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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Alina Labrada

Aired November 25, 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Humanitarian aid has been slow to get to some of the refugee camps, and it is needed desperately.

Alina Labrada is the spokeswoman from CARE, and she's joining us now with an update on the status of the humanitarian effort in Afghanistan.

Thanks for joining us.

So disturbing to see these reports of the situation in Afghanistan. But first, with the surrender of the Taliban that we've seen over the last two days, one would think that it would be easier to get what you need -- the supplies into the refugee areas, but that's really not the case, is it?

ALINA LABRADA, CARE SPOKESWOMAN: No, it's not. Ironically, the situation has deteriorated in pockets and improved in other pockets. So it's still really difficult to get aid in.

In Kabul, for example, CARE is going to be sending in a convoy of supplies just to help people through the winter. We have food there, but these are blankets and warm clothing, things like that.

In other places where we work, like Ghazni, for example, the situation is much more insecure, and we can't get food in there.

CALLAWAY: You know, we see this video of the refugees, and one thinks that perhaps this was all brought on by the U.S. air strikes, but the situation -- the civil war has been going on for some time. And some of these images that we're seeing, we're getting for the first time because journalists are now allowed in to the areas where they were not allowed before, right?

LABRADA: Exactly. Afghanistan has been in crisis for years. This is just the latest phase. And if we don't invest long-term in Afghanistan, a year from now we'll be right back where we started.

CALLAWAY: You know, CARE is involved in water projects there in Afghanistan, and providing schooling for young girls ...

LABRADA: For young girls ...

CALLAWAY: ... and boys in Afghanistan. But on the long term here, what has got to be done now that -- with the situation that it is now in Afghanistan, what is the next move for CARE, and what do you need to do what you want to do?

LABRADA: For CARE and for other humanitarian organizations, the main thing is to be able to get in -- reach the people that really need our help the most. And for that, we need the situation to be far more secure and stable.

So we're hoping that the political process that's going to be starting in Bonn is going to help move things in that direction so that the Afghan people themselves can help to be responsible for their own safety and security.

CALLAWAY: Truly, the refugee crisis that we're seeing along the Pakistan border, where they have flown out of Afghanistan, is really not the worst, is it? It's those that are still in Afghanistan that are in the worst condition.

LABRADA: The people inside Afghanistan are people who had no resources left to move. They moved, perhaps, from the towns to a different town where they thought they might be safer; they moved from Kabul or Herat into the provinces. Now they're moving back because it seems like the cities are safer.

So they are the ones who really have no resources left, and the ones that we need to reach the most.

CALLAWAY: Alina, how difficult -- how hard is it for you -- I know you guys have been to Pakistan and to Afghanistan recently, to see these trucks filled with supplies and not be able to get to these poor children who are suffering there, not be able to get them to them just a few miles away?

LABRADA: It's heartbreaking. And we're moving as quickly as we can to try and get food and supplies in but, of course, then again the question is the security. And that's all tied in to the political process ...

CALLAWAY: Right.

LABRADA: ... and the government. There has to be some kind of control all over Afghanistan where the Afghans have a voice in it and make sure that things are safe enough for aid agencies to help so that Afghanistan can rebuild.

CALLAWAY: But CARE is not fleeing. We should say, you've got some 400 CARE workers in Afghanistan working right now.

Is there fear that you're hearing from them of the situation there?

LABRADA: There's not fear from them. What they're hearing is fear from the people that we're working with that the situation might become so unstable that it would resemble 1992, 1994 when there was so much fighting going on between the different warlords. That's what they're afraid of.

CALLAWAY: I know CARE is keeping close eye on the situation there. Good luck to you in...

LABRADA: Thank you so much.

CALLAWAY: ... your endeavors, and let's hope the situation clears up in the next week or so...

LABRADA: I hope so too.

CALLAWAY: ... and you can get through before winter.

Alina Labrada, thank you for joining us, with CARE.

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