Angelina Jolie, a fiercely private celebrity, joined Instagram on Friday to draw attention to those suffering in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country. Jolie's first post is a letter from a teenager residing in Afghanistan.
In the heartbreaking letter, the girl writes that after the Taliban took over “we are all afraid of them, and we think all our dreams are gone. We think our rights have been violated.”
"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", the Hollywood star wrote.
Jolie spoke about her experience meeting Afghan refugees who had fled the Taliban.
"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".Angelina Jolie on Instagram
Jolie further wrote that she will continue to amplify voices from Afghanistan. "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".
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