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U.K.-Irish border issue has dodge wider talks; Republic of Ireland fears hard border with U.K.; How traffickers abuse faith to trap victims; Breaking the cycle of verbal abuse. Aired at 10-11p ET
Aired December 04, 2017 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00] BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: Yemen's former president is dead. Ali Abdullah Salehi killed in fierce fighting in his
country's capital. Ahead, what his death means for Yemen's seemingly endless war and what can be done to help people living there under the most
desperate of circumstances. I speak to the humanitarian coordinator for Yemen live for up next tonight. Plus close to a breakthrough. Well, the
U.K. and E.U. seem to have an agreement on the future of the Irish borders. Those details coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: $45,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: CNN is committed to amplifying the voices of victims of modern stay slavery here. This woman's story later in the program.
Very warm welcome. Just after 7:00 in the evening. We are doing what I says on the box, connecting the world with me, Becky Anderson. Breaking
news this hour. After days of fierce battles in the capital of Yemen with dozens of people killed, the country's former Presidents dead in fighting
with Houthi rebel forces. Ali Abdullah Salehi was once partners with the Iran backed Shiite rebels but in the shifting alliances of Yemen's bloody
proxy war, he announced he was breaking with them, just two days ago. He said he wanted to turn the page on relations with the Saudi led coalition.
It seemed to signal a breakthrough in the more than two year conflict, after all he was the man who dominated Yemen for 33 years until the
aftermath of the Arab springs uprising.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ANDERSON: He was a former soldier who didn't even finish primary school, but Ali Abdullah Salehi eventually became the most powerful man in Yemen.
Born in 1942 he joined the army in the late 1950s. He was part of a military coup a decade later and became President of north Yemen in 1978
after the assassination of the President Hussein al-Himidi, Salehi stayed on as leader after north and south Yemen united in 1990, but support for
him started to decline and as Arab springs swept through the region in 2011, Salehi announced plans to transfer power to his eldest son. Large
protests broke out despite his plans to change the constitution and even dissolving the cabinet. He also refused to step down even after accepting
a deal to leave office. Months later, he was wounded in an attack on the presidential palace and sough medical treatment abroad. Salehi officially
stepped down as President in early 2012 after 33 years in power as the country began spiraling into civil war.
In recent years he played a key role in the war between Houthi rebels and the Saudi led coalition as they conducted air strikes to crush the fighters
they called terrorists. It was a marriage of convenience. The man nicknamed the Fox due to s political cunning joined forces with rebels
alleged to be backed by Iran. A political rebirth that infuriated Saudi Arabia and dismayed many Yemeni's who had push to oust him. Salehi death
came just 48 hours after he announced he was open to talks with Riyadh in a move many saw as a game changer for this conflict to turn quagmire. His
(inaudible) sparked fierce fighting in the capital Sanaa and ultimately his death.
Our senior international correspondent based on the Middle East Ben Wedeman for us out of Beirut in Lebanon tonight. Ben is hugely significant turn of
events. Your analysis on the news of Salah's death.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Ali Abdullah Salahi used to say that ruling Yemen is like dancing on the head
of snakes so it seems that after all the years, he finally got bitten. Now, he was the weaker partner in this coalition which the Houthis in which
he entered into in 2014. And certainly when he came out two days ago and said he wanted to open a new page with the Saudi led coalition, this was in
a sense inevitable that they were going to have not only clashes in the streets but also which had led 125 people dead according to the red cross,
but also perhaps an attempt on his life itself.
[10:05:02] Now this morning his home was blown up. He was on his way to his hometown, which is about 20 kilometers outside of Sanaa when this
happened. Now what does this all means? This certainly is a blow to the Saudi-led coalition that was suddenly infused with optimism after the open
split between Ali Abdullah Salehi and the Houthis, but now they find that the source of their hope, Salehi, is now dead. Those hopes have been
dashed. Now just a little while ago, we heard the leader of the Houthi coming up on television and saying that the conspiracy against them has
been quashed, so it does appear that we're in a new and perhaps more violent chapter in this war that is gone on since March of 2015. Left at
least 10,000 people dead a country destroyed, a country that is currently undergoing the worst cholera epidemic in modern history, Becky.
