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Connect the World
At War with Its Own People; Young Suicide Bombers; Felipe Calderon's Strategy in the War on Drugs
Aired May 11, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Crackdown intensifying -- as army tanks and snipers trawl the streets of Syria, the death toll skyrockets.
Escaping the terror -- harrowing stories from the lucky few who've made it out.
Also this hour, a beaded necklace that can also be a curse -- how this piece of jewelry can destroy young lives in Kenya.
And new royals, same headaches -- the curse of the paparazzi spotlight on Britain's newest celebs.
Those stories and more tonight, as we connect the world.
Well, at war with its own people -- after weeks of targeting protesters, Syria's military is turning its tanks on residential areas, shelling homes in cities at the heart of the anti-government uprising.
Now, human rights activists say at least 19 civilians were killed across Syria today in what was a widespread crackdown. Residents
Described terrifying explosions, gunfire, even sniper attacks.
Witnesses in one town say bodies are scattered in the streets, but people are too scared to retrieve them.
Well, Syrians were swept up in the Arab spring back in mid-March, inspired by successful revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. They, too, demanded more democratic freedoms.
But as Hala Gorani now reports, the Syrian government seems more determined than ever to smash an iron fist on their demands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Crushing dissent in Syria -- witnesses say tanks shelled the city of Homs early Wednesday, as Syria's military continues its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
Determined to fight for its survival, the regime is sending troops into protest hot spots, first Daraa, then Banias and now Homs. Hundreds are trying to escape the violence, crossing the border into Lebanon. Some are even fleeing on foot, carrying what they can in wheelbarrows.
Human rights groups say some 700 people have been killed since the unrest began in mid-March. Thousands more have been arrested.
HOUSSAM HAMADAH, SYRIAN ACTIVIST: The Syrian government, they're actually at war right now with the Syrian people. You will see tanks everywhere. Most of the cities, they have tanks, they have troops, special forces, the Republican Guards.
GORANI: Syria's state news agency said Wednesday two soldiers were killed by armed gangs. The regime blames the uprising on outside forces. But most in the international community aren't buying it.
CATHERINE ASHTON, E.U. FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: Let's be blunt and clear, as I was with the foreign minister of Syria yesterday. What's happening in Syria is a popular aspiration for democracy and the rule of law. It's not some foreign plot.
GORANI: The EU slapped sanctions on 13 top Syrian officials, but stopped short of acting against the president, Bashar al-Assad.
Hala Gorani, CNN.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, those who are fleeing to Lebanon are bringing some chilling stories with them, calling the army crackdown in Syria unbearable.
Rima Maktabi visited an unofficial border crossing today to hear the harrowing accounts.
Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIMA MAKTABI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We heard horrific stories from Syrians who fled Syria, most importantly, Talkalekh, which is a village just across this border behind me in Syria and from families coming from Homs.
We are on the west end, Allah-Arriba Crossing (ph). Some security members and forces for the Lebanese Army are just behind me to monitor this crossing. It's not an official one, but families are crossing here toward Lebanon to flee the unrest, about 25 families in this village around me here. And I've spoken to a couple of them. They told me about very sad stories from Homs and from Banias and Badahar (ph). One family said that they -- there were snipers on rooftops, army tanks, armored vehicles around their cities. People are arrested randomly.
They came here, women and children, but they left the men in Syria to defend their homes. And in Homs, one woman told me that shops are closed and the city is nearly deserted.
I saw so many people here, but they were afraid to appear on camera, the fear is so ingrained in their hearts. They don't want the Syrian authorities to see their faces and revenge their families and their countries.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Rima Maktabi reporting for you.
Well, you may remember that in Libya, the world feared a massacre early on, sending massive firepower to stop Moammar Gadhafi's forces from killing civilians.
Well, in the case of Syria, not only has there been no military response, but President Bashar al-Assad hasn't even been hit with sanctions.
So is Syria being held to a different standard?
And if so, why?
Well, our guest tonight is described by many as the only man worth talking to with regards to humanitarian interventions. He founded Medicines Sans Frontieres and has made a career out of giving a voice to victims of war.
The former French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, is on the line now.
Sir, you're certainly highly regarded.
Do you back the EU's decision to slap sanctions on everyone in the Syrian regime, bar the president?
BERNARD KOUCHNER, FORMER FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER: You're completely right. I was listening to your news. And, really, this is a very difficult to support. You are connecting the world. You are also necessarily connecting fraternity and help.
And we are not helping enough these people, the popular movement, the Syrian popular movement you were talking about.
Why?
I know that we are not in a position to -- to go to war everywhere. I'm not asking for a military intervention. But a political pressure, to - - just to implement, to forcing the promises, to implement the sanctions. And we are very, very low and not only low, but let's say, in a -- in a way, guilty of complicity.
ANDERSON: You've been around long enough.
Why do you think that the international community is so reticent to take serious action in Syria?
KOUCHNER: Two answers, very briefly. The first one is an official and a politically correct answer. Syria is a sort of key pieces of this puzzle of Middle East. And the -- the -- the place they are occupying is certainly very important for so-called stability in the Middle East. And as the -- the Israelis were not able, with the Palestinians, to set up a Palestinian state, which is the big mistake we were facing. Of course, the destabilization of Syria might be very dangerous, because this is close to Iran, the best ally of the Syrian government is Iran and all the consequences and Hezbollah and etc.
