Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Florida Shooting Survivors Fighting For Gun Control; Oxfam Sex Scandal; Israel Says Polish Law Is Holocaust Denial; Fear Of Genocide. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired February 19, 2018 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[10:00:16] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is no other way to put it at this point they are either funding the killers or you are standing with the
children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: Pain and politics the students of Stoneman Douglas High School are taking a stand against gun violence in the
wake of the deadly shooting at their school. Further fallout the Oxfam sex scandal gets worst an internal report revealed a witness to the misconduct
investigation was threaten and.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are moving along and doing what we can with our voices in our solidarity we are wearing black.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The #metoo movement is wearing black, because stars said times up abuse in the film industry. From frustration in Florida to outrage in
Oxfam and access of the case in change the refrain is to say enough is enough is that we connect to the world, your world and the people trying to
change it.
Hell and welcome this is Connect the World I am Becky Anderson for you in Abu Dhabi where it is just off the 7:00 in the evening. Donald Trump
returns to Washington's after spending the weekend at a resort in the science of the deadliest U.S. school shooting in years. The president
might be kept out of the public eye, but instead of focusing on consoling a nation in the morning, Mr. Trump was fuming about the Russia investigation
clearly fed up firing off angry tweets even venting his anger at his own FBI. Here is CNN Kaitlan Collins.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump lashing out about the Russia investigation unleashing a series of angry attack that
began with the president blaming his own FBI for the school massacre in Florida to let 17 dead. Mr. Trump tweeting at the FBI miss signals,
because they are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. The charge prompted criticism from a number of
Republicans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's an absurd statement OK, absurd.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So many folks in the FBI doing all they can to keep us safe. The reality of it is your two separate issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president should be staying out of law enforcement business.
COLLINS: Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego calling the president a psychopath tweeting America will regret the day you were ever born.
President Trump also going after his own national security advisor H.R. McMaster who said this at a security conference in Germany about Russia's
interference in the 2016 election.
H.R. MCMASTER, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: As you can see with the FBI indictment, the evidence is not really incontrovertible.
COLLINS: Mr. Trump publicly scolding the McMaster saying you forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the
Russians, a conclusion that the intelligence community hasn't reached. The president is not mentioned what if anything his administration is doing to
retaliate against Russia or prevent them from interfering in future elections. The president asserting that the Russia probes are creating
discord disruption in chaos rather than condemning Russia adding they are laughing their asses off in Moscow. Mr. Trump also falsely claiming that
he never said Russia did not meddle in election despite multiple statements that prove otherwise including remarks aboard Air Force One in November
when he said he believes Vladimir Putin when he says that Russia did not meddle in the election.
Mr. Trump sarcastically praising Democrat Adam Schiff for saying that the Obama administration could've taken a stronger stance against Russia
insulting in this quote little and calling him a vegan monster of no control.
ADAM SCHIFF, (D) CALIFORNIA: This is the president who claims vindication any time someone sneezes, I said all along the Obama ministration should
have done more, but none of that is an excuse for this president to sit on his hands.
COLLINS: Schiff challenging the president directly asking if McMaster can send it to Putin. Why can't you? The president insisting special counsel
Robert Mueller's indictment of 13 Russians and three Russian entities for attempting to sway the election indicates that insisting proves there was
no collusion between his campaigns in Russia despite the fact that Mueller's investigation into potential collusion is ongoing.
