Actress and philanthropist Angelina Jolie expressed concern about the unequal pursuit of justice, noting its prevalence in various groups, including within the United Nations, where she highlighted disparities in seeking justice for different communities.
Speaking with Syrian journalist and filmmaker Waad al-Kateab, Jolie said that 20 years ago, when she began working internationally, she had a notion of "good guys,” whether they were specific countries or individuals, but later experience has told her that that’s simply not true.
Stressing that human rights are not equally spread around the world, she said, "Human rights (are) sometimes for these (some) people ... (but) never for these (other) people."
The reality is that the world operates based on "business interests," said Jolie, a former U.N. goodwill ambassador and later special envoy until last year, calling this an "ugly state" of affairs.
She said that she found this "disheartening" and "upsetting," especially "as someone who has witnessed war crimes firsthand."
Governments, politicians, and decision-makers make promises and declarations, but these often lead to "nothing changed and nothing different," she said.
She noted that though people were often raised with the idea that "colonialism ended," the control and abuse of developing countries still persists.
"The attitudes, the control and abuse of developing countries is maybe worse than ever in the grab for resources ... The business interests (are) set even in the United Nations, who has the final veto power. It's always been that way," she added.
Last month, Jolie condemned Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza and urged action against the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians.
Posting a picture of the damage in Gaza online, she wrote: "This is the deliberate bombing of a trapped population who have nowhere to flee. Gaza has been an open-air prison for nearly two decades and is fast becoming a mass grave."
"Forty percent of those killed are innocent children. Whole families are being murdered. While the world watches and with the active support of many governments, millions of Palestinian civilians – children, women, families – are being collectively punished and dehumanized, all while being deprived food, medicine and humanitarian aid against international law," she said.
"By refusing to demand a humanitarian cease-fire and blocking the U.N. Security Council from imposing one on both parties, world leaders are complicit in these crimes," she added.
