News
Kate Plummer
Aug 21, 2021
Angelina Jolie has shared a letter she received from an Afghan girl detailing her fears about living in the country.
The actor and special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, made an Instagram account to share the letter, which she anonymised.
It said: “We all lost our freedom and we are imprisoned again.”
“We all had rights, we was able to defend our rights freely but when they (the Taliban) came, we are all afraid of them and we think all our dreams are gone.”
Captioning the letter, Jolie said: “This is a letter I was sent from a teenage girl in Afghanistan. Right now, the people of Afghanistan are losing their ability to communicate on social media and to express themselves freely.
“So I’ve come on Instagram to share their stories and the voices of those across the globe who are fighting for their basic human rights.”
Jolie’s new account has already racked up over 4.9 million followers.
She added: “I was on the border of Afghanistan two weeks before 9/11, where I met Afghan refugees who had fled the Taliban. This was twenty years ago.
“It is sickening to watch Afghans being displaced yet again out of the fear and uncertainty that has gripped their country. To spend so much time and money, to have blood shed and lives lost only to come to this, is a failure almost impossible to understand.
“Watching for decades how Afghan refugees - some of the most capable people in the world - are treated like a burden is also sickening. Knowing that if they had the tools and respect, how much they would do for themselves. And meeting so many women and girls who not only wanted an education, but fought for it.
“Like others who are committed, I will not turn away. I will continue to look for ways to help. And I hope you’ll join me.”
Responding to her post, people expressed their support for Jolie for raising crucial awareness about the situation in the country.
Angelina Jolie was the only person to visit and acknowledge my country when no one in the world would, when everyon… https://t.co/hdSnYVM6dF— Zeineb 🗞 (@Zeineb 🗞) 1629494289
UNHCR Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie just made her Instagram debut 17 hours ago and now the account has 4.7 million… https://t.co/MDkjISyRCg— Ikhwan (@Ikhwan) 1629537119
Angelina jolie coming on insta just to post abt Afghanistan is probably the most sincere act a celebrity has done https://t.co/W1L8cwTEKi— 🥀 (@🥀) 1629496164
ANGELINA JOLIE just made an instagram to give voice to the situation in Afghanistan omfg 💙 https://t.co/awYvmcYkMH— coyb98 (@coyb98) 1629477989
Angelina Jolie created her IG account today for the sole purpose of raising awareness to Afghans and Afghanistan. https://t.co/F7LYJ0Sk5K— D$ (@D$) 1629493428
Let’s hope it makes a difference.
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