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Kenya Election Violence; Catalan Standoff; Opioid Epidemic. Aired 11-12n ET
Aired October 26, 2017 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:00:16] ZAIN ASHER, CONNECT THE WORLD GUEST HOST: Election Day in Kenya brings violence and protests as the country goes to the polls for the
second time to pick a new president. We are live for you in Nairobi, also what is next to Catalonia?
The students what independence but it's anyone's guess what is going to happen next this hour, we are waiting on the president of Catalonia to
speak. Plus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How confident are you that you won't go back to heroin?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never fully confident.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Our Sanjay Gupta has the story of triumph over an addictive drug and the plant that could help people who are suffering.
Welcome everyone, I'm Zain Asher. I want to start today's show with reports out of Kenya three people have been killed in protest, bullets,
tear gas and water cannons are being used by police. A hospital in the western City says people are being treated after being beaten. This
violence as voters go the polls for the second time in three months, its controversial rerun of August Presidential election. That vote was thrown
out over irregularities. Just an hour ago Kenya's electoral commission says voting has been postponed in five counties until Saturday. All of
them, by the way in opposition stronghold. One polling station after ten hours only one vote was cast, just one. Nearby another location no votes
at all follows opposition leader call for a boycott. I want to bring in a correspondent on the ground. Farai Sevenzo, he near the polling station.
When you look at the fact that just one vote was cast at this particular polling station in opposition area. It really just highlights the ethnic
divide when it comes turnout.
FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, absolutely. I mean early on in the morning we started off our day on this fresh election 26 of them which
happens to be (inaudible) birthday as well, I must mention that. In Kenyata's stronghold, there were lines of people. Thousands wanted to vote
including a 93-year-old woman who said that she had been voting in every single election.
ASHER: Farai, I have to stop you there. The president of Catalonia is speaking now. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO LIVE FEED)
CARLES PUIGDEMONT, PRESIDENT OF CATALONIA (TRANSLATOR): Mandate to call for elections as a result of the actions of the government by applying
article 154. I have decided to exert my power and call for an elections. I have thought if I wanted to call for them or not my obligation as a
president and responsibility is to all the ways that we have to find a dialogue and agreed to a political conflict and that is of a Democratic
nature. You know that I wanted to call for this election if we had, certain guarantees that would allow their celebration. There are no
guarantees to justify today that calling for elections in the parliament. My obligation was to try, to try honestly and loyally to avoid an impact on
our institution of the application of article 155 like the council of ministers and likely be approved in the senate.
It's something outside of the law. It unjust and tries to eliminate not only the nationalism, but also tradition of Catalan culture that has
brought us here. I do not accept the measures because they are unjust and they do not conceal the vengeance of the state at worst beaten it was
beaten on the first of October. I have tried to obtain to have guarantees. I have responsibility and by listening to several opinions by different
people.
[11:04:05] I have never received a responsible response by the Party that has called for this option to increase the tension in a moment between this
dialogue at this point without having had to sign call for an election where it is the duty of the parliament to decide about the application of
article 155. No one cannot tell us. No one has the right to tell them the continent party to do dialogue. No one can say that I have not been open
to dialogue. No one. Once more, we can see very disappointed that the responsibility is pressured from us. In others have complete
irresponsibility? It is the logical of politics were made chance of let's go for them instead of let's go with them. The Catalan society has brought
it here by having participation, compromise commitment and serenity and also responsibility. I have tried to be responsible during my presidency
and these days that we have in this commitment and this serenity. As the approximate was the end all within reach. Peaceful and civil. The
commitment to peace and civil society are as firm as ever, because it is only in this way that we will win. Thank you very much. Good afternoon.
(END VIDEO LIVE FEED)
ASHER: All right. Catalan president speaking there on his decision whether or to call snap elections. We actually missed the top of what he
was saying. But I do want to bring in Erin McLaughlin who can just wrap up what he said there. For those so much tension, because there's this debate
as to whether or not he was going to call for snap elections or go for the nuclear extreme option and declare independence. Walk us through what he
ended up deciding and that whole process.