ANDERSON: Make no mistake. If the coalition and its partners have been looking for an off ramp on this one as it were, not least the U.S. and the
U.K. for example his critics accused him of being complicit in this conflict that as you rightly point out has left more than 20 million people
in need of humanitarian aid, then what does happen next?
WEDEMAN: That is a very good question. Now, it's not clear now that their off ramp has been essentially killed, it's not clear whether the Saudis are
going to ramp up military action along with their Gulf coalition partners against the Houthis or decide perhaps that now is the time to come to the
table. What we've seen, the latest developments in Yemen come after another Saudi failure which was their attempted intervention in Lebanese
politics with what many Lebanese believe was the forced resignation of Saad Hariri. This really the latest in a series of failures by Saudi crown
prince trying to shake the direction of the Middle East. It was he after all who was behind the launching of this war in March 2015. Now it seems
that the quagmire that Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies has gotten into has only gotten deeper. Becky.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman is in Beirut this evening watching developments. Hugely significant turn of events. Thank you Ben. That leaves many
wondering what happens next in this conflict that has left the residents of the capital once again this weekend terrified and reduces we've said, more
than 20 million people desperate need of humanitarian aid. On the ground in Sanaa now, the humanitarian coordinator for Yemen Jamie McGoldrick, he
joins me on the phone. We have spoken a number of times in the past couple of months. Your response first to the news of the former President Salah's
death and the fighting that residents have witnessed in the past couple of days?
JAMIE MCGOLDRICK, HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR YEMEN: Thank you, Becky. The death is a significant blow on many (inaudible). I think it has been a
facially fierce battle and a lot has been casualty deaths with more and more damage to the nation and to the country. People have suffered through
years of crisis and war and the last month with cholera. This is a very dark chapter and it's unknown where we go from here.
ANDERSON: You have released a statement from your office today saying, and I quote, I call on all parties to the conflict to urgently enable a
humanitarian pause on Tuesday, 5th December between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to allow civilians to leave their home and seek assistance and
protection and to facilitate the movement of a workers, to ensure the continuative lifesaving programs. The wounded must be afforded safe access
to medical care. You clearly felt it was important to put that statement out and call for this humanitarian pause.
[10:10:00] Just describe for us, if you will, exactly what is going on in Sanaa for residents or you, what you've witnessed and what the picture is
on the ground.
MCGOLDRICK: Well, we have at the site of the air strike, gun fights and people have been trapped in the houses and terrified of all the noise going
on outside. People trapped. They can't get water or food. People who have been wounded unable to get to hospitals because ambulance save been
shot up by snipers. People are stuck in the homes with little security. (Inaudible) and it's nearly silent. They had no shipping and the traffic
moving about the street and people going (inaudible) it's very real and having witnessed and (inaudible) very dangerous for all the residents of
the city.
ANDERSON: We've had it described by residents on the ground as the worst shelling and fighting that they've witnessed in these two, two and a half
years of this Saudi-led conflict. We're just looking at pictures now of the aftermath on Saturday, street to street fighting the people he said
they've just never witnessed. We're also been looking at images of those who are affected and aid being delivered. What is the situation on the
ground? We've been talking over the past couple of weeks about the lifting of the blockade, particularly the port for data so that imports can get in
and be distributed alongside aid. What's happening? What's the situation at present?
MCGOLDRICK: They're still negotiating with other partners to try and get the blockade lifted. They renegotiate with the Saudis to try to get to the
ships of offshore. I think it will probably freeze everything for some time, but the U.N. has sent, preparing to send two teams to discuss,
regarding United Nations verification section (inaudible) to address the concern of all and -- without the goods coming in, the people who are
(inaudible) that because we can't get -- we can't afford what's going on over the last weeks and months since the blockade started.
ANDERSON: Jamie McGoldrick on the ground in Sanaa where residents have witnessed awful times this weekend. And now the news of the death of the
former president Ali Abdullah Salehi just in the past couple of hours. Jamie thank you.
While Washington's weapons matter in that fight, its words that count most in another. As soon as tomorrow dismissing others who came before him,
America's president could pulled off a monumental turn in policy calling Jerusalem not Tel Aviv the capital of Israel. Just because they're close,
don't let that fool you. Make no stake, if you think this region is bad now, if this rolls forward, things could get a whole lot worse. America's
key friend in this part of the world, Jordan, home to millions of Palestinians, is leading cause against the move of the U.S. embassy. CNN
Jomana Karadsheh in in the capital there and Ian Lee in Jerusalem. Ian, with you, what is the talk and the response to this possible news this week
where you are?
