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Arrests Reported As Navalny Supporters Take To Streets; Protester: You Have To Show Love For Your Fellow Man; Backlash From Fans Appears To Have Killed Super League; CNN Speaks To UNICEF As Crises Rage In Ethiopia; India Sees Highest Rise In COVID-19 Cases, Deaths In A Day; Short Film Nominee Is Story of Palestinian Struggle. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired April 21, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: It's a very good evening tonight Russia's President facing growing tensions both at home and abroad.
We begin with a day of warnings from the Kremlin and protests across Russia. As Vladimir Putin talks tough demonstrators are keen to show they
mean business too, take them to the streets to show support for jailed Opposition Leader Alexey Navalny.
We're hearing from human rights monitors telling us that more than 180 demonstrators in Russia have already been detained. At the same time in a
prison hospital outside Moscow the Russian President's most prominent critic is thanking his supporters and calling himself "A walking skeleton"
on social media.
Praising Mr. Putin is a dangerous business. In his national address a short time ago Putin told the world of his view of being strong have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: Russia is a welcoming country open for real friendship. Russia has its interests that it protects within
international law. And if someone refuses to understand this obvious thing, and doesn't want to engage in dialogue, chooses an egotistical and arrogant
tone, Russia will always find a way to stand its ground achieve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the Russian leaders get tough message for the West isn't subtle. Right now CNN's Fred Pleitgen is it the plan protests scene in
Moscow. Where are you? And what's happening?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there Becky. Well, I'm actually right in front of the Kremlin, you can see if you look
over there that is the entire Kremlin area.
And essentially, what the Russian authorities have done or are trying to do is they're trying to coordinate areas to make sure that the protest doesn't
even take hold there. I think we zoom in a little you can see that there's basically police station there every couple of yards around that entire
area that whole area is cordoned off.
Normally, that would be full of thousands of people. That's one of the main tourist attractions, not just in Russia, but indeed in the entire world.
Right now, no one's allowed to go there, simply because they're trying to prevent this protest from taking hold on.
Also we turn in this direction you can see there's also already some media here. We're not seeing too many protesters yet. But again, the protest is
not set to start until about an hour from now. And it really is very much a cat and mouse game that's been going on here because the protesters, of
course, are trying to get going but the authorities are trying to stop them.
There are several subway stations that have been closed. There's several also people who are close to Alexey Navalny who have already been detained
in the earlier part of the day, including his spokeswoman including a lawyer, a very close to him as well as and you can see that there is some
attrition and Alexey Navalny organization.
As they say that they want to bring as many people as possible to the streets because of course, they've been saying that the situation for
Alexey Navalny inside that jail, and now inside that jail medical facility is so very dire.
You mentioned that he was saying he's like a walking skeleton. Of course, there were reports over the past couple of days that he could be near
death. And that's one of the reasons or the main reason why these protests are set to take place because Alexey Navalny is - the people who are close
to his organization are saying the situation is so dire that right now people need to come out and try and put some pressure on the Kremlin.
It certainly appears as though the authorities here are doing everything they can to try and stop that. However, another Russian cities, there have
been protests that have taken place over the course of the day. And you already mentioned Becky nearly 200 people were detained in that protest.
In fact, I'm just getting some information right now that apparently it's over 200 people 210 people at least we have been detained so far, Becky.
ANDERSON: Unless we forget that there is man's life at stake here. I spoke to one of Navalny's allies yesterday, this time. I asked him where this
whole thing would end. Have a listen to what he told me Fred.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR ASHURKOV, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ANTI-CORRUPTION FOUNDATION: We believe that the pressure will make the Russian authorities provide him
medical care and popularity of poaching is declining. A lot of people are discontent we believe that one that in time this will lead to a political
crisis which will result in the start of liberalization Russian political system.
[11:05:00]
ASHURKOV: They say the end that we are working towards.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: What do you make of what he said, Fred? I mean is that the sense that you are getting from what people are telling you?
PLEITGEN: Well, it certainly does seem like it's very much an uphill battle. I mean, one of the things that the authorities have said is that
they look, they said, Alexey Navalny right now he is in a medical facility, and he did apparently get put on a glucose drip to at least keep him alive
for the time being.
So far, so ever he has not been able to see the doctors that he wants to see the doctors that he trusts and certainly doesn't appear as though right
now that the authorities are looking to give way on that in any way, shape or form.