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What he see to be saying in that statement just moments ago is he is not going to be calling for regional
elections. There was plenty of speculation earlier in this day that is what he was going to call regional elections at the behest of the more
moderate voices within his government in the hope that the article 155 process, the process towards emergency rule over Catalonia would be slowed
down as a result. That was the hope of the moderate voices calling for him to do that. What he seems to be saying there is that he is ruling out this
point calling regional elections because he has not received any guarantees from Madrid that they would not continue with the article 155 process to
exert emergency rule over Catalonia. Because he doesn't have the guarantees he is not moving forward with that process. The open question
now remain what does he do next? He is expected to arrive here in Parliament shortly. Will he declare independence? He didn't give an
answer to that statement. We're going to have to see how this parliamentary process unfolds in the next hour, Zain.
ASHER: Erin, I mean yes, he is saying he is not calling for regional snap elections. If he doesn't declare independence, are there any other options
on the table for him? Isn't it pretty much just whether or not he is going to declare independence at this point?
MCLAUGHLIN: Yes. I mean he had very limited options, his options were to call for regional elections to declare independence. He could have
declared independence and called for elections at the same time, so really the only option for him left is that declaration of independence or simply
doing nothing. Having this parliamentary session to debate article 155 on the floor of parliament. We'll have to see how this unfold, if he does
declare independence, in the next hour, Madrid had made it very clear that could come with a personal cost to himself as well as other government
ministers. The justice minister of Madrid saying any declaration of independence could carry charge of rebellion, a charge of rebellion could
carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years in jail. This is very high stakes at this point and a certain process as well, Zain.
[11:10:29] ASHER: All right. You're certainly right about that. Definitely high stakes, Erin McLaughlin for us there, on the fact that
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is not calling for regional elections as Erin just mention. It remains to be seen whether or not he actually
goes for the extreme option and declares independence.
I want to get you caught up speed on some other stories on our radar now. Turkish court releases eight human rights activists pending their trial on
terrorism charge among them, were local amnesty international officials and two foreign nationals, they are all accused of aiding terrorist
organizations. The trial began in Istanbul yesterday. The next court hearing will be on November 22nd.
The U.S. House of representatives is set to vote on imposing additional sanctions on Iran targeting the country's ballistic missile program. This
comes day after the house also passed a bill against Iran backed Hezbollah which includes sanctions on any entities found to support the group.
Now to what appears to be the closest link yet between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks. The website minister Mr. Trump owns CIA Director once
blasted as a hostile intelligence service once offered actors like Russia. WikiLeaks founder Juliann Assange is now confirming that he was approach by
a data annalistic firm working for the Trump campaign last year. So to say Cambridge Analytica wanted access to emails from Hillary Clinton private
server. Assange said he rejected the approach. The development raises new questions from investigators looking into Mr. Trump associates contacts
with Russia, but as our Joe Johns reports. Mr. Trump says the focus should be on something else altogether.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Don't forget. Hillary Clinton totally denied this. She didn't know anything, she knew nothing,
all of the sudden they found out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump on offense attempting to shift the narrative away from the Russia investigation and onto Hillary
Clinton. Blasting her campaign's involvement in helping to fund the now famous dossier of allegation about Trump and Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well I think it's very sad what they have done with this fake dossier. It was made up. I understand they paid a tremendous amount of
money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Mr. Trump insisting that the dossier is fake despite parts of it have be corroborate by the intelligence community. A source familiar with
the matter tells CNN that Clinton was not personally aware of the dossier until BuzzFeed published the document earlier this year. Adding that she
was disappointed the research was not made public before she lost the election. The dossier was first bankrolled by Republican foes during the
primaries.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When would that might be? Do you have a sense of that?
