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HOLLYWOOD STAR AND UN special envoy Angelina Jolie has urged the world to help Syrians fleeing the conflict in their country as she visited a refugee camp in Jordan.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres and Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh accompanied Jolie and called for international support to help the tiny kingdom cope with the influx of refugees from its northern neighbour.
“We encourage the international community to do everything they can to support these refugees, and there is much to be done,” Jolie told a joint news conference at Zaatari refugee camp, 85 kilometres north of Amman in a desert area near the border with Syria.
“It has been a very heavy experience,” she said of her tour of the camp. “It is very emotional to be with people who are wondering who is on their side.”
Guterres appealed to the international community to “help us and to help the Jordanian government… in order to be able to massively invest in improving the living conditions of refugees in this camp… please help us.”
“Since the beginning of the crisis over 200,000 Syrians have crossed the borders into Jordan without going back into Syria,” he said.
“I think the world should understand how difficult it is for Jordan to cope with this challenge,” he told the news conference, attended by Judeh.
Guterres also highlighted the miserable living conditions in Zaatari. “This camp, like all other camps in the world, is a very difficult place to live in,” he said.
In Geneva, meanwhile, UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards said the number of refugees who have fled Syria for neighbouring countries since the start of the conflict nearly 18 months ago has reached more than 250,000.
“Latest figures show that more than a quarter of a million Syrian refugees (253,106 people) have now been registered in the surrounding region, or are awaiting registration,” Edwards said. He added:
The complexity of the crisis is one of the aspects which sets it apart and the speed with which people have fled Syria.
The fact that 100,000 people had fled the country into neighbouring countries in the space of a month made it “an extraordinary acceleration of this crisis.
UN figures show that 85,197 refugees are registered in Jordan, with a further 35,961 awaiting processing. Jordanian officials say almost 30,000 refugees live in Zaatari, where unrest erupted last month over living conditions.
Jordan has said it needs $700 million in international aid to cope with the influx of refugees.
Guterres noted on Tuesday how Jordan over the years has taken in refugees from Palestine and Iraq in “successive waves of 2.7 million refugees.”
The UN says more than 1.2 million Syrians, over half of them children, have become internally displaced in the country while an estimated 250,000 refugees sought shelter in neighbouring Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.
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Oh well, if she says we should we should definitely listen to her…
I didn’t listen to all of the heads of state, various other UN agencies, NGO’s or experts in Humanitarian issues but now that Angelina Jolie has weighed in I’m definitely on board with helping refugees from a conflict zone…
My Thought exactly before I even clicked into the story.
She isn’t just saying it, she previously put her money where her mouth is and donated thousands of dollars to help the Syrian refugees. Kudos to her using her fame to get the world’s media to see what is happening in Syria.
My criticism is less about her saying it and more leveled at the fact that this is considered news worthy.
Who is she? An actress. We have had people who have considerably more weight to both their profession and their engagement and involvement in humanitarian issues. We have heads of governments, people who are directly accountable to people, people who spend their lives involved refugee camps, in war torn regions, in the pursuit of reducing suffering, who have decades of experience who can provide context and are well versed in not just the facts that they were provided in a briefing booklets they were handed days or weeks in advance. But those people are ignored. Those people are not household names because they’ve been involved in light entertainment. Our society decides its better influenced by fame than by experience. That is where my despair lies. That is where my frustration grows.
Tell me Ryan, in ur expert opinion, what is happening in Syria?
@ Ian: Don’t just dismiss her because she is an actress. She’s not the usual type of celebrity who just floats from cause to cause. She’s been a UN Goodwill Ambassador for over a decade, always focused on refugees.
@ joseph: Thanks for calling me an expert although I never claimed to be one.
I was referring to the refugee situation in Syria as opposed to the uprising, so I suppose to be pedantic, maybe I should have said “borders of Syria” instead of just plain old “Syria”.
Now tell us, what is your own expert opinion?
