Though Angelina Jolie is best known for her onscreen appearances in blockbuster movies, the actress is also a special envoy for United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Jolie has begun speaking about the civil war in Syria, and noted that reputation and credibility of the international system is at stake as the war continues.
Jolie made her first public statement regarding the Syria civil war following her wedding to actor Brad Pitt as reported by DNA India . In her statement she said:
“Three million refugees is not just another statistic. It is a searing indictment of our collective failure to end the war in Syria.”
Jolie has first-hand knowledge of the crisis, as she personally visited Syrian refugees in a Lebanese camp back in February. She is adamant that efforts need to be made to improve the situation in the country. The actress stated that international stability is at stake as Syria continues their internal war.
“International stability is steadily bleeding away in Syria. UN Security Council Resolutions are being ignored, war crimes are being committed on a daily basis, regional countries are staggering under the human burden, and Syrian refugees are dying in the Mediterranean sea, trying to reach Europe. We need to see a new attempt to resolve the conflict and greater efforts to support more than 13 million Syrians who are in desperate need. The reputation and credibility of the international system is at stake with so many thousands of lives threatened in Syria.”
War crimes have been reported across the Syrian nation, including beheadings, mass murder, and torture. The Business Standard reports that Jolie has many UN officials in agreement. UN chief Antonio Guterres said Syria is now the biggest humanitarian emergency of this era. According to the UNHCR, one in every eight Syrians has taken refuge in bordering countries, while at least 6.5 million people — half of which are children — are displaced within Syria .
The death toll resulting from the civil war is great, with more than 190,000 Syrians losing their lives since the war began. The war in Syria is now in its third year. In recent months, the situation in Syria went from bad to worse after the formation and advance of the Islamic State group, which has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq. The United States has condemned the acts of ISIS (Islamic State Group) and is currently spending an astonishing $7.5 million a day to fight the oppressive group.