So this is the official position.
But the other one is more, let's say, uneasy to understand. There is two double standard in suffering of the people. Who we -- in fact, we don't know who are -- who are they, those who are demonstrating in the Syrian streets. Some are certainly part of Asidid (ph) and etc. Yes, certainly some people are close to -- to Saudi Arabia. I don't know these people. They are -- they must be considered as the fighters of democracy. Then we'll see after.
That's difficult, but of course another time, we are not, some of us, asking for a military, for troops on the ground and etc. Not at all. But to be a bit tougher, to say all over the world, that this is difficult and impossible to support, to consider the number of dead people should -- shooted in the street, etc.
ANDERSON: But is it...
KOUCHNER: That's my position.
ANDERSON: All right. I get -- I hear what you're saying. If you're not calling for military intervention, but you're looking for a tougher stance...
KOUCHNER: And the first...
ANDERSON: -- what would that tougher stance be?
KOUCHNER: -- (INAUDIBLE) would see. But we cannot just say stay out of -- let's say, I -- I'm not protesting because we -- we say it. I mean the international community just reacts on time. And we had the responsibility to protect Benghazi. Yes. And we did.
But for the rest, we cannot stay inert. This is impossible. I'm asking for the same consideration for Syria.
ANDERSON: Bernard Kouchner, we thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.
KOUCHNER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Because that is the European stance...
KOUCHNER: (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: -- and one that we've haven't heard...
KOUCHNER:
ANDERSON: -- enough of. We also want to hear Washington's perspective tonight. So I talked earlier with the former U.S. ambassador to Syria, Ted Kattouf.
I began by asking why the international community, as far as he is concerned, seems unwilling, at least in the first instance, to go after President Assad.
This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED KATTOUF, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SYRIA: Bashar al-Assad and his father before him have positioned Syria so that it has considerable influence in what happens in Lebanon, what Hezbollah does or doesn't do in South Lebanon and vis-a-vis Israel. A comprehensive peace with Israel, by definition, requires a Syrian-Israeli peace agreement. And Syria is also a player in Iraq and on the Palestinian front, through the Sunni Islamist organization, Hamas.
So they can do the devil's work, if you like, if they're not dealt with.
ANDERSON: In the big picture, sir, how important is what is happening in Syria to the sort of tectonic shifting of plates of ideology and rule in the Middle East as a whole?
KATTOUF: Well, I think it's very important because Syria has a mosaic of communities, much like Lebanon does, much like Iraq does. And we saw the horror that can occur when sectarian passions are unleashed in Lebanon in the '70s and '80s, and more recently in Iraq, after the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein.
And Arabs all over are -- are very, very worried and concerned about that particular genie being let out of the bottle again.
ANDERSON: I'm going to put you on the record tonight.
Is the international community doing enough to support the anti- government, pro-democracy protesters in Syria or may we look back in history and say we should have done more?
KATTOUF: The real question is what more can they do?
The are a whole range of sanctions that are on the regime in Syria, 13 or 14 officials close to Bashar al-Assad are no longer welcome to travel to Europe or the United States. Some assets are undoubtedly frozen. There are trade and financial sanctions in place.
So the real question arises, what can you do if you're not prepared to use military force?
And the Western countries are already overextended, particularly the United States. And nobody is going to go down that road.
ANDERSON: How about military force?
Can you see that any time soon?
KATTOUF: No, I cannot. And I think Bashar al-Assad is going to continue to hammer these protests. He's trying to restore the fear factor in Syria. You see many Syrians interviewed saying we're no longer afraid, we're out in the streets.
Well, I'm afraid, as cynical as that might be, if you're willing to shoot people consistently, day after day, when they try to come out of their homes to demonstrate, eventually, most of them are not going to come out.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: The latest out of Syria.
That was the former U.S. ambassador to the country, speaking to us here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
Well, up next, we're going to head to Afghanistan for you, to hear from two young boys accused of being would-be suicide bombers.
Plus, she was front page news as a bridesmaid, but now Pippa Middleton is battling to keep her private life out of the newspapers.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, bags and bags of cocaine seized from a ship in the middle of the night. The origin, Mexico. The destination, Australia, considered a gold mine for drug traffickers.
Well, this haul didn't get through, but thousands of kilograms do each year. Coming up, we look at how Mexican cartels are expanding their reach despite the war on drugs.
I'm Becky Anderson in London.
It's 16 minutes past 9:00.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
Here's a look at the other stories that we are following for you this hour.
Disputed claims in Libya over Misrata's airport. Libyan rebels say they've taken it, but government officials say it was only temporary. Capturing the airport would allow rebels to bring in aid flights.
Now, meantime, NATO says it's run more than 6,000 air patrols in the first six weeks of its mission in Libya. More than a third of those were strike sorties. NATO's secretary-general says the allied jets are, and I quote, "steadily degrading Gadhafi's war machine."
Well, Afghanistan is making progress in halting the use of child soldiers, according to a new U.N. report, at least. But Afghan authorities claim young kids as young as nine are being recruited as suicide bombers across the border in Pakistan.
