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Connect the World

Nigeria Threatens To Sanction CNN Over Investigation; Pompeo First Top U.S. Diplomat To Visit West Bank Settlement; Vaccine Faces Transportation, Storage Challenges; Australia Apologizes For Alleged War Crimes In Afghanistan; Answer The Call To Protect The Earth; Prince William Hails BBC Probe Into Princess Diana Interview. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired November 19, 2020 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:00]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Correct response from the Nigeria's government to an exclusive CNN investigation that we brought you right here on

"Connect the World" some 24 hours ago. We verified footage of soldiers at what is known as the Lekki Toll Gate appearing to shoot in the direction of

protesters last month.

We are not showing you that right now because many of you might find it distressing. Well, CNN spoke to witnesses who said there was a second round

of gun fire later that evening. Here's what one protester who had been documenting events on Instagram live told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DJ SWITCH: Nigeria is a dictatorship with a democratic face, and I think that is primarily to please the international communities. It is our right

to protest anything that we see and change that we demand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, those protests began as a movement against police brutality but took a dark and violent turn as we reported. Nigeria is threatening to

sanction CNN and denies that security forces shot live ammunition at protesters. Nima Elbagir brought us that story after weeks of in-depth

research and analysis by her and her team. And she joins us now from London. And Nima how has the Nigerian government responded?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDET: Well, our reporting Becky has triggered their first really significant response since the

events of October 20th at Lekki Toll Gate. This is what the government Information Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed had to say about our reporting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, NIGERIAN MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE: Like everyone else, I watched CNN reports yesterday. I was telling you that it

reinforces the disinformation that is going around and it is blatantly irresponsible and a poor piece of journalistic work by an irreparable

international news organization.

CNN, which touted its report as an exclusive investigative report, sadly relied on the same videos that are being circulating on social media

without verification. This is very serious, and CNN should be sanctioned for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELBAGIR: Of course, Becky, that is simply not true. We used videos and images that we were able to verify. We received them firsthand from

contacts, witnesses, family members. We interviewed a family member who had been searching for his brother for days at that point, weeks.

We were able to at least help provide him with some closure which the Nigerian federal authorities had not been able to provide. The press

conference was contradictory and during the conference the minister said that the federal government was satisfied with the actions of the military

and the police on night of October 20th.

That's actually ahead of the findings of its own judicial panel and those that we're speaking to are incredibly worried about what that means for the

findings of that panel, does that not exert pressure on the panel to exonerate members of the military and the police?

Of course, all this is happening while people are still searching for loved ones, still grieving the ones they lost and people are still no closer to

answers, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nima, I spoke to the Lagos State Governor in the aftermath of the Lekki protests and incident. Have a listen to some of what he told me at

that time.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ANDERSON: How many people died at the Lekki Toll Gate and who was responsible for those deaths?

BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU, LAGOS GOVERNOR: The number of deaths that we can attribute directly to the unfortunate very horrific very condemnable

incident of last week Tuesday at Lekki was only two, two dead bodies.

ANDERSON: Who ordered that peaceful protest at the Lekki Toll Gate? Who ordered people to be shot and which branch of security services carried out

the shootings?

SANWO-OLU: It seems to me that there will be many military uniforms but it completes that there are military uniform and so it will be military

officers or soldiers as it were.

ANDERSON: So you're saying that it was military officers who ordered peaceful protesters to be shot at the Lekki Toll Gate?

SANWO-OLU: Yes. That's - they were there. That's what the footage shows.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

ANDERSON: This was a head of the judicial hearing that is being promised and I asked the Governor whether he was determined that there would be

accountability. He said, yes. What do we know about the current status of those hearings?

[11:05:00]

ELBAGIR: Well that interview, Becky, we understand sent shock waves through the very highest of Nigeria's government and since then federal authorities

have backtracked the brigadier who gave evidence to the judicial panel, said that the two deaths were deaths from blunt instruments and that those

injuries were not sustained at the location at Lekki Toll Gate.

And this is what we have seen, different factions in the government are saying different things and none of those people on the ground who were

desperate for answers are receiving them even today as the Minister of Information was telling at that press conference.

