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CNN Sunday Morning

Afghans Hold Political Demonstration for First Time in Years

Aired December 23, 2001 - 09:18   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: In Kabul, Afghanistan, a call to order, as the new interim government rises to power.

CNN's John Vause is in Kabul. He joins us now with more.

Hello, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.

Well, today is possibly a sign of the urgency in the huge job ahead. The new interim leader, Hamid Karzai, called his Cabinet together for their first meeting. They gathered at the presidential palace. The top of the agenda, security for Afghanistan. They also said that they want to de-arm a lot of the warlords. And they need to look at issues like education, trying to establish some kind of civil service. But the top priority, law and order for the people of Afghanistan.

And this interim administration has six months to get its act together, to get things rolling. Now, also within that six-month period, this administration has to establish a central bank. Because without a central bank, there's no way of getting the billions of dollars of international aid into the country, which will be crucial to rebuild the shattered infrastructure here after so many decades of war.

Now, also on the streets of Kabul, today, one very encouraging sign. There was a political demonstration. That hasn't been seen for many, many, years. A small group; namely, a sort of middle class professionals, walking down one of the streets of Kabul towards the U.N. compound. Now they already show their support for the peace process and also for the new government. Not a very controversial issue, granted, but still a political demonstration, nonetheless. And, also marching alongside the men, there are a number of women. They're wearing burkas, but they are taking part in a political rally.

Now after that rally they met with a number of representatives of the United Nations, and what they did was pass on their thanks to the international community. They're at last taking an interest in Afghanistan. And, also there, there were pleas to the international community not to walk away, not to abandon Afghanistan again -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: That last point is a very telling one, indeed. Do you have the sense that people there are optimistic that this time around -- the U.S. and others, the rest of the western world -- will, in fact, infuse Afghanistan with -- with the money it needs to -- to build a basic infrastructure?

VAUSE: Cautious optimism, I think, is the best way of describing it. But possibly one of the best indications that we had today driving around the streets of Kabul, a very busy day today, a lot of people out. It seemed almost like a festive atmosphere. Admittedly, it was a fairly warm day here, compared to what it has been recently. But people were smiling, people are optimistic that finally, at last, that they will get the help that they need. That finally someone is taking an interest in their problems.

But there, of course, is always that -- that mode of caution that they may, once again, be abandoned. But this time they really do feel as if not just the United States, not just Europe, but the entire world is finally watching and looking and ready to have Afghanistan, ready to help it get back on its feet and once again become a nation and take its part in the international community.

O'BRIEN: All right, thanks very much, CNN's John Vause in Kabul. We appreciate it.

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