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CNN Live At Daybreak

Doctors Without Borders Returns to Herat; Experiencing Problems Around Kabul

Aired November 16, 2001 - 05:15   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, back to Islamabad, Pakistan now for more information about the refugees that have been displaced by the thousands by this military campaign.

Joining us now is Tim Pitt. He's with Doctors Without Borders, a group that is just now making its way back into some towns and some areas that it had been forced to leave when the bombing campaign got hot and heavy.

And Tim Pitt, thank you for taking time to talk with us again. We know you have to go. We know you're busy, but we want to get an update because we talked with you a couple of days ago after your people had just gotten back into Mazar-e-Sharif and we understand now you've just gotten people back into Herat. Can you give us an update on the situation there and how it's different from -- if it is -- from how it was when your people had to leave?

TIM PITT, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: Well, the situation in Herat is generally quiet and stable. Our team was able to get in yesterday in the late afternoon local time. They immediately went to the hospital, where we had been working previously. We found there in the hospital about 82 civilians who had been war wounded and our teams are now making treatments there, assessments of the area and we're trying to move outside the city, as well.

Getting into the city is one step, but it's getting into the outlying areas, that's really where we need to go and find the people in need.

HARRIS: Let me ask you about a report that I've heard that even though the Northern Alliance has gotten its way against -- has managed to take control of the area and push the Taliban out, that may not necessarily be an automatic good thing for humanitarian groups like yours. We understand some of the local war lords, according to reports, have been perhaps taking over control of these regions and actually, perhaps, interfering with the humanitarian efforts. Have you experienced that at all?

PITT: Well, in Herat, our situation is okay. In areas around Mazir, around Kabul there's been quite some difficulties. As you say, it's not entirely clear who's in charge. There seems to be a little bit of competition amongst some of the commanders. This makes the situation a bit more fluid, a bit more insecure and a bit more difficult for us to move around to make our assessments.

As I mentioned, we sort of specialize in this sort of situation. We have the access now to certain locations. What we need now is a bit more of a general secure environment in which then the assistance can get out of the cities, get into the outlying areas where we feel there are the most people needing the greatest need.

HARRIS: Well, how is that secure environment going to be established? Are you going to be working at all with or coordinating your efforts at all with the U.S.-led coalition to establish some security for you?

PITT: Well, Doctors Without Borders works entirely independently. We won't necessarily be part of any kind of a coalition effort. We will try and have contacts with all the military forces on the ground, make sure that they're aware of who we are, what we do, that we're not hostile, of course, that we're neutral on the political questions. We wish to be impartial to all the people that need the assistance and really the independence of our action and our neutral stance is what allows us to get in into these far corners and reach the people in need.

HARRIS: Tim Pitt with Doctors Without Borders, good luck to you and those you're working with. And please, stay safe. We'd like to talk with you down the road and see how things are shaping up.

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