2007年VOA标准英语-Kenyan Foreign Minister Rejects Criticism Over

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
04 January 2007

Kenya's foreign affairs minister is rejecting criticism from the U.N. refugee agency and others that Kenya violated international law by sending people back into Somalia amidst reports of fighting.  Cathy Majtenyi reports for VOA from Nairobi.

Raphael Tuju

Minister of Foreign Affairs Raphael Tuju told reporters in Nairobi it is wrong to say Kenya has illegally and inhumanely mistreated Somalis who managed to cross the border into Kenya.

He says Kenya has a strong record in dealing¹ with refugees from Somalia, taking in as many as 2,500 a day during the height of past unrest.  Kenya already hosts 160,000 registered Somali refugees.

But this time, Tuju says, many of the Somalis who made it to a Kenyan reception center are likely not genuine refugees.

"We have established that some of the combatants are sending their families to pose as refugees while they stay in Somalia," he said.  "This is with the intention probably of using Kenya as a safe haven² for their families while they destabilize the lawful³ government of Somalia.  It is apparent that some of these so-called asylum⁴ seekers are combatants on the run.  Kenya will not allow combatants and their families to use this country as a base."

About 400 refugees who presented themselves Wednesday at a refugee reception center in the Kenyan town of Liboi were loaded into trucks by Kenyan police and returned to Somalia.  Police also barred the Kenya Red Cross from entering the reception center.

The U.N. High Commissioner⁵ for Refugees released a statement Wednesday criticizing the Kenyan government for the deportations, saying that Kenya had a humanitarian⁶ obligation to assist women and children and not send them back to an uncertain and volatile⁷ situation.

The statement said Kenya's actions violate the 1951 Refugee Convention, and an offer by the U.N. refugee agency to provide immediate⁸ expertise⁹ and support to deal with the new arrivals was not followed up by Kenya.

Foreign Minister Tuju says it is not necessary to admit Somalis into Kenya because the war is over in Somalia.

"All the information that we have confirm unequivocally that there is no armed conflict in Mogadishu, Kismayo, or even Dhobley, and in fact there does not exist any state of anarchy¹⁰ and violence as alleged¹¹ by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees," he added.

Tuju says the U.N. refugee agency should stop lecturing Kenya and instead carry out an investigation¹² of the Somali situation and encourage European and North American countries to take in more Somali refugees.

The Kenyan foreign minister said the border has been closed because of security concerns.

The fighting between Ethiopian-backed government troops and fighters of the Islamic Courts Union was sparked more than two weeks ago by the passing of a deadline the Islamists set for Ethiopian troops to leave Somalia.

Earlier this year, the Islamic Courts Union seized control of the capital and other areas before reaching a truce¹³ with the government.

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

3 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

4 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。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

7 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

8 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。

9 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

10 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

13 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。