Mohammed Jamjoom has this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The amulet around this 9-year-old boy's neck contains Koranic verses. He says it was given to him by a religious teacher to strengthen his faith, keep him safe and make him brave -- three years before that very same person mullah sent him on a suicide mission.
"He told us to go and put on bombs and explode and that we wouldn't die," explains the boy. "When we came to the border, we asked people if we put on bombs and exploded ourselves, will we get killed?"
They said, "Yes, you will get killed. So we returned to go home, but then we were arrested and they brought us here."
Here is Kabul's juvenile rehabilitation center, where the boy and his 10-year-old companion are being held. Afghan intelligence say they and two other boys were coming in from Pakistan to carry out suicide bombings, that they had been told Afghanistan was full of infidels.
Now their fates are in limbo. Afghanistan's government hasn't decided if they'll be charged and tried. Their detention might last days or could last years.
The center's director insists they're in dire need of help. But it's not that simple.
"We don't have any particular program for these boys," says Aziz Adalat Khan.
So far, the rehabilitation has been comprised of attending classes taught in a language they don't speak, sitting among boys far older, doodling and drawing while other students take dictation. "Unfortunately," she says, "we don't have any psychologists in the center to help these children and we really need one."
The boys seem to be coping as best they can. One minute they giggle, then feel guilty.
"We didn't tell our parents that we were leaving," says the boy. "We made mistakes."
And then there's the anger directed at the teacher they say put them in this position. "He cheated us," he says.
(on camera): Administrators here say these are minors, that, ideally, they should be set free. But they're also worried these kids are vulnerable and that, at least for now, they could fall into the sway of extremists teachings once more.
(voice-over): Boys whose faith in God was so strong, they would have given their lives now putting their faith in this country's justice system to give them their lives back.
Mohammed Jamjoom, CNN, Kabul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Osama bin Laden's sons say they are not convinced that their father was killed and they want proof. That message is in a written statement to "The New York Times." They also say if bin Laden did die unharmed and in front of his family, the United States has violated international law.
Well, a statement points out that one of the sons condemning the raid also condemned his father for spreading terrorism.
U.S. Senator John Kerry is being called in to patch up relations between the U.S. and Pakistan. Ties between the two countries, of course, suffered a blow over the raid that killed bin Laden on Pakistani soil. Kerry, who is considered a friend of Islamabad, will head to the country this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: Obviously, we work very closely with Senator Kerry. But as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he's -- he's also independent of us. And we're encouraged the trip he's making. We think it's important and part of the overall efforts by the United States government to continue our collaborative relationship with Pakistan and the cooperation that we've seen in the past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Anger in the streets of Athens, with thousands coming out to protest the government's austerity plans there. Police fired tear gas and arrested at least five people, we're told. There was also a general strike that shut down state services and disrupted transportation systems there.
Well, the Greek government, of course, is trying to slash budgets and bring the deficit down a year into what is a massive bailout.
Well, damage and debris in the streets of Spain -- a mangled mess of cars and shattered buildings after an earthquake along the Mediterranean Coast. Now, a local official tells Spain's national radio at least seven people died. The quake measured 5.3 magnitude by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Those are the latest news headlines.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
Still to come, Mexican drug cartels set up business further abroad, staking a major claim on Australia.
Is it another sign the war on drugs just isn't working?
And what's behind the brewing legal battle over photographs of royal wedding bridesmaid Pippa Middleton?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: A warm welcome back.
This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
I'm Becky Anderson in London for you.
Now, two years ago, Mexican President Felipe Calderon vowed to win the war on drugs by the time his terms ends, which is next year. But the bodies continue to mount and the drug cartels continue to expand their reach globally.
As Rafael Romo reports, one of the most lucrative markets for these Mexican gangs is now Australia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR:= (voice-over): In the middle of the night, a shipment of illegal drugs is confiscated on a ship off the coast of Australia, near Melbourne. Australian authorities say last year alone, 130,000 kilograms of cocaine were smuggled into their country. But what's more surprising is that the drugs come from half a world away.
JOHN LAWLER, AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION: In more recent times, Mexico and, more broadly, South America, has become increasingly an embarkation point for drug shipments into Australia.
ROMO: The new development is a concern for the Australian government at the highest levels. A report by Australia's crime commission says organized crime operating in Australia, including Mexican cartels, have competitive advantage. Mexican drug cartels are apparently attracted by the high profit margins of drugs like cocaine in Australia. A kilo of cocaine bought in Columbia for $2,000 U.S. is worth $12,000 in Mexico and $28,000 in the United States. By the time it reaches Australia, its price is $150,000 -- a whopping 6,000 percent increase over the total investment.
LAWLER: So you can see why Australia is such an attractive market for the criminals, because they're about making money. And making money at other people's expense and misery.
ROMO: Australian officials say they believe that more than half the cocaine sold in their country is smuggled by the powerful Sinaloa cartel and its leader, Joaquin Guzman, also known as El Chapo or Shorty. Guzman was number 41 in the list of the most powerful people in the world published two years ago by "Forbes" magazine, which also estimates his fortune at $1 billion.