TRUMP: I think I know. I'll let them find out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: The president also weighing in on the investigation launch by House Republicans this week into the Obama era sale of uranium mining company to
Russia while Clinton was secretary of state.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think the Uranium sale to Russia and the way it was done, so underhanded with tremendous amount of money being passed, I think that is
Watergate modern age.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Russian nuclear officials reportedly sent millions in donations to the Clinton foundation around the same time as the deal, according to the
hill. Prompting critics to allege Clinton was bribed. The Justice Department has given a former FBI informant the green light to testify
about the deal. Despite public criticism from Republicans, President Trump also insisting that party is united, sighting their meeting with senate
Republicans earlier this week as proof.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I called it a love fest. It was almost a love fest. Maybe it was a love fest, we are standing ovations. There's great unity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Mr. Trump blaming the media for negative impressions people may have of him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think the press makes me more uncivil than I am. People don't understand. I went to an Ivy League college. I was a nice student. I did
very well. I'm a very intelligent person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Again depending his phone call with the widow of Sergeant La David Johnson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I was really nice to her. I respect her. I respect her family. I certainly respect La David, who by the way I called La David right from the
beginning just so you understand. They put a chart in front, La David. The beginning, there's no hesitation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO)
[11:15:11] ASHER: Joe Johnson reporting there. President Trump also said he specifically authorize a mission in Niger that ended with a deadly
ambush on U.S. Troops. He gave his generals the authority to do whatever necessary to win in the fight against ISIS. U.S. Military officials tells
CNN the soldiers are gathering intelligence on terrorist leader before they were attacked by Nigerian soldiers. David McKenzie joins us live there on
the ground in Niger. So David what are we learning about the specific high value target these four Americans we chasing before they were killed?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is right. U.S. official telling us that were after high value target that was a code name target meaning
they were gathering intelligence on the whereabouts of that individual. That individual and the terror group which we believe became affiliated
with ISIS some years ago is implicated in possible terror attacks in the region area. Those troops were looking for information on this target.
They weren't the kind of troop ay looking to target that terror suspect. In the midst of trying to find information, somehow it all went wrong and
you had that ambush in which four American soldiers and several Nigerian soldiers were killed. Still many questions remain unanswered. Quiet in
terms of giving their side of the story up until this point. Zain?
ASHER: All right David McKenzie. Thank you so much.
In just the time we've been on air, so far today, two Americans will have died from it. It kills more people here than car crashes, than guns and
then aids as well. And it can also start with a trip to your doctor. We'll explain, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Welcome back everybody, you're watching CNN and this is Connect the Wor1d. I'm Zain Asher live for you from New York, not far from this most
controversial bathroom in New York City or in this entire City where someone checks in on you every three minutes to make sure you're still
conscious, why? It is a so called safe space on addict shoot up on heroin. Just one small corner of America's massive opioid abuse problem. The
President Donald Trump is going to officially declare a national public health emergency in a few hours. The government has the policy, many are
turning to this. Kratom, it's a plant still forbidden in many states that help people kick their addiction. CNN Dr. Sanjay Gupta shows us two
sisters who use it.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
[11:20:16] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything hurts, you're sick. You're nauseous. You're towing up, diarrhea your will to live is gone.
SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Withdrawal from opioid drugs. Many will tell you that you continue to use, because after a while,
it is no longer about getting high. It is to chase away the feeling you are about to die. For Patricia Slevin, it all start four years ago with
abdominal pain and prescription for dilaudid. It was the first time of her life, she ever taken an Opioid.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They up, the dose and it a very high dose of pain medicine. I had to get on pain management. Every month they say how are
you? It is not really helping me as much. I'm still in a lot of pain. Ok. Add this to it. This pill and this patch.
GUPTA: Lisa Vinsen, Patricia's younger sister also had abdominal pain. Over the past years she is had five operations and yes she has lots and
lots of narcotics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was torn between not being able to care for my family or ok, I can take care of it, if I take some more pill.
GUPTA: Within months, two sisters, Lisa and Patricia were both addicted to Opioid painkillers. Things would turn even more desperate for Patricia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every time they give me more. My body would get immune to it. If I didn't have it, I would get real sick.
GUPTA: What did you do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a guy that I worked with, this guy had a lot of it. She didn't like them so she didn't take them. SO he would sell me
what she had so that if I ran out, I still have some.