The coroner in Lagos put an ad in the newspapers in the local press asking for family members to come and try to identify bodies. Even as the

Information Minister - was denying that there had been any deaths. It is incredibly concerning for the people of Nigeria and frankly in the

international community Becky because it worries them that there will be really any accountability.

What you saw there, what you managed to extract from the Lagos State Governor is the closest that any government official has come to admitting

wrongdoing and since then we have reached out to Lagos state authorities and refused to give us any comment, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nima Elbagir on the reporting, Nima thank you. And a reminder in Nigeria, thousands of young people have been protesting against police

brutality as part of a largely peaceful movement. It's called "End SARS" and the SARS acronym is one used for a certain police squad as it were.

But on October 20th, these protests turned deadly as the army and police moved in on unarmed civilians. The Nigerian army has called these

allegations that it fired into the crowd as you have heard fake news and told a judicial panel of inquiry that it did not shoot at any civilian but

Nima's investigation can reveal that is not true.

This is Nima's report. For those of you who that didn't see it last night, some of the images you are about to see may be disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have killed him.

ELBAGIR: The Nigerian government denies this happened. A peaceful protest turned deadly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The police killed. We were peaceful. They came and start shooting at us.

ELBAGIR: CNN investigated the events at Lekki Toll Gate the night of October 20th in Lagos, Nigeria. After analyzing hours of footage. We are

going to tell a story that's radically different than the one the authorities are telling.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Peaceful protests. Wave the flag.

ELBAGIR: This is - he was one of the demonstrators having fun live streaming the event. He like many others gathered in a peaceful

demonstration of discontent after weeks of protests against what they called systemic police brutality and corruption.

What - and the protesters did not know is that the army is already on its way. This is Bonnie Camp, a military garrison on the south side of Lagos.

We know through analyzing footage they left at 6:29 pm heading towards Lekki Toll Gate.

We can see here the Nigerian government forces approaching. The protesters are gathered on the other side of the gate. As Nigerian forces get closer

you can see shots. 6:43 pm, we start hearing gun fire. We know this from the timestamp and data on this video. Here's another angle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're releasing fire. They're releasing fire.

ELBAGIR: Nigerian authorities say they fired blanks into the air and not at protesters. But CNN obtained video that appears to show the army shooting

toward the crowd. Here and at the top of your screen here. In the midst of the chaotic scenes is DJ Switch. A Nigerian celebrity and activist, she is

broadcasting live on Instagram.

SWITCH: I wanted people to see what was happening. I didn't want anyone to come and twist the story.

ELBAGIR: Witnesses tell CNN ambulances were stopped from entering by Nigerian authorities. You can see here people at the scene trying to

conduct CPR.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's expecting me how in this part of the world how do you go to a protest with blanks, with live bullets?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody look at this man. These are the bullets falling, falling on our side. We were dodging bullets.

[11:10:00]

ELBAGIR: CNN verified that these bullet casings are from live ammunition, they're of mixed origin, some are Serbian, this from 2005. Nigerian

military sources verify to us that these ammunitions that are currently in use by Nigeria's army and in collaboration with the Balkan investigative

reporting network we were also able to procure Serbian export documents proving that Nigeria purchased weaponry from Serbia for almost every year

between 2005 and 2016.

The shooting continued past midnight. Eyewitnesses tell us it wasn't just the army. At this point, they say police arrived and opened fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My hand is broken. My leg is broken. Police are still shooting at us. If I don't make it through the night, let it be known that

I died fighting for our freedom.

ELBAGIR: So why were live rounds used at a peaceful protest? Many family members of those still missing are asking that question. As they hunt for

answers or the bodies of their loved ones. Elijah's brother Victor was at the protest that night.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw that my brother Victor was shot at Lekki Toll Gate and enter into the office - I don't see him. We are trying our best just to

find him. There's no way to find him.

ELBAGIR: What we're about to show you is incredibly graphic, but it's also incredibly important. This is Elijah's brother Victor. The data in this

footage shows it was filmed at 1:04 am at Lekki Toll Gate and Elijah says he received a call about his brother's death around this time. This place

is Victor exactly at the location of the protest on the night witnesses say they were shot at.

This is important because Nigerian authorities deny anyone was killed at the scene. Since this incident CNN has contacted over 100 protesters and

family members.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They pointed the guns at us and started shooting.