It is however, the case of the opposition does appear to think that they can continue to put pressure on the Kremlin to that end, for instance, with
the kind of actions that they're taking right now. But currently, from what we're seeing here on the ground that does not look as though the
authorities seemed to be budging at this point in time.
In fact, Vladimir Putin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, he said on a conference call with journalists, it's a couple of days ago that they didn't even want
to talk about the Navalny case anymore. They said that they said everything that they are going to say about it, and they certainly don't want to talk
about anymore.
It really does appear as though for Navalny's people this is very much an uphill battle. But right now, it also seems as though they are vowing to
continue on as well, Becky.
ANDERSON: Just briefly, I want our viewers to hear a little more of what President Putin had to say, today have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PUTIN: Whoever organizes any provocations that threaten our core security will regret this like they've never regretted anything before. I have to
say, we have enough patience, responsibility and professionalism, confidence in our righteousness and making decisions. But I hope that no
one will get an idea to cross a so called red line in regards to Russia. And where this red line lies, we will determine ourselves in each specific
case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This is not a man prepared to step down from what he believes at this point - way too international.
PLEITGEN: It certainly doesn't seem as - no, I think you're absolutely right, Becky. And I think that Vladimir Putin in that international part,
his security part of his speech was the result of several sections of the speech that he gave today.
He did appear as though he was very combative. He talked about the situation in Belarus. He talked about what he called provocations there. He
talked about the situation in Ukraine. Of course, we know that some of the things that the Russians have been doing over, over the past couple of
months over the past couple of weeks is a massing troops there on the border in Southern Ukraine.
It certainly doesn't appear as though at least as far as international security is concerned, as far as Russia's borders are concerned, as far as
their status also, in the many battlefields in this world is concerned that they are willing to back down in any way, shape or form.
There are a lot of things that Vladimir Putin called red lines; there are a lot of things that he called provocations and saying that the Russians will
define those. There was also one of the things that I thought was quite interesting is right after Vladimir Putin spoke about those red lines,
that's when he started talking about Russia's nuclear arsenal and some of the new weapons that Russia has there.
So you're absolutely right. I think the Russian President showed himself to be very combative and certainly not someone who's going to back down at
least on the international stage, Becky.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow for us. Well, in the U.S. day after a jury convicted a Former Minneapolis Police Officer of murdering George
Floyd. America's Attorney General says the Justice Department will investigate that city's Police Department you heard it here last hour on
"Connect the World".
Merrick Garland's announcement follows his earlier promise to examine the practices of all Police Departments that commit civil rights violations.
Will the jury convicting Derek Chauvin all three charges against him for pinning Floyd under his knee for nearly nine and a half minutes on a
Minneapolis street last night. Chauvin led from the courtroom in handcuffs. Floyd's family reacting verdict with hugs, surf tears and joy scenes like
this repeated across the United States.
But that sense of relief tempered by the larger issue of combating racial injustice in America and the world. The U.S. President of course verdict to
start and he is asking Americans to do more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: This is a time for this country to come together to unite as Americans. That can never be any safe
harbor for hate in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, this is the booking photo of Chauvin released just hours ago by the Minnesota Department of Corrections. He returns to court for
sentencing in eight weeks.
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: CNN's Josh Campbell has been following the trial the entire case for us from the very start joining me now from Minneapolis. And Josh, you
were in that courtroom when the verdict was announced, just describe the atmosphere for us, if you will?
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, good to be with you. I was one of two reporters that were permitted inside to get the reactions
to get the reflections of what was taking place and to describe for your viewers what they couldn't see on that television.
Put simply, the tension in the room was palpable at the outset of the trial. Both the prosecution team and the defense team sat at their
respective tables. Derek Chauvin, the defendant sat very quietly dazing off at one point his attorney tried to talk to him and it seemed like he didn't
even know someone was next to him.
He was just staring down and then snapped out of it and started having that conversation. I think the most anxiety that I saw in that courtroom
actually came from the prosecution table, one of the attorneys in particular, very fidgety, very anxious, his eyes darting around the room
waiting for that verdict.
But the most emotional moment Becky that took place that I could see with my own eyes came from Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, who sat
off to my right, he spent almost the entire trial in prayer. His hand stapled in front of his face, as those three guilty verdicts were read his
hands were shaking uncontrollably.
I asked him afterwards, what he was praying for throughout so much of that trial. He said he was praying for a guilty verdict. He also said that as an
African American, he rarely sees justice. So a powerful moment there and then finally, right after that moment, his attorney came over and said we
have a phone call from a very important person.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were on the line. I sat there listening as President Biden told the Floyd family how proud he was
of them for being such champions for justice, saying in his words, his administration will be seeking real policing reform here in the United
States so simply an emotional moment and emotional time in court, and obviously, a trial that has been watched around the world, Becky.