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, I really depends on who you talk to. The Palestinians have come out in force, all of them, against this move,
obviously. They don't want to see the United States move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and declare Jerusalem Capital of Israel. We heard
from the secretary general who has been in Washington and who has been talking to U.S. officials who said that it could disqualify the United
States from playing a role in the peace process.
10:15:03] Israeli officials on the other hand have been noticeably quiet, but today we did finally hear from the defense minister (inaudible) and he
said I think that there's a historic opportunity to correct an in justice. I hope that the decision of President Trump to move the American embassy to
Jerusalem will be a final decision. I hope to see that next week or next months. The American embassy here in Jerusalem. We got a bit of a hint
yesterday from Jared Kushner. He was talking at the forum about moving the embassy. Jared Kushner is heading up the effort to reach the ultimate
deal, peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. This is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, PRESIDENT'S SENIOR ADVISER: The president is going to make his decision and --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He hasn't made his decision?
KUSHNER: He is still looking at a lot of different facts and when he makes his decision, he'll be the one to tell you, not me. So he'll make sure he
does that at the right time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: And Becky, what really is bringing people - making people -- a lot of Palestinians up in arms is the fact that this goes to one of the core
issues of the peace process. The status of Jerusalem is supposed to be, according to previous plans, according to the international community,
determined through negotiations, not unilateral steps. And that is what has so many people on the Palestinian side and in the region angry.
ANDERSON: As a quick historical refresher Israel took over the whole city exactly 50 years back, something all the rest of the world agrees with,
complicating diplomacy, six out of every ten people on earth find a holy place there, Jews and Christians and Muslims alike. That is all still
playing into where you are, Jordan, has to say.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, of course, Jordan is the custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem for Muslims, so this is one of the
key issues when you hear Jordan speak out, when you see these statements. Their position has been clear, whether it's from the King Abdullah himself
or other senior officials. For months they have been warning against any attempts to change the status of Jerusalem. King Abdullah's was in the
United States, in Washington, D.C. last week. He met with senior officials including Vice President Mike Pence. You would expect that this was high
up on the agenda. We've also heard from the foreign ministry here. The foreign minister yesterday speaking with his U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson
and warning against any moves to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel according to this statement saying this could have a really
dangerous consequences and could trigger anger across the Arab and Muslim world, this is of course is very sensitive issue. Critical one for Jordan.
As you mentioned are more than half the population here is Palestinian descent and there is the concern that this could trigger scenes and
displays of anger against such a move. Of course, we need to keep in mind King Abdullah's position here, he has assumed this leadership position in
trying to revive the Israeli Palestinian peace process.
ANDERSON: Benjie some poll numbers a major surprise. Some of you on viewers showing six out of every ten Americans are against the move of the
U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
LEE: That is right.
ANDERSON: Half as many three out of ten. So Americans aren't backing it. Who is this move possibly for, what's the best case here?
LEE: Well, when you look at those numbers, Becky, again, yes, Americans are overwhelmingly against this move. For President Trump though, at what
he said during his campaigning, he said that this is one of the initiatives he is going to undertake. He wants to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem, this will be a victory for him, for his base. The base that helps make him president of the United States, something that they've been
calling on for a long time. But when you look at previous Presidents, there's a reason why every single one from Democrats and Republicans since
the late '90s signed a waiver that came months that came up every six months that kept the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv. That is because of the
possible ramifications for this region if the U.S. were to move the embassy. So there's a lot of uncertainty right now. We're seeing that
with the U.S. diplomatic missions increasing the security.
