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Humanitarian Work Steps Up in Baghdad
Aired March 12, 2003 - 15:04 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: As the world prepares for war, life inside Baghdad grows more uncertain by the day.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson reports that humanitarian workers labor against unknown deadlines and it's anything but business as usual.
NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an effort to protect Iraqi children from going hungry in case of war, UNICEF, the U.N.'s agency for children, began distributing high protein biscuits.
CAREL DEROOY, UNICEF, BAGHDAD: No one knows first, whether there will be a conflict, secondly, how intense it will be and thirdly, how long it will take.
ROBERTSON: Uncertainty about the coming days is growing. Pushing UNICEF, and Iraq's Health Ministry, to act now to help the 400,000 malnourished children they say are at risk. In Baghdad's bird market, the same uncertainties are stifling business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's because of this current crisis, says this veteran pet salesman. You can see for yourself what it did to the whole market.
ROBERTSON: Privately, many here talk of the growing pressure brought on by the unknown.
(on camera): Unlike other areas in Iraq, U.S. aircraft have so far not dropped leaflets over Baghdad, warning the citizens of what the United States would like to do in case of war and rumors here about what could happen, if war starts played heavily on people's minds.
(voice-over): On television, video of Iraqi troops training for urban warfare reinforces expectations fighting in the capital could be fierce.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They cannot take Baghdad. They cannot take Baghdad. The people of Iraq are prepared to fight, to defend their sovereignty, their honor, their national interest.
ROBERTSON: Outside, government ministries, small sandbag bunkers are being built. For most, however, there is little they can do except wait.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad. (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 March 12, 2003 - 15:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: As the world prepares for war, life inside Baghdad grows more uncertain by the day.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson reports that humanitarian workers labor against unknown deadlines and it's anything but business as usual.
NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an effort to protect Iraqi children from going hungry in case of war, UNICEF, the U.N.'s agency for children, began distributing high protein biscuits.
CAREL DEROOY, UNICEF, BAGHDAD: No one knows first, whether there will be a conflict, secondly, how intense it will be and thirdly, how long it will take.
ROBERTSON: Uncertainty about the coming days is growing. Pushing UNICEF, and Iraq's Health Ministry, to act now to help the 400,000 malnourished children they say are at risk. In Baghdad's bird market, the same uncertainties are stifling business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's because of this current crisis, says this veteran pet salesman. You can see for yourself what it did to the whole market.
ROBERTSON: Privately, many here talk of the growing pressure brought on by the unknown.
(on camera): Unlike other areas in Iraq, U.S. aircraft have so far not dropped leaflets over Baghdad, warning the citizens of what the United States would like to do in case of war and rumors here about what could happen, if war starts played heavily on people's minds.
(voice-over): On television, video of Iraqi troops training for urban warfare reinforces expectations fighting in the capital could be fierce.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They cannot take Baghdad. They cannot take Baghdad. The people of Iraq are prepared to fight, to defend their sovereignty, their honor, their national interest.
ROBERTSON: Outside, government ministries, small sandbag bunkers are being built. For most, however, there is little they can do except wait.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad. (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