ANDERSON: You're inside analysis is so important. George Floyd's brother as an African American he rarely sees justice. He said that needs to change.
Josh, thank you.
The repercussions of both the death of George Floyd and the subsequent conviction of Derek Chauvin felt well beyond America's borders. We've been
showing that trial in its entirety, and it has been watched around the world on CNN. You will recall the protests from Paris to Sydney proclaiming
Black Lives Matter everywhere after Floyd's killing.
It shows institutional racism is not just an American problem. Who can forget this scene in the UK when protesters tossed a Statue of Slave Trader
Edward Colston into the River Avon? Salma Abdelaziz joining us from London to gauge reaction there and you've been looking at the reaction not just in
London, but sorry in the UK but internationally. What's it been?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: You know I cannot overemphasize Becky just how much of an earthquake of a seismic event George Floyd's murder was? You
saw those protesters tens of thousands of them taking to capitals around the world.
And yes, they were chanting George Floyd's name. But very quickly, that focus turned around. They started holding their own governments to account.
They started demanding change at home. They started asking about systemic equality there.
And it really sparked a conversation that at times, especially here in Europe, especially here in the UK, it's considered taboo. You often hear
people saying racism doesn't exist we're Europeans we're liberals this idea that they do not want to see it and do not want to hear it.
And that's what George Floyd did. He forced that uncomfortable conversation. He inspired people to take to the streets. And I traveled up
and down this country seeing moments like that Slave Traders statue being toppled.
And one moment really does stand out to me. And that was a viral image of a man named Patrick Hutchinson. He was a Black Lives Matter protester. And
one day, he was out and there was cautious between those who were fighting for the anti racism movement, and those against it.
In the middle of those classes he saw a white man injured on the floor, he decided to pick him up, put him over his shoulder and that image gave so
much hope. I had an opportunity to interview him at the time. And I asked him, why did you do that? Why would you pick up a man that could be your
enemy?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK HUTCHINSON, BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTER: You know you have to show some sort of, you know, love for your fellow man. OK, regardless because I
was saying that if the other three officers that were present when George Floyd was unfortunately murdered, if they just one of them stepped in--
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: That image became a moment of hope became a sign of victory and the verdict that was read out yesterday for anti racism activists around
the world that feels like a sign of victory.
[11:15:00]
ABDELAZIZ: But it's going to be a huge challenge because again, that conversation is very difficult to have here in Europe and in the UK. Just
to give you an example, we're currently having a crisis here in the UK because in the wake of Black Lives Matter, the government put together a
task force that go ahead and investigate the issue of systemic racism in the UK.
That report concluded just last month, and it found that systemic racism did not exist in the UK. You can only imagine the backlash the scandal, the
anger United Nations, the United Nations, speaking out and condemning this report, saying that essentially it rationalizes white supremacy and spins
troop stereotypes racist stereotypes, as fact.
That's the difficult part here Becky, is sometimes anti racism activists will tell you we're walking around saying the sky is blue racism exists,
and yet we have to fight those who are saying the sky is purple and racism does not exist, Becky.
ANDERSON: Salma Abdelaziz on the story for us. Thank you. The world of sport played a major role in bringing attention to Black Lives Matter
movement before and after George Floyd's death. So it's no surprise there was reaction from the world of sport to that verdict.
The Charlotte Hornets and "The New York Knicks" locked arms during the national anthem Tuesday in solidarity. Well, NASCAR's only black drivers
Bubba Wallace tweets justice served at all counts good, still a ton of work to do continue to rest peacefully George Floyd he said. Andy Scholes joins
us with more of what has been, Andy an emotional reaction?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, Becky, it certainly was an emotional verdict for so many people you know over the past year we've seen you know
so many athletes in sports leagues and continue to use their voice their platform in order to fight for social justice.
Here in the U.S. many players taking part in the Black Lives Matter protest after the murder of George Floyd and when the verdict was announced on
Tuesday you saw many athletes taking to social media to voice their relief but also add that there's still plenty of work to be done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES (voice over): The guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial rocking the sports world.
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, NBA HALL OF FAME: I was just saying to myself, I hope they do the right thing because if they don't, they're going to tear this
mud up because we're tired with the amount of justice we got.
