Assassinated leader worshipped as a hero

(29 Nov 2001)

Kabul - 29 Nov 2001
1. Various of street scenes with posters of late Northern Alliance leader Ahmed Shah Massood
2. Various of posters

File - Unknown location, Afghanistan
3. Various of Massood with supporters

Kabul - 27 Nov 2001
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Northern Alliance Foreign Minister
"He is not a witness to the freedom of his people. He is missed not only among his followers, but also among his people, the people of Kabul, and the who see the light after so many years. It is due to that man's efforts, and that man's determination and commitment to liberate his country."

File - Unknown location, Afghanistan
5. Massood with supporters

Kabul - 29 Nov 2001
6. Various of Massood picture on windscreen of vehicle
7. Wide shot boys washing vehicle
8. SOUNDBITE (Pashtu) Local soldier, vox pop
"We want peace in Afghanistan because our people have had a lot of difficulties in the past and all we want is peace."
9. Cutaway of Massood poster in car
10. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Local resident, vox pop
"Massood was a hero. The Taliban and Arabs killed him and we are praying to God for him. Now Massood is not here but security is better than before, and we are happy with the situation."
11. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Northern Alliance soldier, vox pop
"Now Massood is dead we will follow in his way. Massood will be the same for the people forever."
12. Various of Massoud posters
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Sutani, Kabul University
"If he was alive I think he would have wanted a pure national government in Afghanistan. As a pure Afghan fighter he has never gone to Pakistan or anywhere else. He was fighting for the people of Afghanistan and for the country. So he wanted to have a pure national government which would work for the people."
12. Various of Massood posters and photographs on military vehicles.

STORYLINE:

Across the Afghan city of Kabul, the face of Ahmed Shah Massood stares out from billboards, market stalls and car windscreens.

For many Afghanis, the former Northern Alliance General - assassinated just before the September 11 terror attacks - is a national hero.

Massood earned the moniker "Lion of Panjshir" because of the successful battles his forces waged against Russian soldiers with far superior equipment.

His death at the hands of suicide bombers on September 9 turned him into a martyr to the cause of liberating the war torn country.

His closest associates - among them Northern Alliance Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah - say he's greatly missed not only by his many followers, but also by the people of Kabul.

Indeed, on the streets of the city, liberated from Taliban rule more than two weeks ago, the name of Ahmed Shah Massood is highly revered.

"Massood was a hero," one Kabul resident told APTN. "The Taliban and Arabs killed him and we are praying to God for him."

As for who fills the current power vaccuum in Afghanistan, that now depends on the results of talks currently being held in Bonn between the country's major factions.

Many observers believe Massood would have supported a multi-ethnic, national government that would work for the people.

Massood was defence minister when the government of then-President Burhanuddin Rabbani was thrown out of Kabul in 1996 by invading Taliban troops.

Massood moved quickly to rally warring factions against the Taliban.

They formed a Northern Alliance which fought for five years to prevent the Taliban from gaining full control of Afghanistan.





Massood triumphantly rode into Kabul on a tank in April, 1992.


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