have been harassed. You get regular visits from the authorities, the police, the other inspectors.
You've been insulted widely. And, of course, you've been attacked.
How concerned are you, in a country like this, where opposition figures have been killed in the past? How concerned are you about your own safety
and security?
ALEXEI NAVALNY, RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): I'm a reasonable man. I ran my election campaign for 12 months. And out of
these months, I spent two in prison. So I have a clear understanding of what this regime can do. But I'm not afraid and I'm not going to give up
on what I want to do. I won't give up on my country.
CHANCE (voice-over): And it seems there are many Russians on his side. In towns and cities across this vast country, Navalny's anti-corruption
movement says thousands turned out to support his call for a boycott in the March presidential elections, in which President Putin, already 18 years in
power, is expected to be returned.
NAVALNY (through translator): The Putin regime is built on corruption. And Putin himself is the most corrupt. His family is directly involved in
corruption.
According to official data, over 20 percent of our population lives below the poverty line. And people link the obvious. Why are we so poor?
Because they steal so much.
CHANCE: Regardless of the popularity of that issue, you have been prevented from standing in these forthcoming presidential elections. Do
you think that Vladimir Putin is genuinely concerned or fearful of you as a political opponent?
NAVALNY (through translator): He is scared of all real competition. We see in these elections that he only allowed those to run who do not even
resist, do not even do any campaigning.
CHANCE (voice-over): And Alexei Navalny is certainly not one of those chosen Kremlin-friendly candidates. Official opinion polls suggest his
support is at barely two percent.
But in the tightly controlled world of Russian politics, dominated by Vladimir Putin, no other opposition figure can rally so many on the
streets. Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Japan's Coincheck crypto currency exchanges coming under fire and government scrutiny after revealed hackers stole about $530 million
from its users.
Now this heist, it could be the biggest one yet against crypto currencies. This time, the thieves stole NEM as one the lesser-known digital
currencies. Coincheck says it will partially refund the 260,000 investors who lost money.
You are watching News Stream. Still to come in the program, a damning report from human rights watch, it says, even though Thailand has
crackdown, human trafficking is still widespread in its fishing industry. The right's group found one of its deports all over the country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching -- is claiming responsibility for a
deadly attack in Kabul. The assault started in the early hours of Monday, when a militant detonated a suicide vest at the entrance of a military
base. The battle dragged on for five hours. Eleven Afghan soldiers were killed.
U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to give his first state of the union address on Tuesday. Aides say the speak will focus on his vision for
the economy and immigration. CNN coverage begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday in Hong Kong.
The board of Wynn Resorts is investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against founder and CEO Steve Wynn. The casino mogul has resigned from his
position as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee. Wall Street Journal spoke to dozens of employees who alleged a pattern of sexual
misconduct by Wynn. He denies the allegations.
Water levels rose almost six meters in Paris after heavy rain caused the Seine River to burst its banks. Streets are flooded and even Louvre Museum
had to close part of its lower level. The flooding also shut down some train service and walkways over the weekend.
As our appetite for seafood grows, so too does the economy of Thailand. Thanks to its multibillion dollar fishing industry. But according to a
human rights watch report, the true cause is widespread forced labor and human trafficking.
The report says fishermen often from neighboring Myanmar and Cambodia suffer from poor working conditions, recruitment processes, terms of
employment, and industry practices that put already vulnerable migrant workers into abusive situations and often keep them there. And this has
been an ongoing problem.
In 2015, the CNN Freedom Project spoke to men who have been working alongside thousands of migrant laborers, some working 20-hour days and
suffering abuse. Thee years on, human rights watch says abuse in the seafood industry remains rampant. But Thailand's director general to the
Fishery Department says his team has been on the case.
He says last year, there were more than 30,000 checks and they found few cases of trafficking. They told CNN this, quote, in general, I think,
employers have to treat their labor well. Otherwise, they will switch to other boats.
Earlier, I spoke with Sunai Phasuk. He is a senior researcher for the Asia division of Human Rights Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUNAI PHASUK, SENIOR RESEARCHER FOR ASIA DIVISION, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: It is shocking that after major expose in 2014 of brutality in Thai fishing
industry, the government has made many promises to improve the condition, but we are now in 2018, Human Rights Watch has not noticed significant
improvement in measure that could end serious human rights violations, including forced labor and other abuses that have been committed against
fishermen.
What the government has done, introducing new laws (INAUDIBLE) and many promises, but the problem is all these promises and huge resources being
put into (INAUDIBLE) restructuring have not been translated into action.
It is surprising that new inspection system (INAUDIBLE) has introduced. (INAUDIBLE) inspection only introduce fishermen at the port when they
arrive without being able to fully (INAUDIBLE) the condition on the board.
Human Rights Watch visited all major ports, all major fishing ports in Thailand, and found out the inspection system is very limited. They could
only inspect a very small number of ports each day. They could not reach out to find detailed information from the crew.