SCHOLES (voice over): NBA players who have been on the frontline of the racial justice movement speaking out. LeBron James summed up his feelings
in one word, accountability, and his Lakers teammate Andre Drummond tweeting justice. The San Antonio Spurs tweeted a video that read Black
Lives Matter for 9 minutes and 29 seconds the length of time Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd's neck.
DWYANE WADE, FORMER NBA ALL STAR: I was sitting in front of the TV watching the verdict come down and my hands start sweating. My body starts shivering
and my heart start pounding because I was nervous. I was nervous because I didn't believe right?
I'm sitting in front of TV and I didn't believe in even when the verdict came down and, and all charges, you know, that we wanted, was met. I still
was staring at the TV listening to the judge because I was thinking that it was out coming because we've never seen this.
SCHOLES (voice over): Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson tweeting simply love wins. Tampa Bay Bucs, Linebackers, Shaquille Barrett adding
it's just the beginning. In New York, people gathered outside Barclays Center to voice their support.
BLAKE GRIFFIN, BRROKLYN NETS: I just keep thinking about how powerful it was to see people from all over the world, literally all over the world,
you know, come together and take a stand for something and you know that's huge.
KYRIE IRVING, BROOKLYN NETS: We just want to continue to galvanize each other and be there for one another as human beings and continue to support.
You know, justice being served.
SCHOLES (voice over): In Minnesota, the Timberwolves and Lynx issued a joint statement writing, we are hopeful that today's decision will serve as
a step forward. But it is not ease the physical and emotional pain that continues in an environment where systemic racism exists.
The Minnesota Wild hockey team noting there is still much work to be done. Many athletes of Green Tennis Star Naomi Osaka, who wore this face mask
with George Floyd's name on it during the U.S. Open in September tweeting, the fact that so many injustices occurred to make us hold our breath toward
this outcome is really telling.
CANDACE PARKER, 5-TIME WNBA ALL-STAR: We're sitting here on a sports show, speaking about justice, and speaking about things that are going on within
our court system. It's not OK to just be a bystander of justice or our political system or democracy.
And I think democracy we think of as a destination and it's a continuous journey. And it has to be thought of that way. And just because we're
athletes, just because we're stay at home moms or businessmen or doctors or lawyers, whatever we are, like we have to actively participate in it.
[11:20:00]
PARKER: Because if we don't, we're not doing our job and we're failing the generation that comes after us. And I just think you look at the past and
how many people before had to die and had to not receive justice for this to happen today.
And I just think we can't - we can't - we can't hide behind badges money, power, race, gender, we can't hide behind those things, because that's not
justice. And we're lying to ourselves. We continue to think that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, the words justice and accountability were trending here in the United States on social media after the verdict was read, Becky many
hoping that this is a positive first step towards real change.
ANDERSON: Could you have put it any more eloquently than that? WNBA Star in your report closing out that report. Thank you, Andy. When we come back,
the fans spoke and for once the owners of some of the world's biggest football clubs, that's soccer clubs, if you're watching in America,
listened the story of the swiftness striking death of what was known as the European Super League, that in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, to the story of funds beating finances. The multibillion dollar European Super League, as it were known, appears to be dead after an
unprecedented backlash from football fans. Six English football clubs that were at the core of the proposed Super League pulled out on Tuesday and
clubs from Spain and Italy have also now withdrawn.
There is no other word for it this was surrender. So just 48 hours after the league was announced it collapsed. The Football Club Arsenal may have
summed it up best saying to its fans quote we made a mistake and we apologize for it. Let's bring in CNN World Sports Alex Thomas who is
outside Stamford Bridge where Chelsea plays?
Alex the fans you've been locked out of the stadium during COVID are getting a chance to voice their feelings overall can only be described as a
debacle?
ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, Becky the scenes that we saw outside Stamford Bridge Stadium on Tuesday evening once the overall opposition but
it's probably the final nail in the coffin after several days of pressure building on these 12 clubs that announced a breakaway Super League late on
Sunday night.
Saying they've secured billions of dollars and that will be for the good of football. The trouble is no one else thought that way. Football authorities
railed against the idea. So did the British Prime Minister France's Presidents even a member of the Royal Family celebrities legendary former
players.
[11:25:00]
THOMAS: And then on Tuesday that pressure was ramped up further when even more current managers and players, even those from the teams involved with
the breakaway also spoke out against this idea. You had Marcus Rushford at Manchester United posting on social media.
You had Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City boss saying he was against it in a scheduled pre match news conference. Then you had the fans protests. You
also had Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister saying they might look into legislation to stop it.