ELBAGIR: We asked what they heard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard gunshots from behind the toll.

ELBAGIR: And felt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was shot and it went through my back.

ELBAGIR: Many are in hiding. Some have fled the country. CNN tried to share these findings with the Nigerian Army but received no response. Lagos state

authorities would not comment on our reporting until they said a judicial panel of inquiries presents its findings. The wait for answers here

continues. Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

ANDERSON: And a statement from CNN I will read, and I quote, our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched and we stand by it.

Well, moving on, decades of U.S. policy up ended in a single day America's top diplomat making history on what is a highly controversial trip. Mike

Pompeo just became the first U.S. Secretary of State to ever visit an Israeli Settlement in the West Bank granting the movement of an air of

legitimacy when the vast majority of the world considers settlements an illegal confiscation of Palestinian land.

Well, he toured this winery in the West Bank, that incident he named a red wine after him last year. Here's what Pompeo said earlier about the visit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: For a long time, the State Department took the wrong view of settlements, it took a view that didn't recognize

the history of this special place. And instead now today the United States Department of State stands strongly to the recognition that settlements can

be done in a way that are lawful and appropriate and proper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And high - provocative move declaring this is a part of Israel. His visit is symbolic but also has real life consequences as he announced

several big policy changes today. Products the U.S. imports from settlements will now be labeled made in Israel. Pompeo also declared a pro-

Palestinian boycott movement a cancer that must be eradicated.

Well, let's connect you with Oren Liebermann from his vantage point in Jerusalem. What should we make of what we have seen and heard from Pompeo

on this latest trip?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you chose an excellent sound bite there that we heard from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to give us Pompeo's

perspective and the angle from which he views all of this. He said the State Department didn't recognize the special history of this place

referring to the occupied West Bank.

It says if he's using a biblical justification in the special history, he refers to there to justify and move forward what he calls his view on how

the State Department should handle the West Bank and the Golan Heights?

[11:15:00]

LIEBERMANN: The West Banks of course the Bible refer to as Judea and Samaria with many significant Christian holy sites one of which he visited

the Baptism site of Jesus Christ earlier today and of course Jewish holy sites as well.

And that's what's important here from Pompeo's perspective, it is about the past, not only the biblical past but also the moves of the Trump

Administration in terms of recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights, Jerusalem, the capital, the Embassy and it is about the future of

possible Pompeo bid for the White House himself in 2024 in which case that bid will be driven largely by evangelical Christian support.

And that's who today's visit really speak to when he is talking about the West Bank is the biblical heart land of Israel. What Pompeo isn't too

worried about right now is the present, a present in which Joe Biden is President-Elect and President Donald Trump has lost the election, in fact

he hasn't publicly acknowledged that yet, in fact Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu only acknowledged it a couple days ago.

ANDERSON: But what he's done, of course, unprecedented, and at a time when we have seen the normalization of relations between Israel and a number of

countries here in the Arab World, not least this of the UAE and part of the understanding there was that normalization would happen for a suspension,

for example, of annexation.

And there is a series of U.S. lawmakers who are concerned today about the creep of settlements, say congressional letters signed by dozens of U.S.

lawmakers says. And in part let me read this, it is imperative that in your warning two months - your waning two months in office human rights

violations and violations of international law continue to be forcefully rejected by the American government. It is the only way that a peaceful

comprehensive solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict can be achieved. I wonder how people there and around this region feel about the

implications, not only of Mike Pompeo's trip and what he saw and where he went today but of this creep as some see it as settlement building in, for

example, East Jerusalem at present?

LIEBERMANN: Well, first, it will be very interesting to see how, for example, the countries that have normalized relations with Israel, Bahrain

and the UAE react to Pompeo's announcement that goods from product to settlements can be labeled made in Israel, if they react at all. I suspect

there may be quite a bit of silence on that front.

But in terms of the time left Pompeo isn't looking at this as the waning days of the Trump Administration. For him it's full steam ahead regardless

of what happens in 60 so much days with the change of administration in the White House.

And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the rest of Israel's right wing government seems more than happy to go along for that ride in terms of

approving large numbers of settlements in the thousands in the waning days of the administration and it seems trying to get all that through before

it's a Biden Administration that would look far less kindly up on these sorts of decisions coming Netanyahu and the government.

