Angelina Jolie criticises Donald Trump's 'zero-tolerance' immigration policy, urges support for refugees

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Published on Monday, 25 June 2018 10:42

Written by First post

           Actor-activist Angelina Jolie has urged the world community to unite to fight against the global refugee crisis that has rendered millions of people homeless and vulnerable.The 43-year-old actor, who serves as Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in a special essay for The Economist, wrote that the humanitarian support for refugees is chronically underfunded."The number of refugees worldwide has climbed for six consecutive years. Some 68 million people are now displaced by violence and persecution-equal to a fifth of the population of America, nearly half that of Russia, and more than the entire population of the United Kingdom," Jolie wrote on the World Refugee Day on Wednesday.The "Maleficent" star condemned nations fighting back against helping the millions of refugees around the world amid the criticism of US President Donald Trump's new "zero-tolerance policy" against illegal immigrants that has resulted in the separation of over 2,500 children from their parents at the US border to Mexico, since its implementation in April.Trump rolled back the policy on Wednesday after major backlash from around the world.Jolie said there was a need for people and nations to work together to prevent and resolve conflicts."It is not surprising that there is deep public concern, not because people are heartless, but because this is not a sustainable situation. But the answer is not countries adopting harsh unilateral measures that target refugees, and run counter to our values and our responsibilities. That will only inflame the problem,"said Jolie.She further added,"Instead, we must find ways to lower the number of displaced people worldwide, by preventing and solving the conflicts that drive them from their homes. We must try to rally people and nations to act together based on common interests and universal aspirations for security, dignity and equality: understanding that this does not come at the expense of our safety and economic well-being at home, but is an essential requirement when facing problems of international dimensions."The actor-director said refugees are at their most vulnerable and they deserve protection."We live in divisive times. But history also shows our ability to unite, overcome a global crisis, and renew our sense of purpose and community with other nations. That is the greatest strength of an open society. We should not leave the debate to those who would exploit public anxiety for political advantage. We are being tested today and our response will be the measure of our humanity." "A refugee is a man, woman or child at their most vulnerable: forced from their home, living without the protection of their state, and in many cases without the bare means of survival. It is the human condition that tests our belief that all human beings have equal rights and deserve protection," she wrote.

 source : First post  

Angelina Jolie visits children and families in Iraqi camp for 33,000 refugees fleeing war in Syria

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Published on Sunday, 17 June 2018 16:38

Written by Daily mail

           A day after walking bombed out streets of war-torn Mosul, Angelina Jolie toured a refugee camp holding 33,000 refugees as a result of seven-year conflict in Syria.The Hollywood star called the scene of destruction in Iraq as 'the worst' she's ever seen during her 17-year humanitarian work with United Nations.'This is the worst devastation I have seen in all my years working with UNHCR. People here have lost everything,' Jolie said in a statement.She also highlighted a lack of medical aid for inhabitants of the Domiz camp, a site she has visited three times in the past six years.
         'They are destitute. They have no medicine for their children, and many have no running water or basic services.' 'I hope there will be a continued commitment to rebuilding and stabilising the whole of the city,' she said.'I call on the international community not to forget Mosul.' The actress spent the morning visiting families in the Domiz, a UN official said.Her statement comes a day after she was greeted by fans in parts of Mosul where many of the buildings had been reduced to rubble.Normality has returned to parts of the northern Iraqi city as it rebuilds, but getting displaced residents back home has been slow. Islamic Satte militants had occupied Mosul for three years and turned it into a stronghold of a 'caliphate' in a campaign that saw 900,000 residents flee.Two years after it was retaken from ISIS, more than 70 per cent of the city remains damaged or destroyed, according to the provincial council.In 2017, a Kurdish intelligence chief told the Independent that some 40,000 lives had been claimed in a devastating battle to retake Mosul from ISIS.Residents of the besieged city were killed by Iraqi ground forces attempting to force out militants - while airstrikes razed buildings with hundreds of souls inside according to Kurdish intelligence services. Jolie has worked for UN High Commissioner for Refugees since 2001, visiting uprooted civilians from Iraq to Cambodia and Kenya. This is her fifth visit to Iraq. 

 source : Daily mail  

Angelina Jolie visits Mosul: A-lister meets families in city where up to 40,000 civilians died in bloody battle with ISIS