GUPTA: But one day the same guy didn't have any pills and offered up a cheaper alternative, heroin.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The rest is history. It just went downhill from there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She called me asking for money for more heroin. And I told her, I will not send you money for drugs. I will not, but I will
buy you Kratom. GUPTA: Kratom, around the world, Kratom an herb has been used for
centuries to help people manage pain but also for the withdrawal of Opium. Lisa knew from personal experience.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The reason I started taking it is because I didn't want to withdraw. I had no idea it would help me with the pain like it
did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We definitely believe that this could be solution to or part of a solution to the opioid crisis that we are currently in.
Christopher McCarthy is a medicinal chemist. It's a hand full of scientists in America studying the Southeast Asian plant.
CHRISTOPHER MCCARTHY, MEDICINAL CHEMIST: I don't see anything that rivals or comes close to the ability for this plant to serve as a potential
treatment.
GUPTA: And yet in the U.S. It's banned in six states and the DEA considers it a drug of concern. Over worries of potential addiction and
even some reported deaths. According to him the concerns Kratom is not regulated and mixed with other drugs.
MCCARTHY: Definitely, there needs to be regulatory measure put into place with this plant material, but there is a huge wealth of anecdotal evidence
out there and some scientific that there is definite medical potential for this plant.
GUPTA: For something so promising, you may be wondering why others including big companies haven't investigated it. Part of the problem, it
is a plant and that means no one can patent it. There's no financial incentive for any drug company to really pursue developing this into a
drug.
GUPTA: How does the future look for you now, your family? All your teenage kids that you have.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bright. It looks beautiful. I have hope.
GUPTA: How confident are you that you won't go back to heroin?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never fully confident. Never fully confident. It's a powerful, powerful drug. I think as long as I have Kratom, as longs I
can get it. Me personally I am worried about.
(END VIDEO)
ASHER: As long as I can get Kratom, me personally I will never go back. Sanjay Gupta joins us live now from Georgia in Atlantis specifically.
Could you tell us more specifically about Kratom, because it almost seem too good to be true? This idea of this drug could potentially kill
addiction to heroin.
GUPTA: First of all, it's plant or an herb. This is naturally occurring substance. It has been as a supplement for hundreds of years in other
countries and starting to get more attention scientifically here in this country.
[11:25:10] Basically when you look at this types of herbs and on why they could help with opioid addiction. Basically it binds to the same receptors
in the body that the opioids would. They kind of block them. That makes the Opioids not do their job and people become less dependent on them.
That is what the thinking is, but again this is, this needs to be studied. Right now a thing in the United States has even outlawed in six states. So
people haven't really giving it a fair enough look at the thing for some time.
ASHER: So President Trump is getting ready to declare this a national public health emergency. I'm wondering what that means in practical terms.
What will this declaration actually mean them?
GUPTA: Well it's a good question. And I think there is a lot of question marks around this. We will know more after the announcement. Typically we
do have more details at this point but first of all it is a public health emergency, not a national health emergency. And those are two different
things. A public health emergency is not something that has extra money attach to it for example it typically lasts 90 days. National emergency
does have federal money. That is part of it and usually lasts years. It's different in scope and in size here. Telling the health agencies in
particular, you know prioritize this issue, this goes to the top of the list of things to pay attention to and trying to help with. So it could
take money from a part of the agency and put it toward this, but we don't know. We are going to see and hopefully hear specifics.
ASHER: OK. So still waiting for specifics, he is going to be making an announcement and I believe about 2 and half hours from now. As a doctor
yourself, should the focus really be once President Trump declares this a public health emergency, should the focus really be on treatment and cure
with things like Kratom or actually stopping young people, men and women in the northeast from falling from prey to these drugs in the first place?
GUPTA: As a doctor, for anybody, you certainly want to treat the root cause in addition to the symptoms. That would be something that could save
a lot of lives. This is the number one cause of unintentional death in America today. Actually from overdoses from drugs. Having you know the
reversal, the medication reverse overdoses more widely available. That would be something that could save a lot of lives for example, the piece
that you just saw about Kratom and being able to invest on studies around things like this. But obviously trying to shrink the demand. This is an
American made is some ways problem, because we consume 90 percent of the certain classes of Opioids of the world supply. 90 percent of the word
supply, consumed in the country that is not even 5 percent of the world population. It's a huge problem in terms of the demand side.