In terms of the big one today was the idea that products produced in Israeli Settlements in area "C" could be labeled made in Israel and that it

seems diverges from the Trump Administration's own plan for peace where large parts of area "C" were to be set aside for a future Palestinian state

if and when Palestinian leaders decided to reengage on some sort of political process.

Well, Pompeo simply ignored that part of the peace plan and went ahead saying yes, all of area "C" which is some 60 percent of the West Bank can

be called simply made in Israel in terms of product produced in settlements.

It seems Pompeo went beyond not only some of Israel's own policies but the Trump Administration's vision for here and we'll see if that has any impact

on normalization or the relationship between Israel and the Arab states especially since Bahrain's Foreign Minister was here yesterday.

ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem for you folks, Oren, thank you. Ahead on the show for the first time in months new cases of COVID-19 in

Europe are down. But deaths in the region I'm sorry to say are still climbing. We'll have the World Health Organization's latest report for you.

And also coming up, drug makers making the final sprint to what they believe are having Coronavirus vaccines approved in the United States and

one of them exclusively tells CNN his company is already working on a 2.0 version. Plus--

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. ANGUS CAMPBELL, AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE CHIEF: I sincerely and unreservedly apologize for any wrongdoing by Australian soldiers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The Head of the Afghani Independent Human Rights Commission talks to CNN after that top Australian General apologizes to Afghanistan for

alleged war crimes by Australian forces.

[11:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, the Europe's latest COVID lockdown approach does seem to be paying off, some conditions across the continent are seeing their first

decline in cases in more than three months. The World Health Organization reports cases in the region dropped by 10 percent during in the past week

after many countries tightened restrictions.

Germany's seven-day moving average of new cases you can see is lower than it has been all month as is the UK's as you can see here but it isn't all

encouraging news. Deaths are still climbing after the case spikes we saw weeks ago.

But there is some encouraging news. Drug makers are approaching the finish line in the development of Coronavirus vaccines, too within striking

distance for emergency approval in the U.S. after very encouraging results in Phase III trials.

One comes from Pfizer and the German Company BioNTech the other from U.S. based Moderna. The CEO of BioNTech sat down for an exclusive interview with

CNN and he told my colleague Fred Pleitgen the company is already working on an improved version of the vaccine that will be easier to distribute.

Have a listen.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, some potentially really good news coming from German vaccine maker BioNTech and

from Pfizer companies are announcing some really good data in their Phase III trials 95 percent efficacy and also over 94 percent efficacy in older

age groups of people above the age of 65.

Now in our exclusive interview the CEO of BioNTech told me that they're going to apply for emergency use authorization with the FDA this Friday.

Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

UGUR SAHIN, CEO, BIONTECH: We might get an authorization or conditional approval already in 2020 which might help us to start this distribution of

the first vaccine batches already in 2020. Our goal is to supply several hundred million of doses in the first four to five months in 2021. This

will have an impact beginning impact on the control of COVID-19.

PLEITGEN: Are you confident that these vaccines are now, or the existence of these vaccines signals the beginning of the end of the pandemic?

SAHIN: I am confident if everything goes well and if we have a well- organized vaccine supply that we could have a normal winter 2021, normal summer and winter 2021.

PLEITGEN: I want to go into the logistics a little bit because there were some questions. Obviously, your vaccine needs to be stored at minus 70 to

minus 75 degrees and there are some who say that it makes the shipping quite difficult of it. How do you feel about that?

[11:25:00]

SAHIN: Since the development was so fast, yes, we were not able to work out better conditions. So better conditions or more stable conditions are under

consideration and we are working on a formulation which could allow us to ship the vaccine even maybe at room temperature.

PLEITGEN: The data that you released today showed very good efficacy in older people because they're obviously some of the most vulnerable. Can you

walk us through how important that is?

SAHIN: Now we see we have an overall efficacy of 95 percent and in elderly people we have more than 94 percent so that means there's no difference.

Yes? There is no difference between the age, different ages and there is no difference between the ethnicities which makes, of course, pandemic supply

and control very, very, very efficient.

