Transcripts For KQED BBC World News America 20150522

Because success takes partnership, and only through discipline and trust can we create something greater than ourselves. Mufg we build relationships that build the world. And now, bbc world news america. This is bbc world news america. Islamic state gains ground as the militant Group Expands its control of iraq and syria. Questions arise of how to defeat them. We speak to some survivors of the brutal trade as the migrant crisis in Southeast Asia continues. And a new collection of portraits looks at the changing relationship between the stars and their fans. Welcome to our viewers on Public Television in america and also around the globe. Tonight, Islamic State militants are reportedly in control of the last Border Crossing from syria into her back. This comes after a week of military gains that include the ancient city of palmyra in syria and the key iraqi town of ramadi. More than 40,000 people have been driven from their homes by i. S. Now the militants are moving east. Iraqis are asking why their army could not defend them. We have this report from baghdad. The immense flow of refugees out of ramadi, which has continued all week, has finally been stopped. The Iraqi Government worried about the numbers flooding into baghdad and worried too, that Islamic State fighters might infiltrate the crowd. Theyve now closed off the bridge along the route. Ramadi fell because the iraqi commander there lost his nerve. He had 2000 men. Islamic state only had 200. But they tricked him with some clever maneuvering. He ordered his men to get out of the city fast, and they were only too glad to go. Thousands of ordinary people from ramadi are paying the price. A refugee caps like these have been set up around baghdad. Some shrewd observations about the way the iraqi army performed in ramadi. Its an iraqi army, but its not united. The soldiers are divided. Theyve got different actions. Each one has its own flag. Here in Baghdad Security is tight. There is absolutely no sense here that Islamic State is about to come charging down the road and threaten baghdad, but the collapse of ramadi does clearly raise questions about the competence of the iraqi army, if it has the leaders to carry out the job of beating Islamic State. A retired general who is now a distinguished defense analyst agrees that part of the problem is the quality of the army leadership. And he says the i. S. Our ideological fighters so people who are really committed to combating that ideology have got to be used against them. Can the army defeat i. S. Alone . No. Pretty radical for a former army general, but the ramadi crisis could have other effects. Britain and america had to tiptoe away from direct. Now than other western countries may have to get more involved if i. S. Is to be beaten. The recent dramatic gains by Islamic State fighters across syria and iraq have prompted fresh doubts over if the Coalition Strategy to defeat them is working. The group now controls half of syrian territory and has branches in several other countries are today, supporters carried out the deadliest terror attack in saudi arabia in newly a decade. Here is our security correspondent, frank gardner. Murder in a mosque carried out by the socalled Islamic State. This was the aftermath today of the suicide bomb targeting saudi arabias shia minority during friday prayers. At least 20 were killed, dozens injured. Saudi shia blame their own government, saying it tolerates those who call the shia heretics. Saudi arabia denies this. The conflict with Islamic State is expanding across the region. You can see from the shaded areas here where they have support or control. In syria, they are now the most powerful rebel group. In iraq, they have exploded city grievances against the shia government to take more territory. Their attack today on she is in saudi arabia and another one in yemen will further inflame sectarian tensions. Which is exactly what the jihadists are aiming for a sectarian war where all sunnis unite behind them. They have stopped i is from overrunning kurdish towns but airpower alone has its limitations. With a western coalition made the decision that we will use airpower only and that we will then, to a degree, arm and train the kurds and the Iraqi Government. But the iraqi army has been incapable of pushing back Islamic State without help from shia militias trained by iran and they are not welcome in sunni areas. Its a conundrum that i. S. Continues to exploit. For more on the fight against Islamic State, i spoke a short time ago with a professor at American University school of international service. Palmyra in syria has fallen to Islamic State. They taken ramadi in iraq. Theyve made gains along the border this week. Are all these advances as significant as they appear . That are significant because it shows isis is an adaptable enemy and has more ability to take ground than previously thought by a lot of analysts and certainly the u. S. Government. These are very significant setbacks in the military campaign against isis. Those u. S. Airstrikes against Islamic State started at the end of last summer. Do you think its time for a rethink . I think the obama administration, no matter what they say publicly, is going to take this chance to reevaluate the strategy and see if they might want to loosen some of the restrictions on those airstrikes if they might want to put forward controllers on the ground with some iraqi units to help guide those strikes to make them more effective. Its a very difficult position, though isnt it back when now, were hearing that the iraqi troops will once again have those troops. The u. S. Administration has said that it will provide air support, airstrikes to any forces under the control of the Iraqi Government and the Prime Minister of iraq requested officially the assistance of the Shiite Militia this past week so that opens a door for the u. S. To provide Additional Air cover, even if the Shiite Militias are the bulk of the ground forces. Essentially, the u. S. Once again are having to rely on iran. Not just iran, but some of the local grown militias as well. Its very significant that the Government Forces that the Prime Minister controls have not shown a combination of the capability and will to fight in the ace of such a determined adversary. Is really the strategic loss of the week, the seeming evaporation of any cityled operation. Yes and that is one of the very important consequences of what happened in ramadi. There had been a hope in the Iraqi Government shared by the u. S. Administration that the local sunni fighters could be organized, trained equipped, and help the fight against isis, but that clearly now is not going to be