(END VIDEO)
[10:05:00] ANDERSON: Kremlin now responding to what was that stunning indictment which accuses the Russian nationals of things has Americans
spreading inflammatory social media post that even organizing political rallies. Moscow said there is no substantial evidence of election meddling
and no indication the Russian government could have been in involved relation to the Russian troll factory has been involved. CNN Matthew
Chance has been looking into that accusations for the Russian troll factory has been involved in interfere with U.S. elections since 2014, he joined is
now from St. Petersburg outside the building Matthew where these trolls is that as well ones we call them these days and that a new fashionable
lexicon as it where were working just explain where you are and what you believe is going on in the building behind you.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In the area of St. Petersburg where this building is located obviously is the Internet
research agency, as you can see as time goes passed, there are red sign at site saying that the building is for rent, but there also like some of the
building we've been here all day we see people, come and go from the building throughout the course of the day. We also called the rental
company and told us it will not be vacant for at least another 30 days and so is every possibility that those trolls that you mention are inside that
building now doing exactly the same kind of work the viewers indictment says they did in the run-up to the presidential election in the United
States.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
CHANCE: This is the only glimpse we have of the Russian troll factory in action. The undercover video was recorded inside the secretive Internet
research agency in St. Petersburg were paid internet provocative works 12 hour shifts distorting the U.S. political debate. CNN spoke to a Russian
journalist who went undercover that is an Internet troll in 2016.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The U.S. election are the key issue from the Kremlin. The course Russian has invested a lot of that into them. That is why the
troll factory are working, I have no doubt.
CHANCE: And this is the publicity shy Russian oligarch now indicted in the U.S. for bankrolling the troll factory lift any precaution dubbed by
Russian media as Putin chef has lucrative catering contracts with the Kremlin, but denies any involvement in election meddling Americans are very
impressionable people he told Russian state media they see what they want to see I have great respect for them I'm not at all upset that I'm on this
list if they want to see the devil let them (inaudible) he added. But the possible extensive precautions alleged involvement to the often shadowy
world of Russian foreign policy is only now starting to emerge. He is already on the U.S. sanctions for supporting Russian forces in Ukraine and
I through a complex web of relationships he suspected of links to covert Russian mercenaries deployed in Syria with CNN is reported several were
killed in a recent U.S. airstrike, precaution denies any connection to the group. Whatever the truth Putin chef and his network of secretive
companies seem to extend far beyond the kitchen.
(END VIDEO)
CHANCE: Becky we heard Boeotian's denial of any involvement in U.S. election meddling. We had heard similar denials also upfront Russian
officials at least the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said he had seen any facts on issue and it is all just blather and most recently the
first Kremlin reaction to all of this is wealth U.S. indictments when I say they see no substantial evidence in the indictments of any official Russian
involvement in meddling, back to you.
ANDERSON: Matthew Chance is St, Petersburg on the story for you, Matthew thank you. Folks back to a tragedy still dominating headlines in the U.S.
the massacre at a high school in Florida as we speak marches the planned across the country to call for the tougher gun control in the past few
hours two survivors spoke to CNN their message to Donald Trump was loud and clear. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID HOGG, FLORIDA SHOOTING SURVIVOR: The FBI are some of the hardest working individuals I've ever seen in my life they work every day, 24 seven
to ensure the lives of every single American in this country and it is wrong of the president is blaming them for this. After all he is in charge
of the FBI, he can put that off on them. He is in charge of them and these people they love to do is push this off on the bureaucracy and it's not
them she is in charge of the FBI that is part of the executive branches and President Trump is in charge of that and the FBI..
[10:10:10] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want to reiterate the FBI are some of the amazing first responders who are helping us get to safety. And in fact
he wants to anyway and shift our focus on to them and it is not acceptable.
HOGG: These special interest group are never going to and if we do not stop and we make our voices heard as an American public together on -- if
we make our voice a matter in public together were you have to do that if everyone overcome this terrible tragedy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what do you say to the NRA?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dis banned, dismantle.
HOG: Indictment of the organization.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To the organization with a different named don't you dare come back here in fact that you were in power for so long and you have
so much influence for some America, just goes to show off how much time effort we still need to spend on fixing our country.
HOGG: Absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well those two students say they would not be involved in that one of the listening sessions hosted by Donald Trump this week, because
they had already arranged to take part in the town hall, hosted by CNN's Jake Tapper. What should stand up the students is Stoneman Douglas demand
action at 9:00 p.m. Wednesday if you are watching on the U.S. East Coast at a 6:00 a.m. here in Abu Dhabi that is where you are watching not will not
be the following day.