PLEITGEN: Now, I know that you said at the very beginning that you believe that making this vaccine is a duty. How do you feel about that now?

SAHIN: Now, with our first product, most likely being approved in the next few months we are accomplish one of our dreams to enable something that we

developed could be used by people worldwide and could be helpful to control a disease.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

PLEITGEN: So, if everything works out for BioNTech and Pfizer they could be putting a lot of vaccine on the market in the not too distant future. In

fact, the two companies are saying that they could supply up to 50 million doses of their vaccine this year and up to 1.3 billion next year.

ANDERSON: That's Frederik Pleitgen reporting for you. Coming up, a top Australian General apologizes to Afghanistan for dozens of unlawful

killings allegedly by Australian Special Forces. That disturbing report is ahead as we go inside the BBC investigation into what was its famous

interview with the late Princess Diana, why her son Prince Williams says he welcomes the probe?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, top Australian General is apologizing after a long-awaited investigation found evidence of unlawful killings by some special forces

sent to Afghanistan. Now, the report on suspected war crimes says 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners were killed between 2009 and 2013.

General Angus Campbell said there had been a warrior culture among some troops. The report could make way for criminal investigations.

[11:30:00]

ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Ivan Watson tracking developments for you, connecting all of this tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: I sincerely and unreservedly apologize for any wrongdoing by Australian soldiers.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): An apology to the people of Afghanistan from the Commander of the Australian

Military for dozens of unlawful killings allegedly carried out by Australian Special Forces during their operations there between 2009 and

2013.

CAMPBELL: Those alleged to have been unlawfully killed were all people under control, in lay terms, prisoners, farmers or other civilians. This

shameful record includes alleged instances in which new patrol members were coerced to shoot a prisoner in order to achieve that soldier's first kill

in an appalling practice known as blooding.

WATSON (voice over): The damning public inquiry alleges that 39 Afghans were killed under this rogue practice. Victims who were sometimes framed

with planted weapons to allow a cover-up of the deaths, the report states helmet cameras used by troops unintentionally resulted in the exposure of

at least one apparent war crime.

This helmet camera footage recently broadcast by Australia's ABC Network shows an Australian soldier firing three times at close range at an Afghan

man lying on his back. This more than 400-page report is the result of a 4- year inquiry ordered by the Inspector General of the Australian Defense Force.

The inquiry alleges that the elite's special air service regiment of the Australian Special Forces developed a toxic culture which led to "Blood

lust and competition killings outside the heat of battle".

CAMPBELL: A self-centered warrior culture, a misplaced focus on prestige, status and power.

WATSON (voice over): Afghanistan is Australia's longest war, nearly 40,000 Australian troops have been deployed there, 41 of whom died. Defense Chief

Angus Campbell says he accepts all of the report's recommendations including pursuing criminal charges of alleged war crimes against 19

soldiers named in the report, some of whom are still serving in the armed forces. He will also support the proposal to pay compensation to the

families of those who were killed.

SHAHARZAD AKBAR, AFGHANISTAN INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: To see that the Australian government has come out public with this, that the

leaders of the government has apologized to Afghans for the suffering caused, this sends the right message. It is not sufficient but it sends the

right message, so it needs to be followed up with immediate steps to ensure accountability and justice.

CAMPBELL (voice over): Australia is grappling with one dark chapter in Afghanistan's more than 40 years of near constant conflict, a war the U.N.

estimates killed or wounded nearly 6,000 Afghan civilians in just the first 9 months of this year. Ivan Watson, CNN.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, the woman you just saw in Ivan's piece is the Head of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission or the AIHRC. She tweeted

about the story saying and I quote her here, the big question at this stage is what about the Afghans? What about the Afghan victims and their

families? It is them that will be more shocked and will be more harmed.

Well, Shaharzad Akbar joins me now live from Kabul and we are very pleased to say that you can join us tonight. How are Afghans reacting?

AKBAR: Thank you, Becky. Of course, the publication of the report today - to settle down fully top on media but they're already Afghan media reports

earlier when there were news stories about the investigation and the response was anger. There was grief questions, demands for prosecution,

demands for accountability.

This doesn't have a lot of presence in Afghanistan. There are always allegations, rumors about the conduct of international forces but this is

the first time that there has been an extensive report so there is a whole range of emotions as also calls for accountability.