a viable strategy any longer. Once more, as the chairman of the u. S. Joint chiefs of staff this week said, iraqi forces were not driven out of ramadi. They drove out. Accommodation of the incredible explosions in the city in combination with isis very Brutal Campaign against those who were left in the city i think combined to make it so that the iraqi forces lost the will to fight. I iraqi forces are mostly shiite in composition. Different from the Shiite Militias, but i think the combination of a very determined adversary with a tremendous amount of firepower acting in a sunni area where a lot of the members of the Security Forces of iraq are not from combined to break their will in addition to the capability. Thank you very much for joining us. For years, thailand has been accused of neglecting the increasing problem of Human Trafficking. The victims are usually rohingya migrants from myanmar and impoverished bangladeshis seeking a new life. Traffickers hold them until their families pay a ransom for their release. The Thai Government is now taking tougher action which has left many migrants stranded at sea. Our correspondent sent us this report. The discovery of mass graves this month in the jungle camps where migrants have been held, finally forced the Thai Government to start shutting down Human Trafficking networks. Theyve known about this brutal trade for years. Six months ago, we came across this group of traumatized men just after they had been rescued, but they were not rohingyas fleeing persecution. There were bangladeshis seeking a better life. The business had become so profitable, the smugglers were expanding their reach. It was a secret trade hidden in the rubber plantations of thailand. A boy showed me where hes been held for nine months while his captors demanded a huge ransom from his family. He had been forced to sleep in the open. Where he said he saw people being raped and killed. This young woman escaped from a different camp. We spoke to her in a safe house. I want to tell everyone back at home please dont come here. If you come here, you will end up in a terrible situation. This is worse than what you are escaping. The Thai Military often promised to take action, but its efforts were ineffective. This boat crew had to cover hundreds of miles of indented coastline. They rarely caught anyone. We know the pros have been dumping human cargo right in this area. The sheer size and forest at nature of this coastline dwarfs the limited resources the thai authorities are putting into this operation. We found that the trafficking business was drawing in thais and all levels. This young man showed us where caps on been set up near his village. The whole community is involved in this business. Everybody knows about the caps. Its because of the money. The traffickers hire everyone. They hire people to keep watch on the camps and carry food. They go around all the houses here hiring people. I found few thai officials who were committed to stopping the human trade. This district chief was one. Running his own volunteer roadblock to try to stop migrants being trucked south to malaysia. Today, hes no longer alone in his efforts, eliminating this wellentrenched business though, requires the kind of lyrical will we have not seen yet. The kind of political will we have not seen yet. In other news now, from around the world, rebels in colombia defending the ceasefire they declared last year just hours after the government announced that more than 26 guerrillas had been killed in an army attack. Rebels said they will continue tomorrow. The u. S. State Department Released the first batch of emails from Hillary Clinton cusp Hillary Clintons private email account. The bomb attack in bujumbura has killed at least to the people. Seven others were wounded in the incident. The attack comes in the wake of the president s decision to run for a third term in office. The United Nations warned of a growing number of cholera cases among refugees fleeing the violence. The u. S. Assistant secretary of state said they were now closer to reopening embassies. At least 1. 5 Million People have been displaced by boko harams offensive in nigeria. Ahead of the International Committee of the red cross call for humanitarian situation in the northeast one of the worst in the world. After visiting the region, he spoke to our nigeria correspondent in an exclusive interview. People have lost faith in everything. They did not just leave. They left in fear and haste, and they left everything behind them. News they have today from those who stayed is that their houses are destroyed. Their businesses are destroyed. I spoke with a teacher who knows that his school is not anymore its flattened. You feel also in talking to the people that there are the stories told, and then there are the stories untold. Its clear for me that Sexual Violence we will discover Sexual Violence as a recurring pattern, a violation of International Law in this conflict, leaving many women and children and men as well with trauma which need a different type than just the physical response in terms of food, water, sanitation, shelter, and medical assistance. Of course, right across the northeast, so many schools have been shut down. Theres hardly any education going on. The consequences, the impact of this conflict will go on for many years. Indeed. School infrastructures are used for the internally displaced, so no school, except for some islamic schools, which are private, but no Public Schools are open, and they have been closed for the second year in a row. I agree with you that even if the violence would stop today or tomorrow, we still would be confronted with 1. 5 million or more people displaced, and livelihoods and life to be reconstituted, which can never be done just overnight, and which will need the full attention, not only of the International Community but also the full attention of the new government here in nigeria. You are watching bbc world america. Still to come on tonights program celebrating Archbishop Oscar Romero el salvador honors one of its great catholic heroes. And men believed to be the older brother of north Korean Leader kim jongil un kim jongun was filmed in london. He was asked a number of questions by journalists but did not speak. The playboy face of north korea in britain it seems this week. Will. To see the rockstar we know he admires, his first look appearance since his elder brother took over the leadership in north korea after their fathers death in 2011. How was your relationship with your brother . He was allegedly passed over as and to lead the secretive regime himself because his father taught him to week. The images from his childhood apparently show a taste for music