There were just too many hurdles and obstacles in the end, and they decided enough was enough. The real losers, although all 12 are the Italian and
Spanish clubs, Becky, if it's they were really hoping for the financial boost this could have given them the English clubs and go back to an
already lucrative Premier League.
And it's a victory for the fans. We've been speaking to fellow journalists in Spain and Italy, who are saying they're seriously impressed with how
visible and vocal the opposition has been in this country to the idea.
ANDERSON: Any consequences off the back of that, of this?
THOMAS: Possibly. UEFA have already announced a revamped Champions League and that was partly due to the pressure. So we know that many of these
clubs are planning a breakaway leave in the background for many years, and the revamped Champions League with more teams and more matches that was
announced on Monday was seen as an olive branch to them, although the clubs announced their own breakaway league the night before that announcement.
And maybe you can go back and revisit that new Champions League format and actually punish the top clubs in some way. Say actually, we're not now
going to let you have more of a guarantee of being in that competition year in year out which is of course what the owners wants.
They want guaranteed revenue on which to build their business empires around. So there could as well be maybe help for fans in terms of more fan
representation on boards the way you see it in German football. It was notable that Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund didn't get involved with
this project from the stars.
And that was already a stumbling block for the Super League getting off the ground. I'm still amazed at how it was launched, and then crashed to the
ground in the space of just 14, 72 hours.
ANDERSON: Remarkable stuff. Alex, you've been across it every step of those 72 hours. You must be exhausted. Thank you. Ahead on the show, the
humanitarian situation in the Tigray region in Ethiopia is deteriorating. We're going to speak with UNICEF's Spokesman James Elder about the grave
impact the violence is having on children.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Well, we are hearing harrowing accounts of violence human rights abuses, and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ethiopia's Tigray
region. The EU says it is allocating nearly $65 million in humanitarian aid to Ethiopia.
The Commissioner says the conflict has exacerbated and already difficult situation. Basic needs like food, security, health, and shelter are
growing. And the UN's Children Agency, UNICEF is gravely concerned about the conflict impact on children.
James Elder is the Spokesman for UNICEF. He's just returned from a mission to Tigray and he joins me now from Nairobi, in Kenya. And sir, what did you
witness while you were there?
JAMES ELDER, UNICEF SPOKESMAN: I witnessed all the things you mentioned. I witnessed the nutrition crisis for kids were November when this started six
months ago this started, people should have been harvesting. They can't, they can't now plant.
An education crisis I mean, we know there's hundreds of millions of kids around the world out of school. These kids aren't not just in the classroom
they're in a conflict zone. I've seen water systems smashed and looted and health systems remembering Becky, a lot of these parts of Tigray quite
developed.
There's good agriculture, good universities, good health care, that's been looted that's been destroyed. And yet again, kids are suffering really
gravely. It's kind of getting worse every single day.
ANDERSON: Can you just give us a pitch? I mean, this has been a conflict that's been going on now James for six months. Can you give us a sense of
the daily threats that women and children face in Tigray?
ELDER: Yes, unfortunately, I can. I mean, for example, one girl, one girl out of so many I spoke to 16 years old, doing really well at school, nice
school grade physics, like innovation is what she said, conflict teach, she loses her brother and her father, in a matter of days. She walks for 300
kilometers 300 kilometers with her little brother on her back in broken flip flops.
And then when we see she's got nothing, she's just looking for a chance. She's looking for food. Now UNICEF will get her in a temporary learning
space, and we'll give her some protection. But there are hundreds of thousands of kids like this.
I heard far too many stories from children who've been raped, you know, like a 14 year old girl, Becky, I mean, she's a - she's a girl, you know,
she's brave and clever. But she's a child. And she'd been raped by a military. These kinds of really - I mean conflict is always cruel to women
and kids.
But in this kind of scenario, where there's no frontline, and therefore women and kids are so often in the middle of that conflict. This is being
particularly brutal to girls and their mums.
ANDERSON: What does sexual violence as a weapon of war in a conflict like this do to children and young women? I mean, what's the impact James?
ELDER: It's heartbreaking. I mean, literally, if I talk about the people I spoke to, they're really brave. And obviously, I'm only speaking those
people who - it's the tip of the iceberg. The cases we see because they're the ones who fought through a cultural barrier of shame to report it or
found our health center or got transport or got through the conflict.