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Published on Sunday, 17 June 2018 16:35

Written by Daily mail

         Oscar winning actress Angelina Jolie has traded the bright lights of LA for war torn Mosul to meet with the victims of Iraq's recent bloody conflicts which have claimed the lives of thousands and displaced millions of innocent people.The Hollywood star, known for her impressive humanitarian credentials, is a United Nations special envoy and met up with starstruck youngsters and parents as part of her role.Victims of the bloody battles to retake the Iraqi city from ISIS flocked to meet the megastar who flashed her trademark megawatt smile at adoring children. In a city condemned by gunfire and shelling, the enormity of the rebuild cannot be under-estimated. Two years after it was retaken from ISIS, more than 70 per cent of the city remains damaged or destroyed, according to the provincial council.In 2017, a Kurdish intelligence chief told the Independent that some 40,000 lives had been claimed in a devastating battle to retake Mosul from ISIS.
         Residents of the besieged city were killed by Iraqi ground forces attempting to force out militants - while airstrikes razed buildings with hundreds of souls inside according to Kurdish intelligence services.A senior minister in Bagdad said that many bodies 'are still buried under the rubble' and that the  'level of human suffering is immense.''Kurdish intelligence believes that over 40,000 civilians have been killed as a result of massive firepower used against them, especially by the federal police, air strikes and Isis itself,' Mr Zebari added.Nearly 8,300 homes - almost a third of the houses in the city - were destroyed or suffered major damage, according to UN Habitat. All five of Ramadi's bridges over the Euphrates River were damaged; only three are currently under repair. Three-quarters of the schools remain out of commission.   But funding is far lower than what Iraq says it needs. So far, stabilization has received some $392 million in contributions. The United States has given the lion's share, some $115 million. Germany is the second biggest donor at $64 million. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have also contributed, but no other Gulf nations are among the list of donors.Overall, Washington has contributed $265 million to reconstruction since 2014, on top of $1.7 billion in humanitarian assistance in Iraq. But it is a fraction of the $14.3 billion that the U.S. spent in fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.  But Douglas Silliman, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, blamed the destruction of Iraqi cities squarely on IS fighters.'Had they not been here, had they not conducted a completely brutal and inhumane campaign against the Iraqi people, this destruction would not have happened,' he said.

 source : Daily mail  

Angelina Jolie and Senator John McCain Call On Americans and the U.S. Government to Help Save the Rohingya Muslims

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Published on Saturday, 10 March 2018 17:07

Written by People

            On International Women’s Day, Angelina Jolie and Senator John McCain are appealing to Americans to come together to defend human rights and American leadership in the world — specifically with regard to the recent increase in violence and atrocities being committed against the Rohingya Muslims.In a co-written op-ed for the New York Times, Jolie and McCain outline the human rights issue at hand and urge Americans and the U.S. government to take action.“Around the world, there is profound concern that America is giving up the mantle of global leadership,” they write. “Our steady retreat over the past decade has contributed to a wide array of complex global challenges — a dangerous erosion of the rule of law, gross human rights violations and the decline of the rules-based international order that was designed in the aftermath of two world wars to prevent conflict and deter mass atrocities.”Jolie, 42, and McCain, 81, cite a lack of diplomacy in Myanmar, formerly Burma, that has led to 680,000 Rohingya Muslims being forced to flee  “a systematic military campaign of killings, arson, rape and other mass atrocities amounting to ethnic cleansing.”They add: “According to recent reports, many survivors are still not getting proper assistance because of a lack of funding for gender-based-violence programs. Addressing these shortfalls and taking steps to protect Rohingya refugee women and girls from further sexual violence should be a priority for the United States and like-minded countries. We must also take urgent steps to get medical care and assistance to Rohingya families in desperate need in Rakhine State in Myanmar.”Jolie and McCain urge the passing of the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act, a bill sponsored by Senator McCain, which would impose sanctions on Burmese military and security forces responsible for the violence and also support efforts to properly investigate human rights violations.“While politics have left Americans deeply divided, we can all unite around the belief that a commitment to freedom, justice and human rights has distinguished the United States as a great nation,” they write. “Our failure to hold accountable those who commit mass atrocities and human rights abuses will lead to more violence and instability.”

 source : People