The Australian federal police have had a presence in Columbia for years and now they're also closely working with Mexico.
BEATRIZ LOPEZ, MEXICAN AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA (through translator): The relationship that Mexico and Australia have built for 45 years after establishing diplomatic relations is solid and friendly and both governments are working to make it even better.
ROMO: Around 6 percent of Australians over the age of 14 have used cocaine at least once.
NATASHA EXELBY, AUSTRALIAN JOURNALIST: There's a fair bit of cocaine in Australia. It's -- it's a very common party drug. It -- it's everywhere and it's through all levels of -- of society.
ROMO: Australian officials say the global nature of organized crime is affecting people in both Australia and Latin America. In Australia, through the negative effects of drug addiction and in Latin America, and particularly in Mexico, because drug profits are making the cartels more powerful and violent at the same time.
Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: All right, well, with the growing reach of these cartels comes growing sentiment that Mr. Calderon's war on drugs just isn't working. On Sunday, thousands of protesters completed a four day silent march to Mexico City, demanding an end to the president's five year crackdown on drug trafficking. They were rallied by the Mexican poet, Javier Sicilia, whose son is among the 40,000 people who have been killed in violence that has erupted between rival gangs and the military.
Well, let's take a look at Mr. Calderon's strategy, shall we
Tonight we're going to call on the tactical expertise of Scott Stewart from global intelligence company, STRATFOR.
He joins me now from Pennsylvania in the United States.
The fact that these cartels, Scott, are moving further afield to countries like Australia, surely suggests that Calderon's war on drugs isn't working.
Is that correct?
SCOTT STEWART, STRATFOR: Well, yes and no. One of the things that we're seeing with this move afield is that it's -- it's also a symptom of the fact that these cartels are having problems moving their product into the United States, which is the largest market for illegal drugs in the world.
If you look at the size of Australia, while we talk about the -- the fact that the sale price is very high there, the market is still pretty small. I mean Australia has a population that's -- that's even smaller than the state of California in the US.
And so it's never going to be a huge market for the Mexicans. It's really more of a -- a secondary market, as well as -- as Europe is.
ANDERSON: All right...
STEWART: So in some ways, the fact that they're having trouble moving product...
ANDERSON: Sure...
STEWART: -- into the United States shows that they're having some success on the Mexican side.
ANDERSON: All right, let's -- let's take a look at some of the figures, shall we, because whenever we talk about illegal drug trafficking, the focus, of course, is largely on Mexico. The reality, of course, is that Mexico isn't alone. The scourge is finding deep roots in neighboring countries. I want to refer to the most recent report out of the United Nations, specifically figuring on drug arrests and murders in several Central American nations.
Take a look at this. In Guatemala in 2008, there were two drug trafficking arrests for every 100,000 citizens and 49 murders.
In Honduras, the scale was similar -- a small number of arrests and a high murder rate.
In El Salvador, the trend continues, with far more murders per 100,000 than drug arrests.
But look at Mexico. The scale is completely reversed there -- more drug arrests and far fewer murders now than you've seen across the other countries.
So doesn't that, to a certain extent, suggest that his -- his policy, which has resulted in a lot of deaths, we know and -- and made a lot of headlines, but doesn't it suggest that Calderon's policy, at least, is working in the region?
STEWART: Well, remember, too, that -- that Mexico is -- is a very large country, which is far -- with a far larger population than those Central American countries. So the level of violence is going to be skewed a little bit there based just on population.
But if you look at specific places where the violence has been most marked, places -- cities like Juarez, Acapulco, it's been much higher and the murder rates have been much higher than in Mexico as a whole.
ANDERSON: Sure. But I guess when you look at all of those figures, the ultimate question is this, does law enforcement work or not?
My sense is that it's not working.
STEWART: Well, the problem with the -- with Mexico is that it's beyond just law enforcement. It's not something that an institution -- it's not a problem an institution can really solve. It requires far deeper cultural changes to happen.
Even if you were to create a perfect, flawless law enforcement organization and drop it into Mexico today, it would be quickly corrupted. We saw that with the DOAN in Guatemala next door in the 1990s.
So, there need to be some very fundamental changes --
ANDERSON: Sure.
STEWART: -- with Mexico in the culture. There needs to be some serious leadership at the top before they can make the kind of sweeping changes that are required to really put this problem to rest.
ANDERSON: Decriminalization, taxing of profits, briefly? It's got to be an option, surely.
STEWART: Well, people talk about that, but I think if you draw a parallel to the bootlegging in the United States during prohibition, when prohibition ended, the mafia in the United States did not go away. Organized crime did not cease to exist.
These criminals in Mexico are very well-entrenched. They're involved in every kind of crime, from alien smuggling, cargo theft, oil theft, kidnapping, extortion, armed robbery. So, even if you take away their drug market, which it is by and far the most lucrative. But even if you take that away, they will continue to be dangerous and will continue to make money and be --
ANDERSON: All right. Scott, your expert tonight. We thank you very much, indeed, for joining us. Fascinating stuff.
All right. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN. The gift of a necklace may seem harmless enough, but for some young girls in Kenya, their lives will never be the same again. Up next, I'm going to tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: At just after half past nine in London, you're back with CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson here on CNN.