Well tension between Israel and Poland growing over the history of the Holocaust. Swastikas were painted on fines outside the Polish embassy and
this came after Poland's prime minister ignited a firestorm when he was ask of the new law would make it illegal to say that what Polished perpetrators
of the Holocaust. He said no perpetrate the Holocaust were Russian, Germans, Poles or Jews that is where things went off the rails. Let us
bring Oren Lieberman in Jerusalem and the latest twist. Oren, what is this law that makes it illegal to say that Poland was complicit in the mass
execution of Jews during World War II, go ahead.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORESPONDENT: Absolutely, but as the president of Israel pointed out in her response to the Polished prime minister's
comments. This is a quote, new law for the Polish government in what they see as was becoming as you point out, essentially at a saga here, beginning
with that law, let us take in back to earlier this month when Poland pass this new law that was signed by the president saying that to imply that
there is a Polished complicity in the Holocaust or even say Polish death camps could lead to a fine, as well as up to three years in jail, Poles see
this is trying to write their view of the Holocaust, where they did not have anything to do with it, it was purely Nazi Germany perpetrated the
Holocaust, ignoring what is historically accepted that there were poles were complicit with the Nazis only has to point out that the Polish have
more righteous among the nations than any other country. Non-Jews who helped Jews during the Holocaust, but this is leading is certainly strained
relations between Israel and Poland, two countries that historically over the past years, a couple decades here have had traditionally good relations
the worst of it has now come with at least here Nazi propaganda, not the accusation swastikas spray-painted on is graffiti on the Polish consulate
here in Israel so the relations are getting worse. It is becoming strained. Police have opened an investigation, but this does not seem to be improving
at all right now, Becky.
ANDERSON: All this course, as the Israeli Prime Minister claims he is a victim of a medium witch-hunt to the police announce a new investigation
against, just how much pressure is he under at this point?
LIEBERMANN: Well what has to be noted that he has not been named as a suspect in the newest investigation. In fact, a gag order prohibits us
from even talking about many of the details of the new investigation, but you are absolutely right. What this does is increase pressure on the prime
minister's latest case known as the basic affair which is Israeli Telecom Company or locally as case 4000, all it does is shine a light on the prime
minister and his inner circle makes those key coalition partners who is essentially prop them up and keep them in power. It makes their question
how much longer do you keep doing that so far there is a better way for the Attorney General to make a decision, but the question gets bigger,
stronger, louder every day here that the gag order, Becky runs out tomorrow we will find out who is suspect in his latest investigation and how close
it gets the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The closer it gets the more pressure there is the harder it becomes for his coalition partners to stand
by him right now.
[10:15:00] ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem. Thank you Oren, right here in Abu Dhabi there is a lot more to come.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't want a (inaudible) some job here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Slaughters, inflame, rape it happen to Iraq and now CNN exclusive they are worried about that is happening again nearby, we will
explain up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then the helicopter lands one last time to pick up more passengers. More desperate people throw themselves at the aircraft.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The aircraft almost as safe not a chopper from the sky, the flying chariot of salvation from the heavens. Three years ago CNN is there
in Iraq stranded on a mountain plan aboard a helicopter desperate to flee ISIS. Well now we can connect those scenes from three years old, and
Iraq's frozen Sinjar Mountain to right now in next door in Syria's battlefields. An overwhelming blood soaked catastrophe, riddled with
impossible complexities that we can now bring down the scale of that one single religious community. The CNN exclusive seeing it the first time
here on Connect the World, CNN's Ben Wedeman shows us the Yazidi's of Afrin where older than history are scared to death of being wiped out and what is
a very modern war.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rituals that go back to before the dawn of history, candles and prayers in a cave in the
northern Syrian district of Afrin. Members of the Yazidi minority seen by ISIS fanatics and other Islamist hardliners as heretics and infidels have
come to the ancient hillside shrine of (inaudible) to pray for salvation.