and playfulness. The official line today is that he plays an Important Role in support of brother leader kim jongun, whose recent public image could hardly be more different. The defense chief once close to the leader, put to death by antiaircraft done fire falling asleep at a military event according to south koreas intelligence agency. But half a world away, eric clapton and his artistry reportedly captivating kim jonguns brother once more, and he apparently enjoyed the guitarist so much that he went back the next night. Still silent about as evidence of north koreas notorious unpredicted ability. The catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero was one of el salvadors most influential figures during the countries civil war before his assassination in 1980. He has become an icon for salvadorans. This year, pope francis declared him a martyr. Tomorrow, he will be beatified and the ceremony is expected to be the biggest ever in the country. Just one dollar for a memento of el salvadors most famous man. A roaring trade as People Get Ready to celebrate monsignor romero. For many here, this has been a long time coming. Its a debt el salvador has owed monsignor romero for many years. Personally, im really happy this is going to happen. I never lived through the civil war, what ive seen video, and it was really shocking. Archbishop romero was the only voice of opposition during a dark time for el salvador. With u. S. Backed Salvadoran Army was using death squads and torture to stop revolutionaries from seizing power, he continued to denounce the violence through weekly homilies, but it cost him his life. It was here 35 years ago that he was killed, shot in the heart after giving mass. Ever since he died, oscar romero, who has been considered a saint by many people here in el salvador and a hero across latin america, and for long time, the process of beatification was blocked by conservative cardinals. There were those who felt and still feel today he had become too political. His friend and colleague says those accusations are wrong. He wasnt political, but he lived in a very difficult political time when everything was politicized. There was a line in the middle, and the ones who supported the government were good and the ones who were against the government were bad. It was that simple. For his family, this is a proud time an occasion to remember a hardworking brother. He was always very humble and dedicated to his studies. He was committed to protecting the poor. If he was alive today, he would be doing the same work. In a country that has become one of the most violent in the world, this is a rare moment of celebration. Despite the Police Presence here even gangs have declared a truce in honor of monsignor romero. Tomorrow will be a huge day in el salvador. It used to be easy to spot a celebrity like a movie star when their images were controlled by studios, but they to mobile technology in the internet, celebrities today can be created in a flash and disappeared just as quickly. The new exhibition at the National Portrait gallery in washington explores the changing relationship. In a slow tease, the camera moves along the torso of one of americas biggest jazz stars. Bit by bit, her identity is revealed until we see Esperanza Spalding listening to music. The camera is so close, the experience feels more intimate than being facetoface. Celebrity encounters are what this exhibition is all about but as this painting of brad pitt shows, its not all hollywood glamour and who we choose to celebrate says a lot about our current preoccupation. Soanya sotomayor, the First Latina Supreme Court justice is here and so is alice walters, founder of the slow Food Movement Sonya Sotomayor the First Latina Supreme Court justice is here. But who controls those images, and who is looking at who . Is it us, or is it then . Thats one of the questions raised by this digital portrait of the founders of google, a Search Engine that can also gather information about those who use it. That means pretty much everyone. But here, the tables are turned and the words spoken by the google creators are googled in real time on the adjoining screen. As sergei brin says television, his images will be branded with photos of television, and on the other screen, you will see a textual display of the snippets that come back when you Type Television into google, does that make sense . Its all stylized, and it tries to be beautiful and dynamic and evocative, but in essence im just using their technology to demonstrate what i think is interesting about them. Our relationship with celebrity is only one aspect. We may decide who becomes a celebrity, but how they are presented exposes another relationship between them than the artist. I was nervous and that i very restricted. I was not able to move through space, and i was used to doing photo shoots where im literally dancing, but this was Something Else that she was going for, and i really appreciated the challenge. All of these vastly different portraits aim to give substance to a notion of celebrity that is often fleeting, and although these celebrities may represent a passing moment, this exhibition at least routes them in history. Changing face of celebrity. That brings todays broadcast to a close. You can find much more on all of todays news on our website. More of us here at world news america. Thanks for watching, and have a great weekend. Make sense of International News at bbc. Com news. Funding of this presentation is made possible by the Freeman Foundation newmans own Foundation Giving all profits from newmans own to charity and pursuing the common good, kovler foundation, and mufg. Build a Solid Foundation and you can connect communities and commerce for centuries. That is the strength behind good banking relationships, too. Which is why, at mufg, we believe financial partnerships should endure the test of time because with time comes change and what matters in the end is that you are Strong Enough to support it. Mufg we build relationships that build the world. Bbc world news was presented by kcet los angeles. Captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc woodruff senators scramble to save expiring parts of the patriot act, at the center of the debate is whether to change the scope of the governments surveillance powers. Good evening, im judy woodruff. Also ahead, why more seniors are going hungry. Onceprosperous americans now struggle to put food on the table we were on our hands and knees, practically, lets put it that way, and you open up the closet and all we had was coffee. So, we made it. And thats what we had. Woodruff its friday, mark shields and Michael Gerson are here, to analyze the weeks news. And