ANDERSON: Said in the wake of the report's release and I just want to quote you here. The AIHRC welcomes the investigation promised by the Prime

Minister Morrison and calls for the publication of the report and for the inclusion of specific recommendations on systemic reforms in Australian

security for the protection of civilians.

[11:35:00]

ANDERSON: And specific remedies focused on afghan victims, perhaps, you know, let's are quite frank, the most important people here. Have you

spoken to anyone from the Australian authorities about how victims will be compensated? What sort of accountability there will be?

AKBAR: I have spoken twice to the Australian Ambassador here in Afghanistan about the specific investigation also the need for compensation for

victims. The response has been positive that there will be outreach.

We have now called for creation of a specific unit focused on victims by the Australian government that as the investigation goes on and into

criminal aspect, criminal prosecution that there will be focused attention and outreach to victims.

I should say that not all victims will be easy to locate. Some might be in areas controlled by Taliban. Some families may have been victimized again

after the incidents that happened and then by the ongoing conflict so it's - the situation for civilians is heartbreaking in Afghanistan, Becky.

So anything, anything that can - that Australian government can do in terms of outreach will be very, very important and people will be watching it.

ANDERSON: Well, this is an opportunity for you to describe the situation for Afghans at present.

AKBAR: Unfortunately as the violent goes on, there are ongoing civilian casualties. There are also very disturbing trends. In 2020 Afghanistan

Independent Human Rights Commission documented that an increase in targeted killings of activists, of journalists, of religious leaders and this has

created an environment of fear and intimidation.

It has made it very difficult for activists, human rights activists or journalists, for human rights defenders to speak up. There is also, there

have been heartbreaking instance of attacks on a hospital and May this year later on an educational center and the latest attack on Kabul University,

on students who are studying.

So it was every day unfortunately brings bad news for Afghan civilians and the parties are not paying full attention to protection of civilians. So,

this is the context at which the findings of this investigation is being made public and it's when Afghan civilians feel unprotected, forgotten and

so it is very important that the victims are considered and are at the heart of any fallout.

ANDERSON: Expert Military Sociologist Samantha Crompvoets whose work sparked this war crimes inquiry also spoke out today. I want our viewers

just to have a listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMANTHA CROMPVOETS, SOCIOLOGIST: Well, I think that there unquestionably disturbing incidents that, disturbing because they were premeditated in

many instances. They were repeated and they were deliberate. I think it is historically the most shameful moment in our armed forces history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: She also says the report will force a rethink of Special Forces culture. I wonder whether you agree with that given the experience that you

have seen on the ground and whether you are hopeful of that.

AKBAR: I think there is definitely a need to look at the institution, at the systems in place and I do hope that that investigation, the report

really probes that kind of soul searching for the Australian forces, for the political leadership in Australia to tackle this and also to prevent

this from happening ever again.

I'm also hoping that this opens a conversation about the alleged violations of other forces in Afghanistan including American and British forces

because what was some of the reports that we have, we have about the violations are disturbing about these forces, as well, and they need to be

looked at closely.

There needs to be a broader discussion about moral responsibility, about human rights, about the conduct of military forces, international military

forces in Afghanistan and the culture that allows this kind of behavior going on for so long.

ANDERSON: And this should be, of course, before a sort of line is drawn in the sand as we see, of course, the announcement of the withdrawal of

troops, U.S. troops, from both Afghanistan and Iraq.

[11:40:00]

ANDERSON: Many I know in Afghanistan think it might impact the peace agreement between the Taliban and the government. What are your thoughts?

AKBAR: In terms of the U.S. military draw down, immediate draw down that President Trump is talking about, it will impact the peace process.

Unfortunately, I'm worried that it will impact the peace process negatively.

We need both sides to believe that negotiations are the best way for reaching an agreement, for ending the war. By withdrawal, early withdrawal

Taliban will be less convinced that they should spend time, energy and resources on the negotiating table because they'll see a military victory

more likely that will intensify the conflict that will intensify civilian causalities unfortunately.

So all these issues are interconnected and in the past one year Afghan victims have been mobilizing in organizations of civil site we have been

mobilizing to also tell international stakeholders including the U.S. as the key player to put pressure on both sides to agree to victims'

testimonies during in the peace process testimonies from victims of international forces as well as the Afghan forces and Taliban and other

actors in the Afghan conflict.

