Angelina Jolie Counsels Obama on Human Rights

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In honor of Human Rights Day 2009, Angelina Jolie has put her beliefs to paper and penned an op-ed piece for Newsweek, guiding President Obama's administration on its intention to "improve the lives of the people of Darfur."

"I would like to know what that means, besides the obvious point that their lives could hardly get worse," Jolie, 34 and a United Nations goodwill ambassador, writes in her role as co-chair of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

"In Sudan," she advises, "the administration should explore ways to bring al-Bashir to justice, even as it encourages stability in Darfur. This means bringing all permanent members of the U.N. Security Council on board to send the message that the international community will not tolerate mass atrocities."

She adds, "I also hope we will act sooner and more powerfully to prevent future atrocities," and suggests a Council on Foreign Relations report funded by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation that "offers recommendations to improve the U.N. Security Council's responsiveness by discouraging vetoes in cases of mass atrocities, while urging the United States to make clear its willingness to act on its own if necessary."
– Stephen M. Silverman

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