ANDERSON: To both of you, thank you. While Donald Trump sleeps in the White House and we await to see whether he goes make a speech this week on
the U.S. embassy, he can't stop people suspecting that he is actually in beg with the kremlin. He hates that so much he is attacking his top law
enforcement agency yet again. That is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:23:00] ANDERSON: Just after 20 past 7:00 in the UAE. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. A very busy news hour. The U.S. President speaking
publicly about his former national security adviser's guilty plea. He said what Michael Flynn is going through is not fair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I feel bad for General Flynn, I feel very badly. He is led a very strong life and I feel very
badly, John. I will say this. Hillary Clinton lied many time to the FBI. Nothing happened to her. Flynn lied and they destroyed his life. I think
it's a shame.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Mr. Trump's comments come after weekend twitter messages that saw him once again taking aim at the country's top law enforcement
agency. Senior Washington Correspondent Joe Johns with this report for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump once again attacking the credibility of his own FBI calling the bureau tainted and very dishonest
and declaring after years under former Director James Comey its reputation is in tatters, the president seething on reporting that a senior FBI agent
was removed from the special counsel's team last summer after internal messages were discovered that could be interpreted as showing a bias for
Hillary Clinton.
The head of the FBI's agent's association firing back, saying FBI special agents put their lives on the line to protect the American public
suggesting otherwise is simply false. Comey and former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates also coming to the bureau's defense with Yates
declaring the only thing in tatters is the President's respect for the rule of law. The dedicated men and women of the FBI deserve better.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: What has been shown is no collusion, there's been absolutely -- there's been absolutely no collusion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[10:25:00] JOHNS: President Trump attempting to downplay the guilty plea from his fired national security adviser Michael Flynn. Before this
potentially damming tweet posted on Saturday from his account asserting that he had to fire General Flynn, because he lied to the Vice President
and the FBI. The tweet suggest the president knew Flynn lied to the FBI when he allegedly asked Comey to drop the bureau's investigation into
Flynn. A conversation Comey testified happened the day after Flynn was fired.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: That is why I understood him to be saying what he wanted me to do was drop any investigation connected to Flynn's account
of his conversations with the Russians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: The President denying Comey's account. Mr. Trump's private attorney insisting that he actually drafted the problematic tweet that
could help Special Counsel Mueller if he chooses to pursue an obstruction of justice case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN MARK WARNER, (D) VIRGINIA: That raises a whole series of question. That is why I think you'll see much more coming from the special
prosecutor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Democrats Senator Dianne Feinstein saying Sunday that the senate judiciary committee is building an obstruction of justice aces against the
president. Citing the White House behavior and Mr. Trump firing up Comey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN DIANNE FEINSTEIN, (D) CALIFORNIA: It is my belief that is directly because he did not agree to lift the cloud of the Russia investigation.
That is obstruction of justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO)
ANDERSON: Well, that was CNN's Joe Johns reporting. The latest world news headlines on a very busy day are just ahead for you. Plus rolling hills,
farmland and country roads. (Inaudible) border is (inaudible) a political minefield for the U.K. and the E.U. A solution could be near. We are
talking Brexit and we are live in Brussels and on the border for you.
[10:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: You're watching Connect the World. If you are just joining us, you are more than welcome.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The top stories for this hour, the U.K. and the European Union appear to be close to a deal on the future of the Irish border.
We are learning that members of the European Parliament were briefed on a draft text of an agreement. Now this issue has been one of the major
stumbling blocks in Brexit -- Brexit negotiations.
Top capacity and officials are urging the U.S. not to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. They say the move could further destabilize the
region. There is speculation that President Trump could announce a Jerusalem decision as soon as Tuesday.
Well, former president of Yemen has been killed in fighting with Houthi rebels in Sana'a. Ali Abdullah Saleh was once allied with the Shiite
rebels but he announced he was breaking with them two days ago.
We'll get you then to what is a major -- potential major break for at least in the Brexit talks. The Irish border, long been a conundrum for both
sides. But a deal it may have been struck on that.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May is in Brussels for those crucial talks. She's trying to find a solution in order to move these Brexit
negotiations on into the next phase.
Erin McLaughlin is out of Brussels for you today and out international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson standing by for us from the Irish border.
Erin, let's start with you.
Theresa May in Brussels to speak at least with Donald Tusk is not a myriad of others and we know that this at least members of the European Parliament
have been briefed on this potential deal. What more do we know at this point?
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. British Prime Minister Theresa May is currently in the building just behind me. The
European Commission having a three hour long lunch so far with President Jean-Claude Junker.
They have much to discuss. They are discussing the financial settlement's citizen's right as well as that critical northern Ireland issue which has
up to this point been a sticking point in these negotiations but there seems to have been a breakthrough or close to a breakthrough on that issue
in particular.