[10:20:00] The strips of cloth tied to trees represent their individual prayers, there is offensive in Afrin is now almost a month old and could it
says it is pursuing the YPG the Kurdish people's defense units which Turkey accuses of being an offshoot of its arch nemesis, the Kurdistan workers
party, the PKK, which is been fighting the Turkish state since 1984. For the Yazidis, the Turkish onslaught has revived memories all too fresh of
massacre and enslavement.
We do not want a repeat of Sonja here says Harlan Hussein of the Yazidi Council of Afrin referring to the murder and enslavement of Iraqi Yazidis
by ISIS in the summer of 2014. All the inhabitants of the village of come to pray to God to protect them from the scorch of Erdogan and his
mercenaries and the Islamist extremists. Until recently Afrin had been spared the brunt of the fighting, the wars in Syria are many have become a
dizzying kaleidoscope of conflicts sucking in Americans, Russians, Turks, Israelis, Lebanese Hezbollah, and a host of minor players.
The only constant is the seemingly endless suffering to ordinary Syrians. Fatima lost her son and two grandchildren in a Turkish airstrike on their
home. Turkish officials insist they are trying to avoid civilian casualties. This exclusive footage obtained by CNN suggests that may not
be the case. Shrapnel entered his brain. He needs intensive cares, wounds are serious. The town of (inaudible) is home to around 14,000 people, many
from the Kurdish white minority while ethnic Kurds, they follow the same faith is Syrian President Bashar Assad. They to fear the wrath of Turkish
forces in the Syrian rebel allies, many of whom are believed to be Jihadist.
There is nothing to stop them from entering this area, burning it, killing its people and enslaving its women as they did in Sinjar said Behar, head
of my (inaudible) Kurdish Alloway Council. There is little they can do but light a candle and pray in the gathering darkness.
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Bew Wedeman covering the Syrian war since it began is been living reporting on this region for more than 14 years, your exclusive
piece there Ben from Afrin not just this morning report crossing on Syrian state media that Damascus within pro-government militia right into the
city. As you can see as well within fear. That is not stopping Turkish troops from pummeling it with the entrance of yet another player into that
city. The welcome or not by the people there, the minorities?
WEDEMAN: What we understand it, there was an agreement they are supposed to be an agreement that was worked out by the YPG and the Syrian government
whereby a pro-Syrian government forces. It is not clear exactly who would enter Afrin to in the words of the Syrian Arab news agency the official
news agency in Damascus to halt the Turkish aggression, but that this point I mean we have been monitoring reports from the scene all day long. We
keep on hearing that the pro-government Syrian government forces will be coming within hours, but until now, they have not entered the region of
Afrin they are not specifically referring to the town of Afrin itself.
Now what is happened during the day is that the Turkish Foreign Minister who was visiting Amman, Jordan has said it. The Turks would welcome the
entry of pro-Syrian government forces if they were there to remove the YPG, but he warned if they are going to go to help the YPG then Turkish forces
would not be stopped. So it appears at this point there is something of a standoff. Now we just heard that the Turkish president Erdogan has been on
the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation in general. So there may be some something going on there yet again Russians
as they intervene, for instance, to halt to the Israelis from launching a larger offensive in Syria after the downing of their F-16. The Russians
may be yet again playing a critical role in trying to prevent a further a deterioration of the situation. And Syrian notably United's States yet
again is on the sidelines in this very complicated conflict, Becky.
[10:25:18] ANDERSON: Yes, Ben, because Syria of course isn't just a regional issue, it is a massive global issue and with the talk of a massive
global security conference in Munich there Sunday, Israel's prime minister claiming quote, Iran is trying to colonize Syria is trying to move military
bases into Syria to Israel's backyard. Let us put back to back with Iran's resort dismissing what you just read is a quote cartoonish circus adding to
the heart of as it were of narratives, John Kerry, the former secretary of state who say calling for artful diplomacy to end Syria's war Woolwich
Benedetti increasing his parents unlike the basis of Syria war more which, Ben after you agree it seems perhaps unlikely, what is the status of Syrian
and is it any clearer whether what the endgame is and how closed to the endgame we are.