Coming up, the devastating reality behind a traditional practice in Kenya.
Then, the big wedding might be over, but that doesn't mean people around the world aren't still talking about the royal family. I'm going to bring you the latest on that.
And it's one of the world's greatest comedies, but who are the actual voices behind "The Simpsons" characters and cartoon?
That's coming up in the next 30 minutes. Before that, as ever at this point, I think you deserve a look at the latest headlines.
A sharp escalation of the anti-government crackdown in Syria. Human rights activists say at least 19 civilians were killed across the country earlier today. Witnesses say residential areas and some flashpoint cities were also shelled.
A government official says regime forces are back in control after Libyan rebels said that they'd taken control of Misrata's airport. The capture of the airport would be crucial to rebels by allowing for access to humanitarian aid.
Spanish media reports say at least seven people are dead after an earthquake rocked the southeastern part of the country. Damage is reported in the town of Lorca. US Geological Survey says the 5.3 magnitude quake hit roughly 350 kilometers south of Madrid.
And a hedge fund boss could face up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of insider trading. A federal jury in New York found Raj Rajaratnam guilty on 14 counts of conspiracy and securities fraud on Wednesday.
And finally, a pair of conjoined twins are in a critical condition after being born in China. The girls each have a developed skull, but share a single body. Their father told CNN that they are suffering from multiple heath problems and their chances of surviving, sadly, are very low.
It's a tradition that begins with the giving a necklace but can end with children as young as six being raped by their own relatives. In some, beading is a practice that's simply unthinkable to Kenya's Samburu tribe, it's part of their cultural heritage. But one woman is now trying to change that as David McKenzie now reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A rescue mission into remote Isiolo, Kenya, that activist Josephine Kulea has been planning for weeks.
Isiolo is home to the Samburu. Their intricate bead necklaces are an iconic image of the country. But for many Samburu, these beads signify a curse that can lead to rape, unwanted pregnancies, and sometimes, say critics, the killing of babies.
And Kulea has come to try and end it.
MCKENZIE (on camera): They call it "beading," and what happens is that a close family relative will come to the mother and father with Samburu beads and then "bead" the girl, place it over her head, and effectively, the adult man can have sex with girls as young as six.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): Kulea is rescuing girls like "Josephine," who is 12 years old and several months pregnant. We're hiding her identity to protect her. But she tells us she had sex with a relative. It's a rape sanctioned by the Samburu community.
Beading has gone on for as long as they can remember, but it's against the law in Kenya. And when they become pregnant, says Kulea, it gets even worse.
JOSEPHINE KULEA, SAMBURU ACTIVIST: Most of these girls, when their pregnancy's small, they are -- they end up getting an abortion, a cruel abortion, but once their lucky, some of them hide the pregnancy until it's big. Once they realize it's big and cannot be squeezed out, they let them give birth, but only to kill those babies.
MCKENZIE: Kulea says the girls have no choice but to kill the newborns or, if they are lucky, give them away to strangers. Samburu taboo dictates a girl like 14-year-old Nasuto will never be able to marry if she keeps her baby.
But Nasuto's father tells me beading is a way to stop promiscuity in young girls.
PHILIP LEMANTILE, SAMBURU ELDER (through translator): "This is our culture," he says. "It's part of us. We have been practicing it, and we accept that these girls should be beaded. And sometimes the girls just get pregnant."
MCKENZIE: But Kulea, a Samburu herself, says that this is a bad cultural practice.
KULEA: And for everyone, for any change that comes by, we have to have a start. And this is the start.
MCKENZIE: The start is traumatic.
(GIRL CRYING)
MCKENZIE: The girls are taken away from their families and put in a shelter. Their babies, sent to orphanages. But Kulea says staying would be a worse fate.
David McKenzie, CNN, Isiolo, Kenya.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. Well, beading is just one traditional practice where young girls are made to suffer. In African countries, such as Ghana, some girls are given away to shrines as atonement for crimes that they have committed by their family. Now, the kids are forced to work as slaves as part of a practice called Trokosi.
In parts of Ethiopia, abduction is a tradition where girls are kidnapped, raped, and forced into marriage.
Female genital mutilation is practiced across the continent of Africa, including Somalia, as well as parts of Asia. The procedure involves removing parts of a woman's genitalia.
And in India and in Nepal, the practice of devadasi sees girls offered to temples to provide services including prostitution.
Well, communities have been carrying out these traditions for hundreds if not thousands of years. To some, they are simply a way of life. So what, if anything, can be done to help protect a future generation of young women? Joining me to discuss that is Marie Staunton. She's chief executive of Plan UK.
And before we start, I just want to make the point that as two white Westerners, I don't want people here watching this to think that we are condemning out of hand cultural practices around the world because, of course, that is not our business.
But as we watched David's report and as I described what happens to girls around the world, there must be something we can do, surely.
MARIE STAUNTON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PLAN UK: Well, every culture has its own practices, but what children need is like the skins of the onion around them, protection of a family that protects them, of a community that protects them, of a government that has laws, as the Kenyan government does, to protect them.
So, the important thing that Plan, as a children's organization, does is work with local workers who understand the culture to say, what's gone wrong, why aren't those girls being protected?