ANDERSON: Let's stay in touch. We wish you the best in the work that you are doing and we thank you very much indeed for joining us. I'm just going

to close this out, thank you Shaharzad.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke in an exclusive interview in Sky News Australia about this report where he threw his support behind

Australia's Defense Forces but did reiterate that allegations of war crimes will be pursued to ensure that justice is indeed served, he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MORRISON, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We look seriously at those issues, take them seriously and deal with them seriously to uphold those

standards and the members of our Defense Forces more than any other expect us to do that.

So, the very act of the Inspector General's report commissioned by the Chief of Defense Force is consistent with that standard. This report will

be received, it will be provided to an officer to specially investigate it to pursue any matters that must be pursued and can be pursued under our

rule of law and the justice is indeed served.

And these are the assurances that I have provided to the Afghan government that this is the process that we will follow. We will take this very

seriously and deal with it as Australians and the Australian rule of law. And the third point--

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister. Well, ahead on the show, running with sardines, how South Africa is protecting one of nature's

greatest biomass migrations. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: Call to earth is a call to action for the environment, to share solutions, to critical issues like global warming, deforestation and

plastic waste. Well, this week it is all about the food that we eat showcasing some of the remarkable people working to protect are

unthreatened fish docks in rivers of nations around the world. Well, today how South Africa is helping conserve one of the most spectacular marine

events in the world. Have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every year along South Africa's East Coast millions of sardines form one of the planet's greatest biomass migrations. This is the

sardine run, the greatest shoal on earth. Usually a major tourist attraction, this year South African Free Diving Champion Beth Neil was one

of the few people to capture this phenomenon due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm out of breath because on a run with the sardines. Here on the beautiful South Coast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This abundance of life creates a food source for many predators including humans. Studies show changing weather patterns caused

by climate change may threaten the sardine run. One breath at a time, Neil hopes to inspire others to appreciate this natural resource before it's too

late.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are seeing the beauty of the sardine run and seeing the beauty of the underwater world. People start to understand how

connected everything is. When you see something so beautiful and you're going to want to do more to want to protect it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Overfishing threatens shoals like this worldwide. The U.N. says one third of commercial fish species are being overexploited, the

sardine run passing through some of South Africa's marine protected areas where MPAs where fishing is restricted giving marine life a chance to

recover.

Since 2019, South Africa has significantly increased its MPAs due to the efforts of conservationists like Marine Biologist Professor Kerry Sink.

KERRY SINK, MARINE BIOLOGIST: We went from 23 marine protected areas to 42 now so that's from 0.4 percent to 5.4 percent of our ocean territory. The

target at the moment for South Africa is to be at 10 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Over 70 percent of the world's surface is covered by the ocean and according to protected planet, 7.56 percent of it is

protected with the International Union for Conservation of Nature calling for that to be increased to 30 percent by the year 2030.

SINK: Marine protected areas are important so that we can have options in the future. They help us to sustain our fisheries.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Professor Sink also pioneered the country's first sustained seafood initiative in partnership with the WWF. The platform was

created to help consumers make more educated choices about the seafood they eat.

SINK: The reason why it's really important to manage fisheries well is because if we do that we can fish forever.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As mounting pressures on ocean resources continue to take their toll, South Africa's efforts in marine protection and

sustainable fishing offer a glimmer of hope to the life under the ocean and the people that depend on it.

SINK: In a world with increasing pressure and increasing industrialization of the ocean in a time of climate change where there is even more

uncertainty and you need that resilience and that's why we need to do everything that we can do to have healthy oceans and healthy fish stocks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And we'll continue showcasing what an inspirational story like that one as part of the initiative at CNN and do let us know what you are

doing to answer the call with the #calltoearth. We'll be right back.