Not long ago we heard from the Irish deputy Prime Minister Brian -- Simon Coveney say quote, they are very close to a final agreement. He also said
quote, we now have a language that gives us the safeguard Ireland needs.
And a safeguard Ireland had been looking for is assurance that when Brexit happens, there will be no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
And what Irish government officials have been saying to them, that means that there needs to be regulatory convergence -- continued regulatory
convergence between Northern Ireland, Ireland and the rest of the E.U.
Something that is seen as particularly politically problematic for the U.K., considering that U.K. has said they intend to leave the Custom's
Union which would suggest regulatory divergence.
But a short while ago, we were speaking to a Belgian MEP who has seen the draft agreement between Ireland and the E.U. He told us quote, we needed a
commitment to have no divergence. They didn't want that wording -- meaning the U.K.
But what we have is full alignment. He said that what he saw was quote, surprising. We're also hearing more positivity from the president of the
European Council Donald Tusk. On Friday Tusk goes in Dublin saying that this issue was really up to Ireland.
He tweeted out not long ago quote, tell me why I like Mondays, encouraged after my call with Taoiseach on progress on Brexit issue of Ireland getting
closer to sufficient progress at the December European Council.
And really the goal here for Prime Minister May is to get to that suspicion progress threshold that's needed in the eyes of the E.U., not only on
Northern Ireland again, but also the financial settlement, as well as E.U. citizens. So we're going to have to see what comes out of these meeting
today. Becky.
ANDERSON: Erin is in Brussels for you. Nic, a number of critics remain, not at least the Scottish first minister and the London mayor suggesting
that as Theresa May has conceded that it is possible for part of the U.K. to remain within a single market in the Customs Union after Brexit.
[10:35:04] Then others who voted to remain in the E.U., for example London, the mayor says, you know, it should offer the same opportunity in that, he
says could protect tens of thousands of jobs. Nic, flash out why this border matter so much.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a huge command for the British government. As you say there, the mayor of London, the first minister of
Scotland from the Scottish national party says Northern Island can get a separate deal then why not them as well.
Right now I'm on a bridge between the north of Ireland here, the south of Ireland here. This is one of the busiest rows that links the south to the
north. There is 1 million vehicles a month to travel between the north and the south.
And this -- this road for example runs from Dublin to the northwest of Ireland and crosses the border twice. So the question is, if you leave the
European Union, if you leave the single market, what's going to happen to trucks like this one here driving down the road, to cars like this buzzing
(Inaudible) across the border.
Will there be a new customs post her, will there be police checkpoints here, will there be a border here and the concern along this border and
this river here amongst the border, the concern along the border is that if you do put in controls like that, then you damage the economy north and
south, and the Irish government is exceptionally worried about that possible economic damage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: Below is Middletown, a tiny Northern Ireland Village nestled against the river that tracks the Irish border. It is home to about 300
people. They go to church on Sundays, work hard during the week. And right now, they feel well, stuck in the middle in a Brexit tussle.
British Prime Minister Theresa May says the U.K. is leaving the E.U. Customs Union and single market, meaning the border on the edge of
Middletown here may get harder to cross.
TREVOR MAGILL, MANAGER, MIDDLETOWN POST OFFICE: The mood always was, you know, this is a problem, but it will be sorted, and you know, the E.U. and
the governments will get this sorted.
ROBERTSON: But now, Trevor Magill, whose family has run the village post office here for the past 40 years worries his business and the village
could be harmed.
MAGILL: I have all my customers here are from a -- this island probably 60, 70 percent. And that is where that supports the business for this
local -- this local area.
ROBERTSON: A few miles away, at Linwood's Food Plant, Boss John Woods, tells me his business has boomed since the Peace Process opened up the
border 20 years ago.
His milk comes from the north, the plastic milk containers, from the south. He sells to both sides, employs over 300 people, but if Brexit brings
border controls, all that could change.
JOHN WOODS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, LINWOOD: We would just have to abandon exports to the south on our dairy and our bread bakery site.
FRANCIE WARD, FARMER: The border just runs down the middle of that road.
ROBERTSON: The middle of the road. It doesn't matter where I look here, people are struggling to make sense of Brexit. Tell me when we're crossing
over.
WARD: Yes, we're crossing over here now.
ROBERTSON: Fifth-generation farmer, Francie Ward, lives just feet south of the border, owns fields on both sides.