ASHER: Really sobering number when you put into perspective like that. Sanjay Gupta live for us there. Thank you so much. We appreciate that.
GUPTA: Thank you.
ASHER: And when you're addicted to drugs , they come before absolutely everything, even your own kids meaning that babies are born to parents who
don't want them or even able to look after them. To find out more about the very youngest victims of America's addiction to opioids just check out
CNN.com. Lots of information on our website there. All right this is CNN Connect the World. Coming up, hundreds of women and children are in legal
limbo in Iraq, because their husband or father was an ISIS. We'll hear what the international Red Cross suggest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00] ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching CNN and this is Connect the World. I'm Zain Asher, welcome back all of you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Now to push against what the Iraqi prime minister called the last bastion of terrorism in his country. So those who love there, how about
promise is a proud (Inaudible), and long suffering home for last puff buckets of ISIS in Iraq. The U.S.-led coalition says roughly 1,500 ISIS
fighters still left them.
Earlier the Air Force dropped leaflets on tows telling people to lay down their and put a white flag on the roof tops of their home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: In the meantime speaking from Iran, the Iraqi prime minister took on the second major challenge he's dealing with at the moment. Last month,
Kurdish vote for independence, Haider al-Abadi reject an offer by the Kurdish leader to freeze the outcome and begin talks.
He demanded instead a full cancellation of the vote after 90 percent who voted, chose to break with Baghdad. Iraqi government forces swept through
the Kurdish controlled territory.
International diplomatic editor, Nick Robertson has the big picture on all of this. So overall though, Nick, has Iraq completely quashed Kurdish
hopes for independence? Walk as through that.
NICK ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It has the Kurds on the roofs at the moment. It certainly doesn't have the military defeated
but it had their leader, Masoud Barzani really worrying about perhaps what his point -- what his future might be.
And he is part of a dynasty that has govern the Kurds and the Kurdish region for several generations, so he's he is worried and I think that's
why we're hearing from him, that you know, he is willing to call for a freeze of the referendum that is willing to get into talks with the Iraqi
government.
Kurdish should abide by the Iraqi Constitution. The Iraqis has seem to be continuing to push the advantage and what they're doing in essence is what
the old Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein did which is divide the Kurds.
And al-Abadi, the Iraqi prime minister along with an -- along with the Iranian as well who sort of gone to the other political faction in the
Kurdish region -- the principal political faction, the PUK and told in advance the attack on Kirkuk, get your forces out.
And that would be, if you will, sort of dividing Kurdish political opinion, Kurdish opinion on what happened there. That built to your questions
specifically, the Iraqis have the upper hand but at the moment, it's up to them, the ball is in their court.
How far they want to push the military advantage and therefore the political advantage and that -- and that is the question has everyone
internationally concerned because of the military advantage, the outcome could be very, very ugly.
ASHER: And when you think about it, you know, the past few days, there have been a number of clashes, protests, that sort of thing. I mean, what
is it going to take over ruled, in the meantime, as these uncertainties sort of hanged over, to restore some sense of normalcy.
ROBERTSON: For the tempo of the military operations to settle down, the Kurdish regional government this morning said that the Iraqi forces backed
by what they described as Iranian backed popular movements.
These Shia militias were taking what they consider to be Kurdish positions to the northwest of Mosul. As long as that's going on, there is a sense of
the front line in battle field is moving, that the Kurds are losing ground.
[11:35:00] And that's going to be very unsettling, if it can move to talks and dialogue, then that will settle the temperature down. The Kurds have a
long history of fearing what the Iraqi government in Baghdad will do.
But over the past decade and a half, they've got used to a situation where they have been able to do what they want almost within -- almost within
reason within the Kurdish region, that's on the verge of changing.
And they are very -- one knows what the new dynamic is going to look like and it does at the moment initiative on that, lie with the Iraqi
government.
How far they want to press this advantage, how much they want if you will punish the Kurds and what their vision of what a Kurdish state and Kurdish
political leadership should look like in the next five or 10 years.