WEDEMAN: It is really difficult to say Becky, I mean what we have seen since essentially the autumn of 2015 is an ever greater Russian role in the
Syrian Civil War and really the United States grasping at straws trying to figure out what to do artful diplomacy might of had a role to play several
years ago, but at this point, it does appear that the Syrian government with the help of the Russians, the Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah is deadly
gray gaining more ground in the fight against ISIS and as well as the non- ISIS opposition, we see that they are doubling down on the eastern Volta region, which is one of the last areas outside of Damascus. This
controlled by the rebels they may be gearing up for an offensive in Idlib in the northwestern part of the country. You do have 2,000 American troops
on the ground in the northeastern part of the country in the area controlled by the U.S. supported YPG, but the American strategy is rather
ambiguous at the moment, given that the Turks are opposed to it. The Syria's the Russians, Iranians all opposed to the American presence so it
does appear that the Syrian government has the upper hand and it is really just a matter of time before they are able to exert effective control over
most of the country and those were on the other side of the conflict may eventually have to either make a deal with Damascus as appears to be the
case with the YPG in Afrin or pay the price, Becky.
ANDERSON: CNN's Ben Wedeman, glad to have you on this show joining us from Beirut city, of course hundreds of thousands of Syrians have escape the
conflict. Thank you Ben. Before we move on, we want you to consider this my team digging through the World Bank's archives discovering in the last -
- the full series Civil War broke out. There would be 2010 at 8.5 million tourists went to Syria means more than Australia and even more than other
world-famous hotspots like India and even just down the road from right here in divide. It is not so hard to imagine a parallel reality without a
war and a peace are left. Just ahead on Connect the World, the man called one of Britain's worst child sex abuses is sentence. Some of his victims,
even harsh penalty won't give them justice. A live report from the court after this.
[10:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. You are watching Connect the World. It is just after half past 7:00 in the UAE. I am Becky Anderson
for you. A devil in carnage, that is how one of Britain's worst child sex offenders was described by the judge sentencing him today.
Youth football coach Barry Bennell was sentenced to 31 years in prison after being convicted of 50 -- five-zero accounts of sexual abuse involving
12 young boys.
But at least 86 are the victims that have come forward and many won a chance to face Bennell in court. Erin McLaughlin is in Liverpool, in
England following the story. Erin.
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. And the judge had some extremely strong words for Barry Bennell, a thing that he was
quote, pure evil. He detailed how between the years of 1979 and 1991, Bennell abused boys as young as 8-years-old.
He told Bennell that he quote -- that he quote stole their childhood and their innocence, and that he prayed upon their love of football, that he
went very well into details into how Bennell was able to do this. And he first started by recruiting the parents, gaining the trust of the parents.
Once he had that in place, then he began to groom the boys, treating them to lavish holidays away, expensive gifts their family couldn't afford and
then he said the abuse would began count by count, then the judge went through in grim detail, the nature of this abuse.
And the end of the proceeding, the judge instructed the court to take Bennell away, to which the public applaud very briefly before the judge
silent them.
He also referenced all those other allegations that Bennell is now facing, given this variety, to sentenced some 31 years in prison, given that
Bennell is 64- years-old. And in poor health questioning, whether or not, it would be in the public input in a criminal manner to pursue those
charges, Becky.
[10:35:05] ANDERSON: Erin McLaughlin on the story for you. Well it keeps getting worst for Oxfam, an internal report from 2011. It says at least
three workers physically threatened the witness when the charity was investigating claims of sexual misconduct by staff after the Haiti
earthquake.
The report also directly contradicts Oxfam's former country director in Haiti. Just days ago, he released an open latter saying he hadn't hire
prostitutes while in Oxfam guesthouses.
But the 2011 report says, he admitted doing exactly that, and agreed to resign. Let's go straight to London, CNN's Phil Black following
developments closely from there. What have you got, Phil?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Becky, this is the report that kick started the whole Oxfam scandal really, when its existence and some of its
findings were initially reported by a U.K. newspaper.