So, sometimes, say example in child marriage, the girls are married much, much too young to older men because of poverty, because a family can't afford it.
Sometimes, you mentioned female genital mutilation, there are women who make their living through doing that, so then you have to look at the social economic causes, but you need to work with local workers who completely understand the culture.
ANDERSON: Because I hear what you're saying, but it is difficult to compete with, one, poverty, and two, such overpowering cultural beliefs, surely.
STAUNTON: But at the end of the day, parents want the best for their children, so take female genital mutilation.
If within a family, say it's a grandmother, who believes that actually if a child -- if a girl is circumcised, then she's going to have a better childbirth, then local workers need to work with that family, show them the evidence, find a different way of the women who actually do the cutting to make a living, work at that community level.
And then, also, as Plan has done in Mali, work with the government level, make it illegal, get the parliament to pass it, and use everybody who can help to create a world that protects those girls.
ANDERSON: And Marie, given that change can take generations, isn't it difficult at times or unfair at times to put this new generation of girls, sort of set them aside from what their communities had believed in for so long? Do you know what -- ?
STAUNTON: Yes.
ANDERSON: My point is this. That you can be -- you can sort of -- you know, they can be ostracized for not being part of the community for the reasons that you're suggesting, as it were.
STAUNTON: Well, the girls -- and in our Because I'm a Girl campaign, we're strongly making the point that the girls need the family and the community, so we need to change the world around the girls, not necessarily take the girls away.
So, I was up into Rangpur in Bangladesh not long ago, and a group of young people there who were campaigning for birth registration, one of those girls was being taken out of school and married much too young to an older man.
The girls and boys in that youth group went to the district administration and they got that marriage stopped, which was shocking to the community, but actually caused a lot of discussion within the community about, is it good for girls to go to school? Isn't it wrong to take this girl out of school.
So, yes, changing behavior, changing attitudes takes time. But actually, people do want the best for their children, and so it's what Plan has found, who all were working at that local, grassroots level, to change those attitudes.
ANDERSON: Do you see a significant change in attitudes around the world? I mean, we only listed a number of countries where there are issues. I know there many others. Bangladesh, various other places that you would suggest. Is there change for good, as it were?
STAUNTON: Yes, change can happen. And the leadership of that change, for example, that coming from the elders, people like Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan saying, actually child marriage is not a cultural practice that's good for girls. That leadership is really taking us forward.
And as a children's organization, we at Plan see every day communities moving forward and putting the future of their girls first. So, change can and it does happen.
ANDERSON: Marie, we thank you for joining us. Your expert on the subject tonight.
Ahead on this show, CONNECT THE WORLD, Catherine Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, wowed people around the world on her wedding day a couple of weeks ago. But a new star has also emerged, her sister, Pippa. Now old photographs of her are at the center of a brewing legal battle. We're going to have a look at those and more after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. Now, a controversial new documentary looking at the death of Princess Diana called "Unlawful Killing" is set to the premier -- or set to premier itself -- at the Cannes Film Festival this weekend.
Now, Mohammed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi, died in the accident, helped finance this venture. Dan Rivers takes a look at the documentary's claims.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The trailer for the new Diana documentary looks more like a Hollywood thriller. The film is being premiered in Cannes on Friday. The title, "Unlawful Killing."
The documentary pores over the details of the 1997 car crash that killed Princess Diana and examines whether she and her lover, Dodi Al Fayed, were in fact murdered.
These CCTV shots are the last video of Dodi and Diana on that ill- fated night, a night Dodi's father, Mohammed Al Fayed, says was the culmination of an establishment plot to kill Diana before she married Dodi. Mohammed Al Fayed paid for the documentary, which backs up his claim.
RIVERS (on camera): This documentary appears to be rehearsing the same conspiracy theories around Diana's death that many people here in the UK feel have already been discredited after more than a decade of various different investigations.
In fact, the only reason this film is getting headlines is, perhaps, because it uses graphic images of Diana's last dying moments, photographs that those who've seen them feel should never be shown.
SIR JOHN STEVENS, FORMER MET POLICE COMMISSIONER: I think it's appalling. We obviously investigated and know exactly what took place. We know everything about Princess Diana's death.
There are some photographs in existence, however, which we have possession of which should never, ever see the light of day. In all honesty and decency, that shouldn't happen.
RIVERS (voice-over): And those that actually knew Diana, like biographer Lady Colin Campbell, says the conspiracy theory is ludicrous.
LADY COLIN CAMPBELL, DIANA'S BIOGRAPHER: This lady's documentary that purports that Diana was bumped off by the establishment yet again, I think it's ridiculous. I think it's -- beyond ridiculous.
RIVERS: The documentary is directed and presented by British actor Keith Allen, who starred in films such as "Shallow Grave."
KEITH ALLEN AS HUGO, "SHALLOW GRAVE": So, I can have the room?
RIVERS: His documentary focuses on notes written by Diana predicting she'd be murdered in a car crash. The lawyer who represented the Al Fayed family at the inquest says there are too many unanswered questions.
MICHAEL MANSFIELD QC, LAWYER: I think as the parent of one of the people who died, you have every right to say "I want this matter pursued and pursued until we get the real answers."