And what it does, I mean, some of these are grossly violent, Becky. Some of these were groups of soldiers over multiple days in front of a child or in
front of a husband. And what it does is it shatters them. You know anyone who hears the story has sleepless nights, these children and they or their
mums, girls or their mums, you got years of time it takes to get over it.
Now, again UNICEF will be there. We will be there with psychological support we will be there with dignity kids and everything we can. But let's
make it perfectly clear, you know that the authorities need to denounce these things very publicly, and perpetrators need to know that there's
accountability and that sexual violence in conflicts is a war crime is an internet a breach of international law.
But first and foremost, despite all the people who are saying this needs to stop. It's not stopping Becky, you know, I saw one single center, where we
have three reported cases a day. It's the tip of the iceberg. It's immensely damaging for children. And it's very hard to see how they get
over it.
UNICEF, as I say, will be with them every step of the way. But we need the parties to the conflict to stop doing this.
ANDERSON: The Biden Administration James has called for a ceasefire. It has demanded that Eritrean troops leave the country that's yet to be seen and
you will say you see no change on the ground. The EU's been highly critical of the Ethiopian government is issued sanctions on Eritrea over credible
reports that its soldiers are carrying out human rights abuses across the region.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: What more can the international community do right now to facilitate an end to all of this?
ELDER: Well, Becky, as you know, UNICEF is nonpartisan. We just want to be there for kids. We want to be in every part we can. But exactly those
things just need to keep happening. No solution is ever quick. But at the same time, it should be apparent to any leader that conflict has never
proven to be an answer in this scenario.
So all those actors, the EU has been a very generous donor, by the way, so has USNID the Americans. So they need to keep making that point very clear,
as you say, everything that you hear from you know, outfits of soldiers or from voice and language says that the Eritreans have not left.
You know that people need to live by the promises that they make and enable organizations like UNICEF, to keep doing the frontline work we do. If I can
just part of the thing you're talking about law and order and security that Biden Administration is speaking to.
We have these incredible mobile teams. They're nutritionists and doctors and they go out past the frontlines, and they'll help a child who is
severely malnourished. They'll help a mum give birth who can't get there through the fighting.
We've had you know about 16 reports in the last 10 days, two weeks, where these people have been threatened by armed forces they've been had their
lives threatened guns pointed at them told to move on. So as people discuss finding a peaceful solution in the interim, there has to be unfettered
access for agencies like UNICEF, brave people, aid workers to get out there and do their jobs and reach those mums and kids who are again trapped in a
really awful, awful situation.
ANDERSON: Let's just wrap this up by saying that the UN says over a million people have been displaced in Tigray. Aid agencies reported they can no
longer get international aid into the region. Look, James, as a result, essential food and medical supplies as you've been relating are practically
non-existent, and people are quite literally starving. How bad could things get if people continue to be denied access to humanitarian aid finally?
ELDER: Horribly bad. We struggle sometimes with all the conflicts around the world, places like Yemen, but you know, we will see - we will see the
deaths of children utterly unnecessary deaths. We will continue to see - as you say food and security these are fundamentally critical things.
And right now Tigray is receiving less of those than almost any other conflict zone around the world. So we will see mothers you know, walk miles
and miles only to get to a health center that's been looted, and watch their baby dying in their arms. We will see unnecessary deaths. UNICEF will
do everything we can to prevent that. But we are an aid actor, not a political one.
ANDERSON: With that, we're going to leave it there but we thank you so much for joining us. I'm sorry that we had to speak under these circumstances
but speaking to is so important. James, thank you.
Coming up, India's healthcare system is bursting at the seams. People are sharing hospital beds while others are dying waiting for oxygen supplies.
We'll talk to one leader in charge of the COVID Response or - there.
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[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: India is now a key driver in the global surge of Coronavirus cases. In less than a week the country has recorded 1.5 million cases and
today more grim news, nearly 300,000 new infections and some 2000 deaths reported making it India's highest rise in infections and deaths in a
single day.
Things are so bad in some places that hospitals are running low on beds and on oxygen. Earlier a local official in western India said at least 20 to
COVID patients on ventilator support died while waiting for oxygen supplies that have been lost in an accident.
Chandrika Bahadur Chairs "The Lancet Commission" on COVID-19 India Taskforce. She's joining us from Gurgaon outside of Delhi. And with the
greatest respect what on earth is going on?
CHANDRIKA BAHADUR, CHAIR, LANCET COMMISSION ON COVID-19 INDIA TASKFORCE: Becky, first thank you for having me. We are going through pretty much the
worst possible phase of the pandemic here. It has been - it has been bad for a couple of weeks, but now it's reached a peak.