ASHER: All right, Nick Robertson, live for us there, thank you so much. Appreciate that. And the self-proclaimed caliphate crumbles, what happens
to those who traveled to build it.
Foreign Jihadists returning home is something governments have expected on 5000 Europeans thought that fought with ISIS, almost 2000 have already
return. One of those who remain on the battlefield -- this week of British minister said that quote, unfortunately, there is only one way to deal with
them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RORY STEWART, U.K. MINISTER OF STATE, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (VIA PHONE): They are absolutely dedicated, as members of the Islamic State,
towards the creation of a caliphate.
They believe in an extreme hateful doctrine which involves killing themselves, killing others and trying to use violence and brutality to
create an eight century or seventh century state.
So I'm afraid we have to be serious about the fact that these people are a serious danger to us. And unfortunately, the only way of dealing with them
will be in almost every case to kill them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Rory Stewart is saying there, that there is only one way to deal with these combatants -- combatants and that is to kill them. He later
laid said that the combatants should be treated in accordance with the law.
But this is not just an issue with foreign fighters, the state of their wives and in many cases, state of those children are also in a balance as
well. Right now, some 1300 foreign women and children are in detention in Iraq, 20 nationalities.
There are huge questions about their future and what governments should do. The International Red Cross is one of the few originations that has regular
access to these detainees. Deputy Director Patrick Hamilton, joins us live from Geneva.
Patrick, thank you so much for being with us. I just want to get this sort of trivia for our audience. Just walk us through what is the correct and
legal way to handle ISIS fighter who have been captured in either Iraq or Syria, especially those who have European citizenship.
PATRICK HAMILTON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, RED CROSS: Frankly, your nationality is essentially irrelevant in this case. Any persons captured or detained in
relation to these crises, combats, defense is going on are protected by the international humanitarian law.
And in particular, coming after Article Three which foresees that the no one should be subject to torture, to extrajudicial killings and that they
should be accorded treatment in conditions that respects their humanity and their -- their dignity.
ASHER: So the estate or whether from their citizenship, does it matter but when you hear British defendants like Rory Stewart, saying what they which
is that these combatants, the only way to deal with them is to kill them because they use that faith towards these western government, what goes
through your mind?
HAMILTON: Look, I think, we -- the ICRC with 150 years of dealing with conflicts, crises, very intense violence around the world are certainly
very used in experience with dealing with these very intense environments in these very complex and difficult situations.
The heat of battles and their consequences, this is something that sadly we are rather to use to. Clearly, what's been going on over the last several
years across Iraq and Syria with these multiple offensives against the Islamic State have resulted in tremendous humanitarian consequences of the
stage.
They have for an absolutely devastating. Mosul, was the second -- was the largest urban battle since the Second World War. So the only -- and only
that battle alone, we are talking about some nearly 1 million people that have been displaced.
Two million to 3 million people that have been affected by this and this is just one of the cities that has been affected and seen offensives end it
over the last couple of years. So clearly these have been particularly difficult circumstances.
[11:40:00] And geopolitically, clearly these are very heated environment but nonetheless for us, we certainly believe that the rule of law must
apply and indeed must apply. So we really do encourage statements like the second one that Roy Stewart made.
And in general, all actors involved in Iraq and Syria today, be either state or non-state to really do there utmost to promote compliance with
international humanitarian law with the rule of law both for this moment.
But also because, clearly there is going to be a long, long, long recovery to what's been going on. It is going to take many years for these
societies to return, to recover and to heal from -- from the effects of these battles.
And these offensives and that -- that healing process really is to start now and that really means -- and we see as the ICRC is the really needs to
start with applying the law from the start.
ASHER: Right, right, well Patrick, I think that, you know, people like Rory Stewart will say that, you know, the rule of law is all well and good
but fear for countries like the U.K. is that, these terrorists, these ISIS fighters will of course combat and launch attacks in Western Europe.
How do you balance the security of your own country, if you're a British M.P. or a diplomat, how do you balance that the national security needs of
your own country with humanitarian law?