RIVERS: The documentary has yet to get distribution in cinemas, but the producers say some of the claims in the film are so contentious that their own lawyers have warned them that if it was released in the UK, substantial cuts would have to be made to avoid legal action. Dan Rivers, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, mindful of how Princess Diana died, the British monarchy and the press are trying to establish boundaries in a new royal era defined by Prince William, of course, and Catherine, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
But the paparazzi are back in the spotlight. A legal battle is brewing over the publication of what are five-year-old photographs of bridesmaid Pippa Middleton, Catherine's younger sister.
Several tabloid newspapers have published pictures -- and they're not these ones, let me tell you -- of the 27-year-old dancing in a skirt and bra whilst on holiday.
The UK press complaints commission has confirmed it's received complaints from the Middleton family.
Well, joining me now in the studio is libel attorney Jennifer Robinson. What sort of case do the Middleton family have at this point, do you think?
JENNIFER ROBINSON, LIBEL ATTORNEY, FINERS STEPHENS INNOCENT: Well, they've filed a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission, which is a self-regulatory body which regulates the press. It's not a court action. It's been filed but it's been kept confidential as to the terms.
And the question is, really, of the breach of her privacy, established by the publication of these photos.
ANDERSON: How strong would their case be now post-Diana's death.
ROBINSON: Well, really, Pippa is not a public figure. Her sister, certainly, has -- is and will increasingly become so. The royal wedding was of global international media significance.
But the question's really, was her privacy breached by the publication of these photographs? In Europe, we have to understand that in Europe and the UK, there's a different standard that applies elsewhere, for example, in the US, with the first amendment. If you're photographed in a public place, then it's a matter of free speech that that can be published.
In Europe, it's different, and that's a result of the case brought by Princess Caroline of Monaco, and the ruling is whether you have a reasonable expectation of privacy, even in public. And they're arguing that the photographs taken on a yacht off -- moored off in Ireland, they had a reasonable expectation of privacy in that context.
ANDERON: Should Pippa expect, though, less media protection, as it were, or less legal protection from the media then, for example, her sister Catherine, who is now married to Prince William?
ROBINSON: Well, I think there's an expectation that once you're a public figure that there will be a heightened interest. But at the same time, the standard that's applied is the same. We've seen pictures, though, of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge as she now, published outside of Waitrose --
ANDERSON: Catherine, my love.
ROBINSON: Catherine -- pictured outside of Waitrose pushing a trolley. Now, they were published without complaint. And a lot of people have said that's because the PR image of her going about her normal life is actually good for the monarchy.
Whereas these photos strike a different balance. They were in a public place, and actually what it serves to do, many are saying, well, this is actually a strike across the bow to the British press.
It actually only puts them offside, because these restrictions do not apply to the global media. This is a global media event. And actually what it means is the British media is facing sanctions that the international media does not.
ANDERSON: Do you believe that the press, as we've been told or led to believe, will engage in a new era of sort of allowing some sort of privacy for the two -- for William or -- and Catherine, or is this just the fact that there's a demand out there for these shots, and as long as there's a demand, the paps will go after them.
ROBINSON: Well, I think that's absolutely true, they will go after them, and it's a sad fact of being a public figure. Whether that's appropriate or not is another context.
There are rules about the way in which the paparazzi can approach them. They cannot take photos of them through windows. They cannot go onto private property. And if they do, they may be subject to harassment claims.
And it's important that those rules are abided by. But unfortunately, it's a sad fact, and actually complaints before the Press Complaints Commission, I don't think will have any real effect on whether the paparazzi will do it or not.
It's a separate question as to whether it's right or not. But from a legal standpoint, it is very difficult.
ANDERSON: Jennifer Robinson, libel attorney, thank you very much, indeed, for coming in this evening here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
I'm Becky Anderson. He's been making mischief on television for quite sometimes, but where does he get his voice? We'll find out up next here on the show. Stay with us. We are 60 seconds away from "The Simpsons."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, the adventures of Bart Simpson, his family, and his neighbors have won an army of fans. In fact, "The Simpsons" show is broadcast, get this, over 60 countries around the world. But have you ever wondered who the voice behind Bart really is?
Well, she turns out -- she turns out -- to be a woman, and she is your Connector of the Day. Cat Deeley went to meet Nancy Cartwright.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAT DEELEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 22 years, Nancy Cartwright has lent her voice to the 10-year-old boy in one of the world's most famous families. I'll attempt to talk about Bart and some of the other voices Nancy does, but before we begin, there's a childhood trauma I need to resolve.
DEELEY (on camera): Of course, you are known for doing Bart, but you just mentioned Roger Rabbit. I have a bone to pick with you, Nancy.
NANCY CARTWRIGHT, VOICE OF BART SIMPSON: You do?
DEELEY: That character that you did, which was the little baby shoe, right?
CARTWRIGHT: Yes.
DEELEY: Terrorized me.
CARTWRIGHT: Was it -- eeeeee! It was just squealing, wasn't it?
DEELEY: How do you come up with how a character is going to sound?
CARTWRIGHT: What helps me is when I actually see a picture of what the character looks like. And if I can see the jaw, if I can see the teeth of the character.