It is through that reporting that we learned that seven Oxfam staff members had been investigated for using prostitutes and looked at other allegations
that as well during the time in Haiti on Oxfam property.
All seven were forced out there, they resigned, all were dismissed but you're right, there are some data in this, and the particular interesting
point is the fact that three of those people suspects, as they refer during the report were found to have physically threatened and intimidated one of
the witnesses that was helping the investigation.
The report says this happened after one of the suspects' line managers leaked an investigation document when this person should not have done so.
And as a result, those three suspects additionally faced another charge brought by the organization, one of bullying and intimidation that was
added to the list of ugly behavior that eventually forced them out of the organization altogether.
You are also right when you talk about the country director and according to the report, he did admit to using prostitutes, did offer his
resignation. That resignation was accepted and served in the words of the report that could be a phased and dignified exit.
But more recently through an open letter published in Belton Media, he denies ever using prostitutes in that way. Now the initial reporting on
this investigation, talked about how the use of underage prostitutes couldn't be substantiated.
But it lacked crucial context, that was why that was specifically an issue for the investigation to look at. What we see now that this investigation
and that this report has been released is that it was one of the initial investigation made against the man.
It did find that there was nothing to substantiate it but crucially could not rule out the possibility of underage prostitutes being used as well,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Phil Black in London for you. Thank you, Phil. Russia is over regaining Olympic status could be in jeopardy after a Russian curler is
suspected of failing a doping test. The latest from Pyeongchang for you, up next.
[10:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: All right, it's 20 to 8:00 in the UAE. You are watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. A very warm welcome
back, to those of you who are just joining us, as ever you are more than welcome.
To the Olympics now where a Russia athlete has left the Winter Games on suspicion of doping. The International Olympic Committee has opened their
anti-doping case against the Russian curler who won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles.
This could compromise Russia's efforts to regain full Olympic status after the nation was banned of state sponsored doping. Well CNN's Coy Wire is
joining us now from Pyeongchang.
And, Coy, for many folks watching this show, curling, a sport they only had to hear about every four years as the Winter Olympics come around but it's
a headliner for Winter athletes front and center, of course for all the wrong reasons it seems in Pyeongchang. What do you understand to be the
situation?
COY WIRE, CNN WORLD SPORT: Absolutely, Becky. And here's the thing, there is always the interest, right, when you hear of an Olympian failing a drug
test but then failed test involves an Olympic athlete from Russia is magnified tenfold.
You can imagine the buzz here in Pyeongchang. The Court of Arbitration for Sport, as you mentioned, announcing today that they've started anti-doping
proceedings against curler Aleksandr Krushelnitckii.
No other details about that case release as of yet but we do know that the 25-year-old as you mentioned, won bronze here at the games. He is
competing with his wife in the Olympic debut of curling mixed doubles.
So there is a stain on that advanced here already, the pair -- they were mixed curling world champions in 2016. Interestingly, team USA curler Matt
Hamilton had this to say, quote, I mostly feel bad for Russia because they got banned from these games.
And some of their athletes are still getting caught positive. It's sad for them because who knows what the ramifications are going to be, unquote.
And, Becky, another point that you brought up, curling, probably one of the last sports in what you think doping would occur, right? Well, many of
these athletes, they get after it in the weight room.
I've seen them train in videos, strong core muscles, upper body strength, certainly play a role at the Olympic level where every little detail can
make a difference in that rigorous sweeping technique that you see, that guide the rock down.
And said this fitness is even more important perhaps in mixed doubles in which Krushelnitckii was competing, Becky, because there are just two
curlers bearing that workload, instead of the four that compete in traditional curling.
ANDERSON: When (Inaudible) you are interested party when it comes to the sport of curling. Fascinating. Good to have you on, Coy. Thank you.
We've been seeing relations between North and South Korea warm up during these Olympics, almost at breakneck speed. The North athletes to compete
with the South under a Korean unification flag, you will be well aware.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un send his sister to attend the opening ceremony and in the most significant diplomatic encounter between the two
countries in more than a decade.
