KTVM Bozeman
Jacobs: Guns are not an uncommon site for these people. While they have never seen a skyscraper like the World Trade Center, they have seen military helicopters and soldiers. They are people too familiar with struggle.
Mortenson: We’ve spent billions on the war, building walls around America for homeland security as far as safety, but we definitely need to spend a few million to build bridges of peace and hope for the prosperity for the people.
Jacobs: Greg Mortenson says the aid money is simply not getting to Afghanistan.
Mortenson: There’s over 6million land mines. 5.2million people are dependant on food but you see this tremendous hope and desire to really finally have peace and stability. Very few people want war. If they had a choice these young men would gladly throw their gun away and get a hoe or spade.
Jacobs: It is a vicious cycle. They have no seeds to plant and they need the land mines gone before they can even plant the seeds. This spring many ended up harvesting opium for the warlords, making governmental changes a struggle.
Mortenson: The main problem is that there’s no economic stimulates. There’s…people don’t have jobs. Right now the opium is being harvested, about 2,600 tons.
Jacobs: The needs are simple one’s many of us take for granted.
Mortenson: You want food in your stomach and clean water and then safety’s a big concern. They’re very concerned about the peace there, and after that comes education and a job.
Jacobs: For now the people are grateful to have the Taliban in Al Qaeda out, but they’re concerned about stability. They continue to wait for more aid money and more peacekeeping troops, but overall they remain optimistic. In Bozeman, I’m Amy Jacobs reporting.
© 2002 KTVM Bozeman
