[Maru]

Angelina Jolie and Senator John McCain Call On Americans and the U.S. Government to Help Save the Rohingya Muslims
http://people.com/celebrity/angelina...ingya-muslims/

Angelina Jolie and Senator John McCain Call On Americans and the U.S. Government to Help Save the Rohingya Muslims

On International Women’s Day, Angelina Jolie and Senator John McCain are appealing to Americans to come together to defend human rights and American leadership in the world — specifically with regard to the recent increase in violence and atrocities being committed against the Rohingya Muslims.

In a co-written op-ed for the New York Times, Jolie and McCain outline the human rights issue at hand and urge Americans and the U.S. government to take action.

“Around the world, there is profound concern that America is giving up the mantle of global leadership,” they write. “Our steady retreat over the past decade has contributed to a wide array of complex global challenges — a dangerous erosion of the rule of law, gross human rights violations and the decline of the rules-based international order that was designed in the aftermath of two world wars to prevent conflict and deter mass atrocities.”

Jolie, 42, and McCain, 81, cite a lack of diplomacy in Myanmar, formerly Burma, that has led to 680,000 Rohingya Muslims being forced to flee “a systematic military campaign of killings, arson, rape and other mass atrocities amounting to ethnic cleansing.”

They add: “According to recent reports, many survivors are still not getting proper assistance because of a lack of funding for gender-based-violence programs. Addressing these shortfalls and taking steps to protect Rohingya refugee women and girls from further sexual violence should be a priority for the United States and like-minded countries. We must also take urgent steps to get medical care and assistance to Rohingya families in desperate need in Rakhine State in Myanmar.”

Jolie and McCain urge the passing of the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act, a bill sponsored by Senator McCain, which would impose sanctions on Burmese military and security forces responsible for the violence and also support efforts to properly investigate human rights violations.

“While politics have left Americans deeply divided, we can all unite around the belief that a commitment to freedom, justice and human rights has distinguished the United States as a great nation,” they write. “Our failure to hold accountable those who commit mass atrocities and human rights abuses will lead to more violence and instability.”

[parmnion]

It will be to little and far to late.

[Brillopad]

Sorry but I give no greater value to the opinions of celebrities than I do to anyone else. Jolie is a second-generation Hollywood actress whose life has been full of privilidge from day one. She knows no better, probably less so, than anyone else.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Sorry its nowt to do with the USA

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Sorry its nowt to do with the USA

Well, horrific human rights abuses are everything to do with everyone surely .

However, in practical terms as I've said on this before, no one is in a position to tackle this particular issue other than China, or at least not without the significant backing of China.

[Tom4784]

It's not something any outside forces can change without potentially inciting war. These Human Rights abuses need to be answered for but, like TS said, only China can do so without conflict and judging by their neutral stance when it comes to the likes of NK, It's not likely they will.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Brillopad

Sorry but I give no greater value to the opinions of celebrities than I do to anyone else. Jolie is a second-generation Hollywood actress whose life has been full of privilidge from day one. She knows no better, probably less so, than anyone else.

Angelina Jolie is a Goodwill ambassador to the UN (not sure if she still is). John McCain is a current senator (though he's about to resign due to cancer treatments probably...) and a war vet. He is quite well-versed in international policy. But yes, those damn celebrities.

I'm posting it because I figured their opinion counts for something (especially McCain) and is newsworthy. Though it'll almost certainly never happen. Public support for us going abroad and getting involved in other countries affairs is dwindling and they make the argument that it is our decreasing involvement is what led in some part to the rise in human rights violations.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Well, horrific human rights abuses are everything to do with everyone surely .

However, in practical terms as I've said on this before, no one is in a position to tackle this particular issue other than China, or at least not without the significant backing of China.

Wonder if they'll still be speaking to us if more tariffs get put up... do you know how much cheap crap we sell at Walmart here that comes from there Them and Amazon...