Kim Jong-un invited the South Korean president to Pyongyang, which is months, before all this, South Korea's Ministry announced an elite unit
with deadly mission in case war breaks out with Pyongyang. Ivan Watson has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Faced with a hostile-nuclear armed neighbor, South Korea's military has announced a creation of a decapitation
unit. In the event of a war, the mission of the special task brigade would be to take out the leadership of North Korea.
But this is not South Korea's first attempt at creating a team of possible assassins. In 1968, after a bloody North Korean incursion, South Korea
created a top secret hit squad called Unit 684.
The assassination squad was sent to this uninhabited island called Silmido, for years of training, the initial plan was to recruit death row inmates
but in the end, intelligence officers chose 31 civilians from the streets of South Korean cities.
YANG DONG-SOO, A FORMER UNIT 684 TRAINER (Through a Translator): They were either a shoe shine boy, a newspaper boy, a cinema worker or a bouncer.
They would approach the ones who like they might have played some sports and had a strong physique.
WATSON: In 1970, Yang Dong-soo was a 21-year-old Air Force sergeant sent to Silmido Island to train Unit 684. The conditions on the island were
often brutal.
DONG-SOO (Through a Translator): There were accidents. In the middle of sea survival training, one recruit die of fatigue.
[10:45:00] WATSON: In fact, five other recruits were executed for desertion or crime such as threatening their trainers. For more than three
years, Unit members weren't allowed to communicate at all with the outside world.
Finally, something snapped. On the morning of August 23rd, 1971, Unit 684 staged a bloody mutiny on this beach. They begin killing their trainers,
one by one. When, Yang, heard gunfire that morning, he initially thought it was a North Korean attack. But then he says one of his trainee shots
him through the neck.
DONG-SOO (Through a Translator): When I woke up, I was bleeding from the neck, everywhere. Trainers like me were being killed by our recruits or
running away. It was chaos.
WATSON: Yang says he dragged himself out onto these rocks and hid, and somehow escaped being murdered. After killing 18 of their trainers, Unit
684 wasn't finished.
They made it to the mainland and hijacked a bus to the capital, where 20 members died in clashes with Korean security forces. Four survived to be
later executed. For decades, the brutal story of Silmido Island was covered up.
Until the Korean blockbuster movie, Silmido, hit screens in 2003. Though it led to a public government investigation, this former Unit 684 trainer
claims much of the film is fiction.
DONG-SOO (Through a Translator): The mutineers were victims who were sacrifice he tells me, and so are the trainers. To this day, the survivor
often preaches about how God saved him on that terrible day when the assassins turned on their commanders. Ivan Watson, CNN, Silmido, South
Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We will be right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You are with CNN. This is Connect the World. I am Becky Anderson. A few minutes left for you. Enough time to do this. Over the
past few months, the movie industry has said sexism and abuse, straight in the eye and said in no uncertain terms, Times Up.
And the biggest night in Britain's film calendar, well it was no exception, with stars standing in solidarity with their colleagues across the
Atlantic. My colleague Isa Soares has more from the BAFTA for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The red carpet are washed with black as directors, actors and producers put on a show of solidarity for the Time's
Up movement, calling for an end to sexual harassment and inequality.
[10:50:02] The talk was political with men and women standing up for the cause that began in the United States. How do you fell what we are seeing
here tonight?
ANNETTE BENING, ACTRESS: Well, I think that we are very luck to do what we do, and that we do have a change in front of other people and other
industry.
ALLISON JANNEY, ACTRESS: There are so many people who work tirelessly for social injustice who aren't Hollywood but we are just pushing and moving
along, and doing what we can with our voices and our solidarity in wearing black. It's an important time. And I never I would see in my lifetime,
certainly.
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS, ACTRESS: This is our job. When we make films, we make films and we can (Inaudible) to bring into subjects and this is
perfect -- this is a perfect issue or subject, or topic. And I think that, yes it is distracting but let's just be distracted.
