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American Morning
Nobel Laureate Discusses Efforts at Peace
Aired June 12, 2001 - 10:41 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: Another country plagued by internal strife and international scrutiny is Northern Ireland.
Our next guest won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to stop the violence in her homeland. Betty Williams joins us this morning, from Washington.
It's our pleasure and honor to have you with us this morning.
As I understand it, you now live in the United States.
BETTY WILLIAMS, NOBEL LAUREATE: I do.
Good morning.
HARRIS: Good morning. Glad to have you with us, as I said.
Now, the situation there in Northern Ireland has not been at the top of our newscast for some time. Can you give us a quick update of how things are right now?
WILLIAMS: It's like every other newly formed peace alliance: The politicians have a wee habit of sort of posturing at one another. It takes awhile for things to -- changing a law and putting the law into effect are two different things. It's the same with a peace: It takes awhile for it to take hold, but I don't see any great difficulty in the future in Northern Ireland, in sustaining the peace as long as the politicians keep talking, and that's happening.
HARRIS: That's got to be very good news for your pet issue, which is the plight and condition of children there, correct?
WILLIAMS: Absolutely. It's just not Northern Ireland. My work began in Northern Ireland, but it's worldwide now. The suffering of the children in our world is absolutely appalling.
HARRIS: Which is why you are there at the Prophets of Peace Conference. What exactly is it that you hope this conference will accomplish to that end?
HARRIS: Well, I think we talked about a few issues last night that need to be spoken about. President Arias of Costa Rica is very upset at the moment, and we all know why. This nuclear build-up once again from Washington, D.C. is absolutely insane. What we're going to do now is nuclear into space, and God only knows what will happen if something goes wrong; it doesn't even bear thinking. And we're going to be forcing the Russians to do things we don't want them to do. These policies are insane, and someone has to say that right outloud.
HARRIS: If I want to play an advocate here, others would say that those policies reflect a reality, a reality that exists right now on this planet, and that is to say that these things should be totally dismissed, or wiped off of the map, if you will, is unrealistically idealistic on your part.
WILLIAMS: I don't think so, Leon. I hear constantly from governments that they're doing build-ups, build-ups of weaponry, and they call it defense, to which I reply, No doubt the dead and dying are very gratified that you're defending them so well. Let's get on with helping the living, and not keep on doing death and destruction. We need to begin thinking, governmentally, about life and creation, and not by death and destruction.
HARRIS: But doesn't that seem to be a rather broad leap to take, to go to straight to something like nuclear proliferation, when you're talking about the plight of children, when there are so many different ground-level things that should be done, to feed children, to provide medicine for them around the world, and to stop wars in places that are ravaging families and normal and natural lifestyles -- correct?
WILLIAMS: That's what I'm telling you. Right here in the United States of America, you have 30 million hungry people. Eleven million of those are children. Now, why do we talk about arms and ammunition in the United States of America? Why can't we feed the children right here at home, and then we go out in the world as the world's policeman.
That's not right either, Leon, and that's got to stop. We've got to look at our own backyard and not keep attacking other countries that we disagree with.
HARRIS: Well, it's amazing that anyone could disagree with someone who wants to do so much for children. Betty Williams, we thank you so much for your time this morning. We have to move on, but we certainly wish you luck.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
HARRIS: Take care.
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