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Contestants Vying for Miss World in Ugly Debate Over Riots

Aired November 25, 2002 - 14:38   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Contestants vying for the Miss World title have beauty, poise and talent. They're also at the heart of an ugly debate over rioting in Nigeria. Organizers of the pageant say they're not to blame for the more than 200 deaths caused by religious riots.
CNN's Robyn Curnow is in London where the contest will now be held.

Hi, Robin.

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Well, it was 84 displaced beauty queens from the Miss World contest that touched down here in London this weekend. And it seems to be a case of all dressed up and nowhere to go. Because not only has the pageant moved to London, it also has to provide a show on the 7th of December, the grand Miss World finale for 130 countries that have bought the television rights to this. But, there's no venue as of yet and there's no sponsorship. Huge organizational problems two weeks ahead of this show for the organizers of the Miss World.

Obviously, also, great concerns over the reasons for their move from Nigeria to London. More than 200 people killed in rioting between Christians and Muslims in the north of Nigeria, sparked off by an article written in one of the newspapers in Nigeria which suggested that the Prophet Muhammad, if he were alive, might want to marry one of the Miss World contestants, this hugely sensitive during the holy month of Ramadan, causing riots, killings and general mayhem in Nigeria and causing, of course, great embarrassment for the Nigerian government, as well as great concern for the safety, at the time, of the Miss World contestants.

PHILLIPS: Live from London, Robyn Curnow, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Riots>


Aired November 25, 2002 - 14:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Contestants vying for the Miss World title have beauty, poise and talent. They're also at the heart of an ugly debate over rioting in Nigeria. Organizers of the pageant say they're not to blame for the more than 200 deaths caused by religious riots.
CNN's Robyn Curnow is in London where the contest will now be held.

Hi, Robin.

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Well, it was 84 displaced beauty queens from the Miss World contest that touched down here in London this weekend. And it seems to be a case of all dressed up and nowhere to go. Because not only has the pageant moved to London, it also has to provide a show on the 7th of December, the grand Miss World finale for 130 countries that have bought the television rights to this. But, there's no venue as of yet and there's no sponsorship. Huge organizational problems two weeks ahead of this show for the organizers of the Miss World.

Obviously, also, great concerns over the reasons for their move from Nigeria to London. More than 200 people killed in rioting between Christians and Muslims in the north of Nigeria, sparked off by an article written in one of the newspapers in Nigeria which suggested that the Prophet Muhammad, if he were alive, might want to marry one of the Miss World contestants, this hugely sensitive during the holy month of Ramadan, causing riots, killings and general mayhem in Nigeria and causing, of course, great embarrassment for the Nigerian government, as well as great concern for the safety, at the time, of the Miss World contestants.

PHILLIPS: Live from London, Robyn Curnow, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Riots>