SOARES: Some actors went further, ditching partners for right and inequality activist. Gemma Arterton, star of Made in Dagenham was
accompanied by two women from 1968, stage a three week full count from a (Inaudible) in the same town because of pay inequality.
On the red carpet, the Duchess of Cambridge looked a more diplomatic line, wearing olive green with black sash, pleasing and offending observers in
equal measure, inside the Royal (Inaudible), for protest continued.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It turns out the meaningful change can happen very quickly if you put our minds to it. That's good not just to the film
industry but for everyone.
SOARES: Even Frances McDormand, veteran actress, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri took a stand.
FRANCES MCDORMAND, ACTRESS: As Martin said, I have a little trouble with compliance.
(LAUGHTER)
MCDORMAND: But I want you to know that I stand in full solidarity with my sisters tonight in black.
SOARES: But it just (Inaudible) from the award celebration. Outstanding British film and best film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri took
her five gongs. Guillermo del Toro won best director for the Shape of Water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The award goes to Gary Oldman for the...
(APPLAUSE)
SOARES: And Gary Oldman prove playing Churchill was his finest power. A night of celebration, protest and empowerment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And, Isa, is joining us now from London with more. (Inaudible), the royal of course not suppose to get involved in politics. So, Kate
Middleton sartorial choice was always going to be a challenge on a night that was so politically charged, wasn't it?
SOARES: Absolutely, Becky. And we knew that before hand. We saw -- you saw that in the red carpet, many of the actors wearing black, women and
men. But there was no such thing as an obligatory dress code.
I spoke to the CEO about this just two days before and she said that the Me Too movement asked those attending to wear black if they wanted to, some
did, some wore a pin that said, Time's Up. But it wasn't obligatory. But like you said, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge had to walk a very
fine line.
They can't take a political stunts and they can't share bias in any way but that is not pleasing some of those who were there. some of those who are
watching and many who were there are the red carpet.
Take a look at some of these tweets that I've been plowing through. And some -- you know, some are defending her but the majority have to say or
attacking. Look at this one, I fell properly let down, she said, let down.
I didn't know I cared this much. They might be modern Royals, et cetera but this juts shows how much hasn't actually change. And this one here,
disappointed in Kate Middleton not wearing black to the BAFTA. It is not a political thing, it's the woman thing. So there is a bigger question up
for debate, Becky.
It's decrying sexual harassment and political or moral one. And then this one, quite a bummer to see that the Duchess of Cambridge didn't wear black
to the BAFTA, and not a Time's Up pin on either Cambridge.
There is nothing political about standing up to sexual assault. There should be an easy choice for them to make and they failed. But she did
wear a black sash and some people thought that was a strong enough of a nod.
One lady there as you can see, we were talking about the protocol not following black but she then plowed through all the photos of the Duchess
of Cambridge wearing black to see it is actually, you can wear black.
But the rules at least tradition takes within the Royal family that the reigning Monarch at least must remain politically neutral and wear black.
But of course, if you take a political stunt with one thing, then you must follow through people be expecting the Duchess to follow through another.
And of course what's reminding our viewers, Becky, she had plenty of charities, too.
[10:55:02] So maybe that little sash -- a little black sash was a notch to the movement, others are saying that the dark green color which is a nod to
the suffragette movement, may be that's the way to interpret how she saw the night for herself.
ANDERSON: Interesting. Isa, always a pleasure. Thank you. Right, your Parting Shots tonight. The folks in Indonesia has issued a red alert for
flights around Mount Sinabung after the volcano erupted Monday. Have a look at this.
It has spewed a thick cloud of ash least five kilometers into the air. Mount Sinabung is northwest of Jakarta, and has been off limits for years
due to frequent volcanic activity. Remarkable, remarkable images.
I'm Becky Anderson, that was Connect the World. From the team working with me here and those working with us around the world, we wish you a very good
evening. Thank you for watching. CNN is of course continues after this short break with the iDesk with Robyn Curnow.
END