DEELEY: Do you kind of change your method of how you hold yourself? Do you change --
CARTWRIGHT: Absolutely. Yes, you do, you can't help it.
DEELEY: Yes.
CARTWRIGHT: Because it is acting. It's a little bit suppressed, though because this would come off, the bling.
DEELEY: Yes.
CARTWRIGHT: No bling, because it's too noisy, you know?
DEELEY: Yes.
CARTWRIGHT: You can -- it picks up the tiniest little sound.
DEELEY: Dripping tap.
(LAUGHTER)
DEELEY: Right?
CARTWRIGHT: You have so done your homework.
DEELEY: Dripping tap! I knew that one! What's the other one? Man in a barrel!
CARTWRIGHT (in a cartoon voice): Nancy, get me out of here!
(CLAPPING)
CARTWRIGHT (in normal voice): This is more of a visual. It's not so much of a sound effect. (in cartoon voice) Get me out of here! (in normal voice) See, there he goes.
CARTWRIGHT AS BART SIMPSON, "THE SIMPSONS": Just when you think I'm out of ideas.
DEELEY: How did the whole Bart Simpson happen? Because you were originally going in to audition for Lisa, right?
CARTWRIGHT: Yes. Yes.
DEELEY: OK. So, what happened?
CARTWRIGHT: There was a green table. Matt was sitting like on a couch kind of far -- 15 feet from me. And I walked in, "Hi, Matt." Matt Groening. "Oh, hi, nice to meet you." (in Bart Simpsons voice) Well, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
(In normal voice) And his eyes, he was just like, "Whoa, that's him, that's Bart! You got the job!"
DEELEY: What other voices do you do on the show?
CARTWRIGHT: One of my favorite ones is Nelson. (in Nelson Munce voice): Hello, this is Nelson Mandela Munce. May I have your attention please.
CARTWRIGHT AS NELSON MUNCE, "THE SIMPSONS": We had a tall, freckle- faced kid that we picked on until he quit. Hey, splatter face! How's the weather up there?
CARTWRIGHT: Ralph Wiggum. (in Ralph Wiggum voice) He's like, it doesn't matter what he says, it's -- I don't know. When I grow up, I want to -- I want to be a principal or a caterpillar.
YEARDLEY SMITH AS LISA SIMPSON, "THE SIMPSONS": Managers manage and players play.
CARTWRIGHT AS RALPH WIGGUM, "THE SIMPSONS": Do alligators alligate?
LISA: I don't know! Yes!
RALPH: I'm scared!
CARTWRIGHT (in Bart Simpson voice): It's very easy just to slip into a voice -- (in Nelson Munce voice) -- and start doing it. (in normal voice) I mean just -- that's how I do it.
Oh, this is Chuckie, I love Chuckie!
DEELEY: Oh! Give me a bit of Chuckie!
CARTWRIGHT (in Chuckie Finster voice from "The Rugrats"): This is Chuckie. You know, I just hope there aren't any clowns here. Are there any -- I don't like clowns.
(in normal voice) Up here is another one that I really just love, that's signed by Michael Jackson.
DEELEY: Wow.
CARTWRIGHT: And he -- yes, he was a 300-pound white insane man. And working with him, he did do the Bart Man.
DEELEY: Yes, I was going to say --
CARTWRIGHT: Yes.
DEELEY: -- did he still remember any steps?
CARTWRIGHT: Do the Bart Man?
DEELEY: Yes.
CARTWRIGHT: Oh, yes! I'm not going to do it for you right now.
(CROSSTALK)
DEELEY: Come on --
CARTWRIGHT: No, I'm not going to do it for you right now.
DEELEY: I've seen a bit and --
CARTWRIGHT: You do it!
DEELEY: "Yo. Hey, what's happening, dude? I'm a guy with a rep to be mean" --
CARTWRIGHT (in Bart Simpson voice): "Terrorizing people wherever I go, it's not intentional, just keeping the flow. Good!"
DEELEY: "Fake some test scores to get the best scores, dropping banana peels all over the floor. I'm the guy who thinks you might be seeing, last name Simpson" --
CARTWRIGHT (in Bart Simpson voice): "First name Bart!" High five, you're amazing!
(LAUGHTER)
CARTWRIGHT (in Bart Simpson voice): Security. Get security up here right now.
DEELEY (voice-over): Cat Deeley, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Just got an e-mail from somebody from Argentina. Jorge says, "Hello, Becky. In Argentina, we watch "The Simpsons" dubbed in Spanish, but it's Mexican Spanish, so Bart speaks like a Mexican teen from Mexico City."
Well, what can I say? Not as good, I think, Jorge. Enjoyed that immensely.
All the attention was on Microsoft yesterday, of course, with its pricey purchase of Skype. Well, not to be outdone tonight, Parting Shots are all about rival tech giant Google.
Now, according to "The New York Times," Google wants its driverless hybrid cars made legal in the US state of Nevada. A lobbyist hired by the company argues that the technology offices -- offers more fuel efficiency and is safer than having humans -- that's you and me, of course -- behind the wheel.
I'm Becky Anderson, that is your world connected her on CNN. Thank you for watching. The world news headlines will follow this, and then "BackStory" will follow those. Stay with us.
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