(LAUGHTER)
WARD: How do you divide it?
ROBERTSON: What's going to happen in Brexit then, if you got the -- if the line is down the middle of the road?
WARD: Yes, I don't know what will happen to Brexit.
ROBERTSON: There are some 310 miles, about 500 kilometers of border with between 300 to 400 border crossings. And during Northern Ireland's 30
years of sectarian violence, known as The Troubles, many of those crossings like this one outside Francie Ward's farm were blocked by the police and
the army.
While few here fear post-Brexit border controls could trigger an immediate return to The Troubles, many like John Woods worry about a possible longer-
term economic impact on peace.
WOODS: Our success after The Troubles has been not only a good work done by the Peacemakers, but also by increasing employment -- lower
unemployment. Lower unemployment pulls in people who may otherwise see themselves outside the system.
ROBERTSON: Like the border, weaving its way to its town and trees, carrying with it a heavy troubled history. The solution for the current
Brexit impasse seems set to be anything but straight-forward and just as laden with pitfalls.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:40:00] ROBERTSON: So there's the river again, that's the border. People here feel that the British government hasn't come and consult it
with them and ask them the questions, and even given them ideas or proposals about what might work and this is a conundrum for Theresa May.
You leave the border open for business and let the economy breathe in Northern Ireland and south, and this is the sort where we seem to be at on
this. But then, what happens to migrants let's say arriving in Dublin. Would they be free to cross over the bridge and essentially ends at Britain
by a backdoor if you will.
So you know Theresa May is trying to sort of make -- put round peg if you will into a square hole. It doesn't all odd on, so the language here is
going to be very nuance and detailed, and that's what we're saying a political push back around this at the moment.
ANDERSON: And, Nic, it seems from your report -- that was a fantastic report, it issue there are so many unanswered questions. What will the
economic impact be whatever happens with the border.
This sort of takes us back, doesn't it, to the original referendum and the questions people ask at the time, and the lack of answers that they got.
It does seem incredibly -- it must be incredible to (Inaudible), you're watching this from the outside, looking in that we are still at this point
where so little is understood about the impact both economic, political and social of this exit.
ROBERTSON: Absolutely, $1.5 billion worth of business done between the -- done between the Republic of Ireland and Britain every week. Yet, this
issue -- and remember that the European Union gave three core issues on the border being one of them on a settlement package -- a financial settlement
package, than the rights of E.U. workers.
And that was quite some time ago. Yet it comes down to the last minute to begin getting into detailed discussions about what would happen along the
border here. And that's what's so frustrating and so concerning for people here.
You have -- you have nurses who live on one side of the border for example then work on the other. What would happen to them if you create different
economic conditions in Northern Ireland relative to the rest of the country, then Scotland, they want the same. London is where Sadiq Khan was
mentioning before that you said, they want the same. It's a very difficult circle to square.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson, on the bridge. Thank you, Nic. You are with us in Abu Dhabi. You're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson.
Coming up, modern-day slavery where traffickers use the victim's fate, again the special CNN report is up next after this short break. Stay with
us.
[10:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Freedom Project is committed to shining the spotlight on the horror, slavery and improvising the voices of its victims.
We have told you that before and we will tell you again. Global outrage and action from lawmakers followed our exclusive report on slave auctions
in Libya.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Four hundred? Seven hundred? Seven hundred? Eight hundred? The numbers roll in. These men are sold 1,200
Libyan pounds, $400 a piece.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was, Nima's, reporting this week as part of CNN's Freedom Project. We are bringing you a five part series of exploitation of African
migrants trying to reach European Benin City.
In Nigeria, women have been trapped by traffickers who use their fate against them. We want to warn you, the accounts in this report are
disturbing. CNN's Arwa Damon has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Blessing (ph) blows on a leaf and places it on a bottle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
DAMON: She's come to the chief priest to guarantee safe passage to Italy. She knows it's a dangerous journey but she's desperate. Do you have kids?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
DAMON: Are they going with you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
DAMON: So you must miss them? You'll miss them so much?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll miss them, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
DAMON: The ritual will culminate in a juju oath where she'll pledge to repay the cost of travel to her sponsor in Europe. We're forbidden from
filming this final step. So powerful says the priest, that when he finishes, if Blessing (ph) breaks her promise, the spirit will appear in
her dream and cut her. Do you know how much you're going to have to pay back?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't really know. I don't know.
