The Interpreter

Matobo, Africa

She wouldn't tell me her husband's name.

She wouldn't even write it.

She knows not to speak the names of the dead.

Zuwanie's murdered half the town. How could it get any worse?

With Zuwanie, he could murder the other half.

No.

Just us, they said.

Xola is right, Philippe.

You'd have done well, my friend, but just us.

I'll do the talking.

They're Ku.

You want to see the bodies?

Someone's coming.

It's okay.

The Teacher says good day to you.

(INTERPRETERS CHATTERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES)

(INTERPRETERS CHATTERING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES)

United Nations was born in a hope

that survived the World War.

We must not allow the peace of the world to be jeopardized.

Not only is this a negation of democracy and its principles,

it constitutes interference in the internal affairs

of sovereign states.

We are presently in the throes of a great transition

in humankind's affairs.

Modern technology is altering our world

in ways that would have been impossible to fathom

when the United Nations Charter was signed.

Could you take yourjacket off?

Go ahead.

Ma'am.

What?

Step forward, please.

Oh, man.

Peace, security and freedom

are not finite commodities like land, oil, or gold,

which one state can acquire at another's expense.

Get the GA President into the safe room,

let him know what's going on.

Clear out the tourists.

Get the Prime Minister on his way out.

Then clear everybody else out.

While globalization has benefited portions of the world...

While there are now 191 nations represented,

140 more than there were in 1945,

you'll be required to learn the word "peace"

in the six languages spoken on the General Assembly floor.

Do we get a pin or something?

Excuse me, folks. You need to follow me.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need to take a 15-minute recess now.

We will advise you further at the end of that time.

We can't use the stairs when there's an alert.

Come on, I know a shortcut.

What did you do, design the building?

- I still get lost every other day. - Silvia.

I'll be right back.

- What is that? - Oh, come on, it's my flutes and stuff.

I have a lesson tonight.

Don't make me drag it down just to drag it back up.

I let you do this, I'm gonna get coats and hats and yogi mats and...

I heard a beauty this morning. "Pie in the sky."

Isn't it something like "castles in Spain"?

Exactly.

Stay away from both doors.

We'll unlock when it's all clear, sir.

Delegates' entrance clear.

Delegates' lounge clear.

Visitors' lobby clear.

Protectee is back in America.

Want to wait this out at OZ? We can grab a sandwich.

I've got to get back in to get my stuff later.

Merde, how long is this going to take?

(ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC PLAYING ON JUKEBOX)

Hey, you got the Kellers. We're out having a good time,

so leave a message.

Hey, you got the Kellers. We're out having a good time,

so leave a message.

Silvia? Rudy thought he had a flute lesson tonight.

Will you call me when you get in?

You know, they make new ones now.

Yeah, I know.

Portuguese.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen,

the situation in Matobo has now become critical.

With Ajene Xola in hiding and Kuman-Kuman in exile,

Edmond Zuwanie has few domestic obstacles

to his policy of ethnic cleansing.

The Security Council, therefore,

must press for his immediate referral

to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Ms. Broome. I'm Jonathan Williams, advisor to Ambassador Harris.

We need you for a few minutes.

Which language?

It's the Matoban Ambassador. He'll be speaking Ku.

- Ku? - You speak the language, don't you?

Let's be clear, Mr. Ambassador.

The United States may not recognize the ICC as a legitimate court,

but we certainly do not condone the methods

President Zuwanie uses against his own people.

Dr. Zuwanie is an educator.

He is our teacher.

But his opponents engage in ever more ferocious acts.

The partisans of both Kuman-Kuman and Ajene Xola have become

terrorists.

The French proposal is a diplomatic headache for both of us.

- Quite a predicament. - It doesn't have to be.

Dr. Zuwanie wouldn't have to appear

before the International Criminal Court

if he were somewhere else.

Do you want him to resign?

Tell him this:

If he goes voluntarily,

we're confident the French proposal will be vetoed.

You can tell him yourself.

He will be here next Friday,

exercising his right to speak before the General Assembly,

where he will announce a new program of democratic reform.

Perhaps then there will be no vote

and the problem of your "predicament" will disappear.

"It will end here.

"The Teacher will never leave this room alive."

That's it.

"The Teacher will never leave this room alive."

Word for word.

And what language did you say?

Ku.

It's a tribal dialect of Matoban,

but it's spoken throughout the south-central African belt.

Did you see anyone?

No. But I think that they saw me.

Why didn't you report this last night?

It didn't mean anything to me at the time.

Rather, I didn't know what it meant.

But now you do.

I heard something today.

I don't know if I can say, if I'm permitted to.

- It was in a closed-session... - You are permitted.

In fact, you're obligated, as you were last night, when you didn't.

I think they were talking about Edmond Zuwanie.

He's planning to come here to address the GA.

Can you see her?

Turn on the light.

Call the Secret Service.

Bet you really missed this.

Welcome back. Ma'am.

Excuse me. Please don't touch the Prime Minister.

I need you to step back, please.

Woods.

You're hearing the demonstrators.

They're here to protest the appearance later this week

by Matoban President Edmond Zuwanie.

Not just his political future, but any future for him

hinges on the outcome of the speech to the General Assembly.