Poll: Angelina Jolie and Nigeria

 

Lucy Hunter Johnston
Saturday 10 May 2014 04:42 EDT
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Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie (Getty Images)

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Angelina Jolie is the latest in the long line of stars to condemn Boko Haram for the kidnapping of over 200 girls in Nigeria. So far, so obvious.

But she went slightly further than those who are simply tweeting #bringbackourgirls.

At the London premiere of her latest film Maleficent (by all accounts, a cracker) she offered her opinion on why it happened, and what should happen next.

Talking to journalists on the red carpet, she said: “These men thought that they can get away with this, that they could abuse them in such a way, sell them, rape them, take them as property, because so many people have gotten away with this in the past because of this culture of impunity.” She continued “We have to start arresting people for this, we have to start bringing them to justice and we have to start making it an absolute crime that puts fear in these men so that they think twice about this kind of action."

READ MORE: WHAT IS BOKO HARAM?

But do we really need, or want, to hear her political views? Do the proclamations of celebrities help draw attention to important issues, or should they stick to their day jobs, and leave the politics to the politicians?

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