And essentially what's happened right now is that the health system is just not able to keep pace with the sheer number of cases that are coming in.
And that's what we're seeing the story that you quoted, coming out of Nasik is exactly that example of where the health system is getting overwhelmed
with patients.
Patients have to share beds. They have to wait for hours for admissions and hospitals. And it is truly, truly a tragic crisis right now.
ANDERSON: Well, let's drill down on this a bit. What is causing these really high numbers? Is the so called Indian variant to blame here or
partly to blame here?
BAHADUR: Possibly, but we don't exactly know. We don't have the data on the genome sequencing right now that can confirm that. What we do know is that
we went through a lull in January in late December, January and early February, where numbers dropped very dramatically, the number of new cases
dropped dramatically.
And I think what that did was to instill a sense of false security in everybody that we were past the worst - the worst was behind us. And what
ended up happening was that a lot of the COVID safe behaviors that have been in play, for most of 2020 essentially went down.
And so people were out and about much more, mask wearing declined significantly, a lot of large activities, or large gatherings were
scheduled. And so the country behaved as if the worst were was over.
And you know, we in the task force had a series of meetings in January and February, where this was discussed, and there was a lot of nervousness
around the fact that this could be a traffic dip, but not the end of the pandemic. And unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.
ANDERSON: So this was avoidable. Is that what you're telling me?
BAHADUR: I think it was avoidable in the sense that if we had kept our guard, and if we had been more careful, as a country as a people. These
numbers would probably have been much less. Now where we don't know - what we don't know is the effect of the variants.
So it could be that with all of the same behaviors, we would still have had a surge. But it is definitely true that if mask wearing, if distancing, if
all of these practices had been followed, probably we would see a different set of numbers today.
ANDERSON: New Delhi has just entered a week long lockdown that could extend for longer. And you say that there was a lot of nervousness, you now
understand people drop their guard. This could have been avoidable. So are the sorts of restrictions that are going into place now enough do you
believe?
BAHADUR: They're essential at this point unfortunately. You know, one of the challenges of not being careful early on is that then there are fewer
and fewer options left in terms of what to do to break the chain of transmission.
[11:45:00]
BAHADUR: So in our report we have basically recommended three different sets of options. And the first is how do you break the chain of
transmission? And one of that - one of those mechanisms is actually restricting activity.
Now it's a dangerous policy option because lockdowns that are severe and long lasting, hurt the economy, they hurt the poor. And so our
recommendation very much was to limit and localize these lockdowns based on the surges in those areas.
But that is exactly what you're seeing unfolding in Delhi. This has been done with a great amount of reluctance. I don't think there is any
political leader in the country that really wants to impose lockdowns. But at this stage, there has to - this step has to be taken to reduce the
number of new cases.
The other thing that has to happen is a much, much greater emphasis on mask wearing and distancing and a complete ban on large events and large
gatherings. And this is also something which is kicking in now. But it wasn't in place for the last month. And we've really seen the effects of
that play out.
Our second set of recommendations was really around strengthening the health system. And unfortunately, this is not something that can be done
overnight. And so this is again, with the surge, we have to be seeing the edges and the limits of the health system in terms of the availability of
doctors and nurses and paramedical staff, ambulance services, ambulance drivers, everything is in short supply.
So this is something that has to be resolved in an - on an emergency basis, but it will take a few weeks. None of these issues around the lack of
oxygen, the lack of medicines, none of that is resolvable overnight once numbers hit these levels.
ANDERSON: Is the health care system collapsing at this point?
BAHADUR: It's under severe strain in several parts of the country. And this would be you know, India's health system is notoriously underfunded, we
know that. You know, we have - the public spending on health is around 1.5 percent of GDP total spending is about 3.6 percent of GDP.
So these are lower numbers by any standards. But so that - so in a sense, what the pandemic is doing is showing us and throwing a spotlight on what
happens when there is a chronic long term under investment health sector. So yes, it is under enormous strain.
If the numbers go down over the next few days, then we will get a little bit of a respite. But that remains to be seen.
ANDERSON: What can you tell us about this new so called Indian variant and just how concerning is it?
BAHADUR: As I said, Becky, it's a little hard to know right now, what the exact effect of this double mutant variant is going to be. We are beginning
to start measuring, you know, where it's showing up and how it's showing up.
But it's still it's too early right now to really say whether this is driving infections. Now what we do know from the data that is coming in, is
that this time, there is a lot more and this is anecdotal evidence, a lot more infections within households.
