2006年VOA标准英语-Rights Group Says Kyrgyzstan Not Protecting Ref

By Lisa McAdams
Moscow
31 August 2006
 

bleak1 refugee camp 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Uzbek border in Kyrgyzstan (File photo) " src="/upimg/allimg/070417/1523040.jpg" width="210" border="0" /> Uzbek women sit in a tent at a bleak refugee camp 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Uzbek border in Kyrgyzstan (File photo)

Human Rights Watch says Kyrgyzstan is not protecting asylum² seekers and refugees and is violating international law. The groups says the country forcibly returned four Uzbek refugees to neighboring Uzbekistan recently, jeopardizing³ their safety. 

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The Kyrgyz government's record on protecting Uzbek refugees and asylum-seekers who fled last year's violent uprising in Andijan has been mixed.

In the first months after the violence, during which Uzbek government troops reportedly opened fire on civilians⁴, authorities in Bishkek sent back four Uzbeks and secretly jailed others, before bowing to international pressure to protect the refugees.

More than a year later, the Kyrgyz government appears to be coming under increasing pressure from Uzbekistan to return hundreds of refugees and asylum-seekers.

The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Islam Karimov, are preparing to meet next month in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.

Human Rights Watch Moscow Director Allison Gill tells VOA the growing closeness between Kyrgyzstan, a fledgling democracy, and authoritarian⁵ Uzbekistan, is cause for concern.

"In the last two weeks, we have had at least four (Uzbek refugees) either disappear or forcibly returned to Uzbekistan from Southern Kyrgyzstan," said Gill. "One of those was staying at the house of a government official. So, its really clear that either Kyrgyz authorities are actively⁶ cooperating with the Uzbek government, or they are tacitly allowing the Uzbek security services to operate in Kyrgyzstan and, in either case, its an absolutely shocking abandonment of Kyrgyzstan's international obligations."

Under the rules of the 1951 Refugee Convention, Kyrgyzstan has agreed to ban the forced return of refugees and asylum seekers to a country where they face torture or persecution⁷.

Kyrgyz officials have not publicly responded to the allegations. This week the head of Uzbekistan's prison in Andijan, Ismail Pulatov, was quoted by Interfax as saying that no Uzbek nationals had been forcibly returned to the facility.

Human Rights Watch says any Andijan refugee returned to Uzbekistan is at risk of being tortured or forced to publicly incriminate themselves for involvement in the uprising. Gill says Uzbekistan is continuing a campaign of massive intimidation⁸.

"By cooperating with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan is really turning its back on the rest of the international community, who all pledged to support Kyrgyzstan to stand up to the Uzbeks," said Gill. "When Kyrgyzstan did the right thing last summer and prevented the return of the four Uzbeks, they received lots of international support and pledges of further support if they were to continue to protect the refugees. So, they have caved into bullies⁹ is the only way I can say it. "

Gill says Uzbek asylum seekers are no longer safe in Kyrgyzstan.

The United States is urging the Kyrgyz government to investigate the allegations and take immediate¹⁰ steps to ensure the safety and rights of all refugees and asylum-seekers.

1 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

2 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

3 jeopardizing   

危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Plans may also become inefficient in the attainment of objectives by jeopardizing group satisfactions. 用危及群体利益方法去达到目标的计划，也是无效率的。
• That boosted government revenues in the short term, but is now jeopardizing them. Morales将天然气工业，电信业和部分采矿业收归国有的举措吓跑了投资者们。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

6 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

7 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

8 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

9 bullies   

n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负

参考例句：

• Standing up to bullies takes plenty of backbone. 勇敢地对付暴徒需有大无畏精神。
• Bullies can make your life hell. 恃强欺弱者能让你的日子像活地狱。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。