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[11:50:00]

ANDERSON: I want to get you back to the fight against Coronavirus. While the world waits for a vaccine to end the COVID-19 pandemic, and look, we

are getting better news, aren't we? One airline right here in the UAE is already ramping up its preparations to help distribute that or those

vaccines. CNN's John Defterios spoke with the Emirate's President Sir Tim Clark.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

TIM CLARK, EMIRATES AIRLINE PRESIDENT: We saw an opportunity to create a hub both in this airport and the Dubai World Central and that's what we

did. So fortunately we are now in a position that with our fleet of aircraft including all the freighters that we can now create a hub for all

these vaccines and then distribute them to Africa, South America, West Asia, India, Pakistan and further East.

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGIN MARKETS EDITOR: So this is a global logistics on a scale you have probably never seen before. Are you well positioned as

a carrier and as a hub in Dubai to deliver on that?

CLARK: I think we are better positioned as a carrier. I think we are better positioned as a hub to deal with the scale of things. A lot of other

airports in countries and airlines can deal with them on a smaller scale. And no doubt they will.

But in terms of a logistical center of distribution, under the conditions that these vaccines have to be stored and, of course, distributed I'm not

sure there are many that really equal us in this part of the world, certainly sitting as you rightly say between the east and west major

population centers.

DEFTERIOS: Do you think that the vaccines that we are seeing coming out of the West with Moderna and Pfizer can prove to be the silver bullets?

Because of the expectations are so high and the test results are so solid.

CLARK: I can see no other way out of this pandemic and they have to be the silver bullet. We have got track and trace, we've got lockdowns, we've got

all sorts of protocols social distancing et cetera, et cetera but still in the West, in America, in Europe, it is rampant. Even under nine months of

all sorts of protocols to try and mitigate the risk of infection.

DEFTERIOS: So let's talk it through. What's realistic in terms of global distribution? You have the hub here set and ready to go. We're looking at

the second half of 2021 or the second quarter of 2021 on a global scale?

CLARK: No. I think if they do come out and we have got the logistics of the supply chain sorted, of course in Europe and America they can be road

transport, they can be the integrated - and all that. But once you're talking about this Trans-Atlantic and remote continent from the actual

production source of the pharmaceutical side of things you need to get all this sorted out and that's that in tandem with the scaling up of

production, in tandem with the scaling up of the supply chain, whether the ground and air, will take time.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

ANDERSON: Emirates preparations to distribute that all-important vaccine around the world. Finally, Prince William Britain's Prince William is

weighing in on the BBC investigation into the now infamous interview with his late mother. The Duke of Cambridge says the independent probe is a

"Step in the right direction to discover what truly led to the 1995 panorama interview with Princess Diana"

Now this investigation was sparked by accusations that the journalist Martin Bashir used dishonest tactics to convince Diana to take part. CNN's

Max Foster has the latest.

[11:55:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: The BBC's interview with Diana Princess of Wales was one of the biggest scoops in modern history. And it

propelled Martin Bashir to international stardom. This was the key line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, there were three of us in this marriage. So it's a bit crowded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The Princess was referring to her husband's affair with Camilla Parker Bowles and an insider working at the palace at the time told CNN

that the interview prompted the Queen to write to Charles and Diana giving her approval for a divorce.

Diana's brother Charles Spencer alleges in detailed notes reported in "The Daily Mail" that Bashir dishonestly convinced her to do the interview by

showing her forged bank statements which suggested that the palace staff were being paid by the security services to provide information on the

Princess.

The BBC has previously investigated these claims but it's launching a new inquiry headed by retired senior judge. The BBC's Director General Tim

Davey in a statement said that BBC is determined to get to the truth about these events.

And Diana's son William has welcomed the move. He said the independent investigation is a step in the right direction. It should help establish

the truth behind the actions that led to the panorama interview and subsequent decisions taken by those at the BBC at the time. Martin Bashir

hasn't commented. The BBC says he signed off work recovering from heart surgery and complications from Coronavirus. Max Foster, CNN, outside

London.

ANDERSON: Well, we want to end with a shot tonight that sends a powerful message of diversity and inclusion to the world. It's this particular shot

of New Zealand Police Officer Zeena Ali who is modeling works now an official option for police uniforms in the country. The Hijab, the head

scarf worn by some Muslim women and this one was designed with the help of Ali herself.

She says it means Muslim women who may not previously have considered policing as a career can now do so. You can put your minds to anything,

right? Dream big, aim high and never settle. Look after yourselves. Take care. It is a very good night from Abu Dhabi.

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