They ended up (INAUDIBLE), the foreman who control the fishermen. And that cannot give the accurate and direct information about how fishermen are
treated once they are at sea.
LU STOUT (on camera): I understand that you have collected testimony from the fishermen who have been living and working in slave-like conditions.
What have they told you?
PHASUK: Human Rights Watch conducted interviews with fishermen, both
[08:35:00] outdoors who already left the dock and ones who are clearly on the board at ports across Thailand. (INAUDIBLE) clearly is not different
from the expose of the brutality in fishing industry. It is not less different from what happened in 2014 and 2015, including what CNN has found
out.
The recruitment (INAUDIBLE) trafficking, human trafficking still happens. Mistreatment of fishermen when they were on board still happens. Payment is
not on time, it's not in full amount, that still happens. When abuses happen, fishermen cannot leave their job. They cannot escape.
Otherwise, they will not be paid at all. Worse than that is if they leave their job or if (INAUDIBLE) from abuse, they will end up be considered as
violating Thailand immigration law and subject to arrest and deportation.
LU STOUT: As a result of your findings, you were calling on the E.U. and the U.S. to increase pressure on the Thai government. What about consumers?
Should consumers say "no" to Thai seafood?
PHASUK: Apart from major importers such as the E.U., U.S., Japan, Australia, consumers can play an important role to put an end to human
rights violation in Thai fishing industry by demanding that the retailers need to explain to them -- (INAUDIBLE) market in that country need to
explain to them that they are not buying for that, from Thailand, from suppliers who are known to be involved in human rights violation, who are
known to be involved in slavery.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And that was Sunai Phasuk of Human Rights Watch speaking to me earlier.
You're watching "News Stream." Still ahead, we are going to step into the heart of Korean Buddhism, a serene temple located in the region where the
2018 Winter Games are to be held.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: All right, coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back, you're watching "News Stream."
And all this week, CNN is exploring Gangwon Province. It is a region in South Korea that is hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics. And we'll take a look
at one of Korean Buddhism's most important sites where visitors can experience the daily lives of monks by taking part in their temple stay
program. Isa Soares has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A few hours outside of (INAUDIBLE) Seoul, (INAUDIBLE) of tranquility. Here at the
Bongeunsa (ph) Temple, dexterity of this faith is amplified by the solitude of its ragged mountainscape. Founded in the seventh century, ravaged by war
and then rebuilt, this temple complex lies at the heart of Korean spirituality.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): About 10 kilometers away from Bongeunsa (ph), there is an area where a piece of Buddha skull is enshrined
(ph). That might make Bongeunsa (ph) the most sacred place for Korean Buddhism.
SOARES (voice over): (INAUDIBLE) Jeong Nyum has served as Bongeunsa's (ph) head monk for the past 14 years. He (INAUDIBLE) a network of more than 60
temples in the area. At its center, an octagon (ph) 9-feet stone pagoda. A statue of enlightened being known as body settler (ph) years before it and
makes an offspring.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The goal of Buddhism is to bring wisdom and mercy to this world through the truth found in training.
Ordinary people can come to Bongeunsa (ph) and heal their minds through the meditation practice. All culture of healing flourishes here.
SOARES (voice over): In the newly constructed meditation hall, temple stay visitors gather to practice stillness and silence. This monk is guiding the
meditation. He patrols the hall for any signs of distractedness. And when he finds it, a light rub of his bamboo stick on the shoulder, followed by
this.
The strikes are not meant to cause pain, but it is an important part of the training at Bongeunsa (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Right now, the modern culture is changing so rapidly and we are facing a time where it is difficult for our
values to keep up with the change. With Buddhism, I think our role is to try and heal the minds troubled by these changes.
SOARES (via telephone): Bongeunsa (ph) itself is nothing new to change. But throughout its 1,400-year history, the temple has remained a refuge for
contemplation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: (INAUDIBLE) there. Now, here in Hong Kong, political update. Hong Kong opposition leaders and lawyers have been voicing outrage that the
government has barred democracy activist Agnes Chow from running in an upcoming by-election. Hundreds, in fact, rallied over the weekend to
support her.
Her political party, Demosisto, said she was disqualified because she campaigns for self-determination for Hong-Kongers. Chow was a leading
student activist in the Umbrella Movement. She is now the 13th politician barred from standing for office. Critics say this move undermines Hong
Kong's electoral rights.
SpaceX has promised at a date to launch its new mega rocket called the "Falcon Heavy." It is going to be on February the 6th at Florida Kennedy
Space Station. The "Falcon Heavy" will become the world's most powerful rocket in operation. And (INAUDIBLE), it will attempt to carry, yes, a red
Tesla roadster into deep space. Both SpaceX and Tesla of course were founded by Elon Musk.
And that my friends is it from "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere, "World Sport" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
END
