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CNN Live Saturday
Miss World Pageant Moved From Nigeria to London
Aired November 23, 2002 - 17:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Organizers of the Miss World Pageant are moving it to London. They say it is simply too dangerous to stay in Nigeria after days of rioting. Reporter Tim Ewart (ph) has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIM EWERT, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Miss World contest was beset by controversy even before rioting erupted. Several countries had boycotted the event in protest at the case of a young woman sentenced to death by stoning by a Muslim Sharia court, her crime having a child out of wedlock. But it was violence on the streets which finally forced the pageant organizers to pull out.
In the town of Kaduna in the predominantly Muslim north, more than 100 people have been killed by rampaging mobs. A newspaper article suggesting the Prophet Mohammed might have chosen to marry one of the Miss World contestants triggered the violence and troops have been struggling to bring it under control.
Latest reports say more clashes have flared despite a curfew. When trouble broke out on the streets of the capitol Labuza (ph), Miss World organizers decided the situation had become too dangerous. The contest will now take place in London.
The authorities in Nigeria meanwhile will be left with the increasingly difficult task of trying to calm inflamed religious passions in their divided country.
Tim Ewert, ITV News, Johannesburg.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 23, 2002 - 17:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Organizers of the Miss World Pageant are moving it to London. They say it is simply too dangerous to stay in Nigeria after days of rioting. Reporter Tim Ewart (ph) has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIM EWERT, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Miss World contest was beset by controversy even before rioting erupted. Several countries had boycotted the event in protest at the case of a young woman sentenced to death by stoning by a Muslim Sharia court, her crime having a child out of wedlock. But it was violence on the streets which finally forced the pageant organizers to pull out.
In the town of Kaduna in the predominantly Muslim north, more than 100 people have been killed by rampaging mobs. A newspaper article suggesting the Prophet Mohammed might have chosen to marry one of the Miss World contestants triggered the violence and troops have been struggling to bring it under control.
Latest reports say more clashes have flared despite a curfew. When trouble broke out on the streets of the capitol Labuza (ph), Miss World organizers decided the situation had become too dangerous. The contest will now take place in London.
The authorities in Nigeria meanwhile will be left with the increasingly difficult task of trying to calm inflamed religious passions in their divided country.
Tim Ewert, ITV News, Johannesburg.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