DAMON: She has put all her trust in her sponsor and her faith. And it's a potent combination that has spent a record number of Nigerian women to
Europe.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that in 2014, around 1,400 travelled. This past year the numbers spiked to 11,000.
The vast majority come from here, Benin City where the economy runs on remittances from abroad and women are regularly approached with false
promises. You trusted him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, very much. I trusted him most of the time -- there are some things I tell him, I don't tell my parents.
DAMON: Sandra is talking about her deputy pastor, who told her he had a vision from God that she travelled overseas. Then he said his sister in
Russia could get her a job in a hair salon. Sandra went willingly but for added insurance, he took items from her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My pants, my bra, the hair from my head, my armpits and my private parts. He said that it's a form of agreement so that when I
get there I'm not going to run with the money.
DAMON: When she arrived in Russia, the sum was more than she could have ever imagined.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But the first thing she did, she took away my passport, unless I finish paying the money, $45,000.
DAMON: Forty-five thousand dollars?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, that's what she said.
DAMON: And the only way to pay that off was prostitution. Bound by the spirits in a strange city for the next three years, Sandra's life was held.
She lost count of the men per night, at times 10, 15, 20 even more.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And that was most of Nigerian girls live their lives because it's not every girl that can withstand the pressure of 10 men.
DAMON: She thought about killing herself, if only to spare herself being killed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were four -- four or five in numbers. They asked me that they need to sleep with me through my honor and I told them I
can't do that.
DAMON: They pushed her out a second story window and she broke her wrist, but she didn't go to the authorities. The trafficker had given the items
he took from her to a priest in Nigeria. And like so many, she was afraid of the power of juju.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like a danger to the girls so we're very careful. Mostly when we do -- he got to do with the sensitive parts of
your body, they might use it against you.
DAMON: It took Sandra three years to pay off the debt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The (Inaudible) don't have any place here. They have to face the law.
DAMON: When she got back to Benin City, she reported the man and his sister who trafficked her and they are now on trial.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They were shocked because they never expected to see me in Nigeria. They thought I was dead.
[10:50:00] DAMON: This is the church where Sandra was approached. The church's head pastor says the man was a member but not a deputy pastor.
And there are numerous disturbing reports of other churches manipulating and abusing faith.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't call them pastors. I call them (Inaudible) or native doctor in suits. Who would do such?
DAMON: The betrayal that stretched across two continents is now even closer to Sandra.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even my own father, he said I'm not his daughter.
DAMON: Still she believes that her father will see her strength.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When he sees my story has changed in a different way, maybe he'll be the one to reconcile with me. He will be the one calling me
and this is my best child. This is my child that's good as he was.
DAMON: She's publicizing her ordeal so that others don't have to go through it, turning her nightmare into power. Arwa Damon, CNN, Benin City,
Nigeria.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN's in depth five-part Freedom Project series continues on Tuesday this week when, Arwa, traveled some of the harshest
places on Earth, the Sahara Desert to find migrants running in stark desolation searing heat as they try to get to Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: We're on a mission with the Nigerian army to rescue stranded migrants. Our convoy will stop when one truck is institutions trouble, the
smugglers carrying the migrants or not.
Finally, after 10 hours driving through the desert, Mike (ph) signaled. The migrants have been stranded here for three days after their truck broke
down. There are about 30 in all, left to die.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: See Arwa's full report in the CNN International, Tuesday. That is right here on Connect the World. We will be right back, taking a very
short break and haven't finished this hour for you. As I said it's very busy. Don't go away.
[10:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well for seven years, the war in Syria has been taking it inevitably -- inevitable deadly toll. Bodies carried on hampers, children
bombed in the schools violently, leaving so many held as you've seen the images but not these women.
In Damascus, some 200 of them hopped on their bikes, rallying to break the cycle of verbal abuse on the streets where biking became a necessity after
transport prices climbed and fuel shortages.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking Foreign Language)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We've got strong women with hopes will prevail again to see a change around the taboo of simply riding a bike. I'm Becky Anderson. That
was Connect the World, thanks for watching. From the team working with me here and those around the world, it is a very good evening. CNN of course
continues after this short break, so please stay with us.
END
