Date: 29th September 2001

Angelina Jolie: Afgan Refugees Are Not Terrorists


Actress ANGELINA JOLIE is desperately trying to prevent Americans from believing all Afghans are terrorists - and urging the public to put their hands in their pockets to help refugees. In a tearful interview on CNN's LARRY KING LIVE show, UNITED NATIONS Goodwill Ambassador Jolie spoke about her recent visit to Afghanistan's neighbouring Pakistan, where she spent time meeting Afghan refugees and talking to UN aid workers.

There are currently an estimated 4 million Afghan's fleeing their country, as the Taliban prepares for an American military attack. The actress explained,

"It's not a very popular thing to talk about, a lot of people have even said coming on here and talking about the Afghan refugees at this time, people aren't really open to talking about that. But they are families just like our families, and I met these people. We all want the people who are responsible for the terrorist acts to be dealt with.

And yet I know there's not a person out there that wants these families, these millions of people, and it's 80 per cent women and children harmed. They're not terrorists at all. They're a beautiful people, and they're a tortured people, and they're surviving. And they're amazing people. But they will be affected, and already last Sunday, as many people know, the UN agencies were seized by the Taliban and the food was taken away.

I sat alone with these women and talked to them, and they're just like me. And they're just like all of us. They love their children, they love their husbands. They miss their husbands, or their husbands have been killed or are far away or can't find them. "
I was just so, so amazed by these women. I was really impressed by them, and I really love them. " (SVD/WN/NFA)

Source: WENN