HAMILTON: Well look, venture public anxiety and the need, and desire of states to ensure national security is obviously understandable but and we
have a very long experience of precisely dealing with these kinds of issues.
And what we see is that there is a compatibility between applying the law and balancing the needs to ensure security and at the same time ensuring
respect for humanity, and for ensuring that people who are captures detained are treated with respect for their humanity.
And indeed, of course IHL doesn't exclude or certainly not an obstacle to due process, to prosecutions for crimes committed far from it, what it does
ensure is that anybody picked up no matter who they are.
And no matter what they have done, does receive a basic fundamental respect for their humanity and this is what we really urge on everyone no matter
what has been going on the battle field.
And this is something a message that obviously, we have been carrying over this 150 years, now and today oversee in Iraq and Syria but globally as
well.
These are very difficult circumstances that everyone is faced with, that all the more reason that everyone does try to apply the law and to bring
back a sense of humanity to these battle fields in these very difficult situations.
ASHER: Yes, and the key question -- because this is not really just about being ISIS fighters, it's also about their families, specifically their
children because the children of ISIS fighters is not -- it wasn't their choice necessarily to travel overseas obviously.
And they are the most vulnerable and emotionally fragile. What is the best way to go about rehabilitating them and reintegrating them back into
society?
HAMILTON: Look, I think that obviously is a longer certainly put political question ultimately but, I mean clearly they -- as you say have serious
vulnerabilities at this stage. We're talking about as you say, women and very young children, many of them, they've come out very traumatic
situations.
These incredibly intense battle fields being in the middle of shelling, bombing, surrounded by an excluded ordinance, often dead bodies on the
battlefield. They have come out of that and now they find themselves in detention.
So we're clearly, they're remain highly exposed. So in this instance, clearly we are at the request of the Iraqi authorities are looking to
provide the support that we can boast to the authorities.
But also for these women and children as well to try to ensure that their basic -- most basic needs are covered and that means that they have --
we're trying to ensure that they are having access to clean water, to basic hygiene equipment.
So that they can keep themselves clean to try to make sure that they have some adequate access to medical treatment, the very basics this point in
time. The longer term for what happens to this is oversees a matter between the Iraqi authorities.
[11:45:00] And then as well overseas their countries of origin and most states, and that is ultimately a matter for them. But at this stage and
would certainly highlighted their vulnerability. But it's not just the families as we say...
(CROSSTALK)
ASHER: Patrick, thank you so much. Sadly, we're running out of time but we really appreciate your perspective on this. All right, this is Connect
the World. You are watching CNN. We will be right back after this break. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, you are watching CNN and this is Connect the World. I'm Zain Asher. Welcome back to all of our viewers. As we told you earlier,
there are reports put of Kenya that three people have been killed in protests.
But its teargas and water cannon have been used by police, this violence onto voters goes to polls of the second time in three months in a
controversial rerun of August presidential election.
Kenya's Electoral Commission has postponed the vote in five counties until the fact today, all of the opposition strongholds that one polling station
after 10 hours, only one -- only one vote was cast.
It follows opposition leader Raila Odinga's call for a boycott. I want to bring in Farai Sevenzo who is at a polling station in Nairobi. So, Farai,
first of all, apology as the last time I had you on, I had to ran a heartbreaking news.
But just walk through what is happening on the ground there because there are a lot of people who say, what is the point of having another election,
a second in three months when your -- when there's no guarantee, some people say that they're not free and fair.
FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, exactly, Zain. I mean, I was telling you before we are subtly interrupted is that, Mr. Odinga did say to
his supporters, don't vote.
Don't go out and vote in protest because the bone of contention here is the independent and electoral boundaries commission. They have not been
changed according to the opposition.
He feels he cannot go another with some tainted referee that overthrow the elections in August which was so badly mold remember by the Supreme Court
judges on the 1st of September went through the dilation.
Whether they say there are sort of illegalities and irregularities. Today, another voting day, fresh elections, 26th of October, Mr. Kenyatta's
birthday. We visited the county of Kiambu, that's his heartland.
