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Aid Ship Arrives in Liberia

Aired August 18, 2003 - 13:44   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: No luxuries in Liberia. They're waiting for the basics, like food. An aid ship arrived in Monrovia's port today, but there's no telling when it's much needed supplies will reach tens of thousands of desperate, displaced Liberians.
Our Jeff Koinange says many of them are now calling the country's largest outdoor stadium home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Praying for a miracle in one of the continent's most violent countries. Liberians are welcoming something that many thought was impossible a few days ago -- the prospects of peace at last.

In the capital's largest football stadium, now home to more than 50,000 displaced Liberians, an outdoor church service provides the closest thing to entertainment for these desperate people.

But their enthusiasm belies their situation, for this stadium is now their bedroom, their dining room, their bathroom, and their kitchen. There's been no food relief here for more than a month. Many are reduced to eating leaves and insects.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm hungry. We're suffering. No food.

KOINANGE: Children, stomachs protruding, show advanced signs of malnutrition.

Aid workers, confident of the improving sense of security of the ground, insist help is on the way.

RICH MOBEANKO, WORLD VISION: I would say within a short matter of seven to 10 days, we should see a lot more aid coming in and capacity building up.

KOINANGE: That's little comfort to these starving citizens who have endured so much for so long.

As a war ravaged nation takes the first fragile steps towards some kind of normalcy, many here are hoping that when the food relief finally does arrive, it wouldn't be a matter of too little too late.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Monrovia, Liberia. (END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: If you'd like to learn more about this story, we invite you to go to cnn.com for the latest on the crisis this Liberia.

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 August 18, 2003 - 13:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: No luxuries in Liberia. They're waiting for the basics, like food. An aid ship arrived in Monrovia's port today, but there's no telling when it's much needed supplies will reach tens of thousands of desperate, displaced Liberians.
Our Jeff Koinange says many of them are now calling the country's largest outdoor stadium home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Praying for a miracle in one of the continent's most violent countries. Liberians are welcoming something that many thought was impossible a few days ago -- the prospects of peace at last.

In the capital's largest football stadium, now home to more than 50,000 displaced Liberians, an outdoor church service provides the closest thing to entertainment for these desperate people.

But their enthusiasm belies their situation, for this stadium is now their bedroom, their dining room, their bathroom, and their kitchen. There's been no food relief here for more than a month. Many are reduced to eating leaves and insects.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm hungry. We're suffering. No food.

KOINANGE: Children, stomachs protruding, show advanced signs of malnutrition.

Aid workers, confident of the improving sense of security of the ground, insist help is on the way.

RICH MOBEANKO, WORLD VISION: I would say within a short matter of seven to 10 days, we should see a lot more aid coming in and capacity building up.

KOINANGE: That's little comfort to these starving citizens who have endured so much for so long.

As a war ravaged nation takes the first fragile steps towards some kind of normalcy, many here are hoping that when the food relief finally does arrive, it wouldn't be a matter of too little too late.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Monrovia, Liberia. (END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: If you'd like to learn more about this story, we invite you to go to cnn.com for the latest on the crisis this Liberia.

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