So it is it definitely there's - there seems to be a greater level of infectiousness so that you know, even if one person in a household is
impacted very quickly, the entire family's getting infected, which wasn't the case in the first wave. So there does seem to be some difference here.
But as I said, it's too soon to tell. And we have not yet done enough genome sequencing in the country to be really to be able to track the
variant and to be able to predict the extent to which it is it is affecting transmission rates right now.
ANDERSON: You talked earlier about the importance of restricting public gatherings? Prime Minister, Modi's ruling political party has said that it
would hold "Small public gatherings" with a cap of 500 people. This is election season of course, that doesn't sound like a small number to me.
And that is after tens of thousands of people were seen at rallies organized by Modi's party, quite frankly, isn't this reckless given what is
going on at the moment?
BAHADUR: I suspect these numbers are going to drop just voluntarily. And you know the 500 numbers seems very large. But as you said, it's a much
smaller proportion of the tens of thousands that we were seeing earlier. My sense is that now there is a - there is a sense of crisis, which is fairly
widespread amongst the general population as well as amongst the political leadership.
So I would expect to see much, much smaller gatherings moving forward. We have two phases of state elections left in the State of West Bengal. And so
there are a few more days of campaigning still to take place. But I would be very surprised if we saw those numbers actually show up.
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Thank you so much for joining us. And as we close this out, let's just remind people that the country with over a billion - 1.3 billion I
think at the last count suffering from an acute vaccine shortage at this point as well, something to be very cognizant about. Thank you so much for
joining us.
Some new developments on the COVID vaccine front, nearly 54,000 doses so of the AstraZeneca vaccine have finally, excuse me reached series rebel
stronghold City of Idlib. The doses came through Turkey and they are the first who arrived from the W.H.O. and the GAVI Vaccine Alliance.
Vaccinations will start on the first of May.
When we come back, they are just 34 centimeters tall but everyone wants one. The Oscars will be handed out this weekend a conversation with a first
time filmmaker whose movie about Palestinians could just win her the prize that is in just a moment.
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ANDERSON: Well, folks, we are just four days from the biggest day in the film industry, the 2021 Oscars will be given out Sunday at Union Station in
Los Angeles the sprawling train station being turned into an awards venue to help with social distancing, though masks will not be required except
during commercial breaks I'm told.
Well, among the nominees for Best Short Film is "The Present" the story of a Palestinian man and his daughter who are trying to pass through an
Israeli checkpoint. The film was made by first time director Farah Nabulsi, who is a British Palestinian and we spoke with Farah about the inspiration
for this movie. Have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where you're going?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going shopping in--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shopping?
FARAH NABULSI, DIRECTOR, "THE PRESENT": At its essence, the film is about human dignity, the importance of human dignity and the basic human right of
freedom of movement. It's a fiction film. It's a very simple story. But it is based on a very cruel reality that exists on the ground today in
Palestine.
[11:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take off your jacket and boots everything in your bucket and come standing there.
NABULSI: It's in many ways through Yasmin's eyes that that we are witnessing what happens to our protagonist, which, sadly, is the case for
so many Palestinian children who have to witness their mothers and their superhero fathers impotent in the face of a military power.
There are two checkpoints that feature in "The Present". One is the infamous checkpoint, 300 in Bethlehem that's a real checkpoint. I felt very
strongly about shooting there. The only fiction in that scene is our protagonist or actress - surrounded by hundreds thousands of Palestinians,
through what I could only describe as a battery farm or worse than a battery farm for cattle.
I found that particularly fascinating what it means to engulf an entire population, of course, in such an infrastructure, but by zooming in on this
particular man and his daughter, and looking at them as human beings as humanizing them and understanding such a simple trip, and yet, in that
bigger infrastructure.
You know, when you're making a film, regardless where you are in the world, it's already tough. You know, you're chasing the light, you're dealing with
budgets, you're dealing with time constraints, but then you make a film and what is essentially militarily occupied territory.
And now you've just added a whole new level of stress. As a British Palestinian Female Muslim Filmmaker, I would want to encourage all creators
to be bold to be unapologetic in their storytelling, and have the courage to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Amazing. Good luck Farah! Good luck all of the nominees in fact. We will be watching Sunday and thank you for watching "Connect the World"
with me Becky Anderson. It is a very good evening from Abu Dhabi and the teams who are working with us around the world. Wherever you are watching
please stay well, stay safe.
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