And there were thousands of people voted. Then we came to Kibera, Mr. Odinga's strong -- stronghold. Lots of people -- lots of people support
him here. And they are use for having running battles with the police.
As you mentioned, we saw (Inaudible) be fired, liabilities has been fired, blanks been fired to disperse this past abuse. And behind me, what was the
polling station is now being dismantled. The polling has closed.
And it is important to remember that the call by Ms. Odinga, do not vote, do not participate has been seriously heated in this part of Nairobi in
Kibera. One person voted in polling station, zero in another in 10 hours of voting.
[11:50:00] ASHER: So, Farai, what does Raila Odinga -- what does he wants now? What reforms does he want to see before he can support a new
election?
SEVENZO: You know, Mr. Odinga played has always been, if the IEBC does not reform, doesn't change the kind of people that where there, that oversaw
that bad election in August, it wishes what is it now, he called it out way before any of us has called an international observers that there was
illegalities going on.
And he wants the whole country to go for an election where they are overseeing bodies of Commission is a fair one. As far as I can understand
it, he was hoping by pulling out that the IEBC will say, OK, let's go and change it as it gather, perhaps and later on.
Maybe January, maybe February, but that didn't happened. Because remember, just the other day, judges which we hear, a very important position to
delay the elections, only two of them turns up at the bench. Five others were absent for what ever reason and one of them has her driver attacked.
He suffered gun shot wounds and is in hospital. It's a real kind of intimidation if look at it that way. Some people are turn away mass of the
attacks. But that's how it was when this happened. I'm thinking about what's the noise around this.
ASHER: No, no, no worries. I know it can be distracting out there. Farai Sevenzo, live for us there. Thank you so much, appreciate that. All
right, this is Connect the World, you are watching CNN. We'll be right back after this short break. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, you are watching CNN and this is Connect the world. I am Zain Asher, welcome back. The Thai people are saying their final
goodbye to their beloved king who is once the world's longest reigning monarch.
Today is a public holiday in Thailand. The Thais can actually pay their respects. Anna Coren explains what's involved in the elaborate funeral
ceremony.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a ceremony truly fit for a king. A huge a funeral now underway in Thailand for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, an
event that will last five days and see hundreds of thousands of people on the capital streets.
The late king was the world's longest reigning monarch and the only king, most Thai people had ever known. He inherited the throne in 1946 and ruled
the country for seven decades until he died last October.
Incredibly popular, he was known as the father of modern Thailand, credited with unifying the country as it face a succession of military coups. The
national farewell will be the biggest event many in Thailand have seen in their lifetime.
The country has already spent a year in mourning and masses are expected in Bangkok on Thursday, declared a public holiday to allow the nation to pay
its final respects.
There will be a huge funeral pile, multiple row processions and dignitaries from more than 40 countries including U.S. Defense Secretary, James Mattis.
The event is reported to have cost around $19 million, a truly royal sendoff. Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Virtually leader of more than 1 billion faithful souls has been reaching out to the great beyond and by that, I mean the Pope video call to
the International Space Station. In fact, Francis first recorded the call to the (Inaudible).
[11:55:00] He has some pretty deep questions for those in deep space on the nature of love not, man's place to the universe and joy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOTO WOLFF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM (though translation): What gives you the most joy as you're spending time
at the International Space Station.
In my personal opinion, what gives me the greatest joy every day is be able look outside and see God's creation, may be a little bit from his
perspective. People cannot come up here and see the indescribable beauty of our Earth and not be touched in their souls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: And by the way, deep space that doesn't always lead to deep thinking when the American president was beaming his face and voice up to
the space station earlier this year.
The conversation turn to a tea, and how up there, they have to recycle it and drink it. Better you than me, Mr. Trump said -- better you than me.
Now the Connect the World team is always looking at many more stories that we can actually fit into the show.
To check out the other things we are following, you can just head over to our Facebook page, that's at Facebook.com/cnnconnect and you can also get
in touch with me directly on Twitter, tweet me at ZainAsher, I always find it hard to respond to many of the tweets I get. All right, I'm Zain Asher,
everyone. That was Connect the World. Thank you so much for watching. Have a great evening.
END
