Military

DATE=02/14/02

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=CQ DOCUMENTARY / AFGHAN HUMANITARIAN AID (BKR)

NUMBER=5-51083

BYLINE=MONA GHUNEIM

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

///EDS: RESENT WITH EDITS THROUGHOUT///

INTRO: A series of documentary films shown in New York, on life in Afghanistan shows a deeply divided country. One torn apart by war, poverty, and numerous political. Mona Ghuneim reports one humanitarian organization is the focus of several of the documentaries featured at New York's Lincoln Center.

TEXT: Documentary films reveal what we rarely see or hear in the news, because often news organizations do not have the time or devotion to commit to in-depth coverage the way a documentary does. This is true of one film, in particular, shown recently at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York. The filmmakers and the participants of the film "Jung (War): Land of the Mujaheddin" poured time, money, skill, and emotion into this work, and into Afghanistan.

"Jung" focuses on the efforts of a group called Emergency, an Italian humanitarian organization which establishes and operates hospitals in war-ravaged countries such as Iraq, Cambodia, and Sierra Leone. Dr. Gino Strada is a surgeon with the group in Afghanistan. He says Emergency is there to save lives and does not take sides.

///DR. GINO STRADA ACTUALITY///

In our view, humanitarian organizations cannot take part in any conflict. They cannot be politically-oriented. They have to be absolutely neutral in order to carry out their work.

///END ACT///

Neutrality in a country with various political and ethnic differences may not seem that simple, but humanitarian groups are doing their best. In "Jung," Dr. Strada asks the authorities to remove tanks lined up near the hospital. His assisting surgical nurse visits injured people in a prison with a translator to tell them what the hospital is doing to help them.

///DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE ACTUALITY///

(Sound: prison door/Eastern music/Nurse Rowlands/translator)

Nurse: We're trying to do what we can and the authorities have let. (mumbles,

seemingly upset) explain.

Translator: explains in Afghan language

///END ACT///

Nurse Kate Rowlands is featured in "Jung" and in new footage shown at the festival for an upcoming documentary on Emergency's work in Kabul. She says she has seen how the people of Afghanistan have been devastated by war, but she says they are a wonderful people.

///NURSE KATE ROWLANDS ACTUALITY///

The Afghan people are a very, very brave, courageous and hospitable people and nation. They have survived over two decades the most horrendous difficulties. I don't think there's one family in Afghanistan that has not been touched by war.

///END ACT///

In a touching moment from another film, a young boy passes the time singing from his hospital bed while he recovers from a land mine injury. He may once have been neglected, but now the humanitarian group Emergency and a group of conscientious filmmakers are there by his side.

///MUSIC ACT/// (Young boys sings Afghan song)

All the documentaries in the series starkly reveal the past, or current state of Afghanistan. They are disturbing pieces of reportage that offer testimony to a country in chaos -- a country that was until recently often neglected by the rest of the world. (Signed)

NEB/NYC/MG/BJS/RH