Well Ryano, in my not so humble opinion, i’d dismiss anyone who claims to know for sure what is going over there. As for the UN…. what a crock of crap that organisation is. Its merely a vehicle for the maintaining the status quo for the elite or indeed improving their wealth and power. Funny, in my naive days I did believe all the BS I was fed thru the mainstream media, including my belief in the UN. Im not saying that there isnt good and well intended individuals who work within it. As for the plight of refugees there, well I wish them a speedy return to peace etc. But look at how the USA and Britain are channelling weapons into Syria. Are they not in part responsible then for adding to the refugees numbers? Are they not also members of the UN? U can see the contradiction, no? Isnt it also odd that Assad and Iran have strong ties to each other? I have no doubt that Iran will be targeted in the next few months.
Anyway, I hate them all. Wouldnt it be nice to see Bush and Blair tried for war crimes?
But who gives a sh*t where the influence lies if it works??? Fair play to her. A lot of people probably skip over regular current affairs regarding Syria these days so Angelina sticking her ‘pretty face’ to the campaign might just make some sit up and take notice. It might be a sad reality but who gives a damn if it helps….
Jez….wish she was so enthusiastic during the Iraq war but sure who was lol
Oddly enough Jolie commenting on the situation will probably have a lot more impact on people then some head of state or the experts.
Very true Kerry. I can just imagine the comments on this website if Enda Kenny said what Jolie just said.
The advantage of a celebrity speaking out is that she can say what she likes and say it as it is. Politicians can’t
which makes it alot worse……does she know who she is actually working for ?
Adopt them Angie! Go on, you know you want to.
Nice one :)
Glen
You win quote of the week from me with this one!
i fully expect assad to throw in the towel now.this is the one thing he did not want to happen…
That’s a good thing. She’s worth her weight in gold if she can make one person listen!
My mate Gav used to fancy Lara Croft(on the playstation).
Who didn’t
In fairness of all the Syrian articles this one is already one of the most clicked, so maybe an actress can use her fame to get this issue noticed?
Ya but no one is here talking about the issues in Syria – we are talking about her.
I wonder what she thinks we should do about famine in the Sahel? or the plight of the Chilean Native Americans or the endangerment of the Pipistrelle bat?
We need to know!
Conor, she can’t be everywhere at once!
She is a UN special envoy Conor I’m sure if the UN think she should highlight the famine is Sahel or the danger the Pipistrelle bat she will get involved.
But what’s her take on yesterday’s The Journal Poll- Eggs in the fridge or not?
This is THE important topic in the world right now
i think the governments of the world need to have a public debate on who puts eggs in their fridge lol
She takes a huge interest in the future of the Corncrake.
What is really needed from the UN now is a robust Chapter 6 mission of at least 5000 troops. Safe zones, logistical and humanitarian materials need to be internationally maintained. Im not saying this is on a Rwandan scale, but lessons need to be learned.
Bring back Ginger Spice .UN my ring.
Dont jump on the Jolie bandwagon she is an avid supporter and face of Agenda 21
OMG, the UN want to help the people of the world by implementing policies that are vaguely socialism related!! Next they’ll turn the UN berets red and we’ll have communism!! It’ll be the EUSSR!!!! It has to be true – Alex Jones said so!!!!!
Seriously, it’s people like you that give other people who have views different to the mainstream media the wacky image. Yes, there’s bad shit going on in the world, and most of the mainstream media are nothing more than propaganda mouthpieces, but not everything is a bloody Illuminati conspiracy to take over the world!
barry calm down.alex jones is a fear monger but agenda21 has been discussed by the UN for years.eco-green looneys seem to be all for it as well.
Sure, Agenda 21 has been discussed for years. It’s a UN plan! Big deal. Nothing nefarious to see here. Next ye’ll be blowing on about FEMA camps…
Bob Geldof was/is a celebrity and he made a difference. I’m not a fan of hers but if you asked the people on the ground working with the refugees did they appreciate her visiting their camp then I think they would. If it gets the plight of of the refugees in the news again then good job
“Just give us your f**king money”
The only way to stop this nonsense is to lick Angelina’s lips and stick her face to a window, problem solved
If;n it came to a sitaution of lickin her lips…….well,,, given the choice…… Oi!! Govnor givis me coat will ya?!
Whats happening in Syria is a legitimate protest against Assad is being hijacked by Islamists. The west in going to arm extremists and Syria known for its rather soft interpretation of Islam, and rather welcoming to other faiths will be handed over to extremists.
who is this woman really ? i mean a few films , a few easy quid and suddenly she is some goddess…..dear god above help us lol !!
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