February 7th 2008
Angelina Jolie Visits Iraq To Push For More Aid For Refugees
Filed under: campaigns, interviews — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 10:11 am
So far, over two million people have been displaced by the Iraq War. As an UN goodwill ambassador, actress Angelina Jolie visited the country today on a humanitarian mission and met with top officials to call for help for those driven from their homes. After a scheduled press conference at the US Embassy was canceled (seems Clooney isn’t the only one with this problem), Jolie gave an interview to CNN to express her concerns.
“There’s lots of good will and lots of discussion but there seems to be a lot of talk at the moment and a lot of pieces that need to be put together. Of the two million internally displaced, it’s estimated 58 percent are under 12 years old. It’s a very high number of people in a very, very vulnerable situation and a lot of young kids,” Jolie told CNN. “So far, the different US officials I met with and different local people I’ve met with all have shared concerns, very, very strongly. They have spoken out about the humanitarian crisis, but there seems to be a block in.”
Jolie isn’t alone in her frustration. According to AFP, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has been unable to mount widespread aid operations within Iraq because of the daily violence that has wracked the country during its five-year-old war. Said Jolie,
I don’t see borders and I see lives and I see children and this is you know an environment where there is a war but there is a humanitarian crisis. And they have to be addressed simultaneously. We can’t wait for one to end to then finally take the time to address the other, it has to start right now.
You can view the entire interview here.
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I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT HER INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. ANGIE IS AN AMAZING WOMAN.
everyone today that reads ecorazzi please ask your friends, neighbor’s and family to think and talk about peace. peace as a concept, peace as a solution, peace and quiet..whatever. just think peace! love-donna
help the people of iraq. even if you donate as little as $10.00, it is a big donation because you are helping a human in need. be thankful of the life you are living in because most of the world isn’t as fortunate as us.
[...] Jolie has been highly involved in driving awareness for displaced refugees in Iraq; having recently completed a humanitarian mission to the country for the UN. No [...]