Hollywood actress and
humanitarian Angelina Jolie decried how justice is sought for one group of
people, but not for other groups, something she said is present "even in
the UN."
Speaking with Syrian journalist and filmmaker Waad Al Kateab,
Jolie said that 20 years ago, when she began working internationally, she had a
notion of “good guys,” whether they were specific countries or individuals, but
later experience has told her that that’s simply not true.
Stressing that human rights are not equally spread around the
world, she said “human rights (are) sometimes for these (some) people (but)
never for these (other) people."
The reality is that the world operates based on "business
interests," said Jolie, a former UN goodwill ambassador and later special
envoy until last year, calling this an "ugly state" of affairs.
She said that she found this "disheartening" and
"upsetting," especially "as someone who has witnessed war crimes
firsthand."
Governments, politicians, and decision-makers make promises and
declarations, but these often lead to "nothing changed and nothing
different," she said.
She noted that though people were often raised with the idea
that "colonialism ended," the control and abuse of developing
countries still persists.
"The attitudes, the control and abuse of developing
countries is maybe worse than ever in the grab for resources ... The business
interests (are) set even in the United Nations, who has the final veto power.
It's always been that way," she added.
Jolie condemns Gaza
bombardment
Last month, Jolie condemned Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza
and urged action against the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians.
Posting a picture of the damage in Gaza online, she wrote:
"This is the deliberate bombing of a trapped population who have nowhere
to flee. Gaza has been an open-air prison for nearly two decades and is fast
becoming a mass grave."
"40% of those killed are innocent children. Whole families
are being murdered. While the world watches and with the active support of many
governments, millions of Palestinian civilians – children, women, families –
are being collectively punished and dehumanized, all while being deprived food,
medicine and humanitarian aid against international law," she said.
She added: "By refusing to demand a humanitarian cease-fire
and blocking the UN Security Council from imposing one on both parties, world
leaders are complicit in these crimes."
0 Comments