2007年VOA标准英语-Serb Students in North Kosovo Fearful of Future

By Barry Wood
Mitrovica, Kosovo
15 February 2007
 
watch Kosovo Student report

 
Kosovo
On February 2nd the United Nations envoy¹ for Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, delivered his plan for the future of the breakaway province in southern Serbia.  If implemented² it could lead to independence for the territory's ethnic³ Albanian majority, but allow substantial self-government to areas populated by minority Serbs. VOA's Barry Wood recently visited the Serbian part of the divided city of Mitrovica and found university students there fearful and uncertain about the future.

 
Mitrovica is divided by the Ibar River
Kosovo is a segregated⁴ society. Mitrovica is divided by the Ibar River into an Albanian south and a Serbian north. In the north when you buy coffee with the Euro currency used in the south you receive Serbian dinars as change.

Bojan Vasic is a 22 -ear-old law student at Mitrovica's Serbian language university. He says he worries about the future. "It's really impossible to predict what will happen. My hope is some type of compromise can be reached. Because I'm sure a compromise solution could bring long-term stability, which is really needed in the whole region."

About half of Kosovo's 100,000 Serbs live in north Mitrovica and nearby areas. The university and hospital are economic anchors in a town where nearly half the workers are unemployed⁵.

 
Bojan Vasic
Vasic points out some landmarks⁶, "This is the so-called Square Sumadia, the only square in this part of the city." He grew up nearby and says he regrets the division of the city and the loss of its multi-ethnic character. He has not dared to cross the river for three years. "I was there with a friend, he's Albanian, and we almost got beaten. Since then I haven't been there. I don't think it's safe for Serbs to go there."

Like Vasic, Vuk Mitrovic is a law student at the university. He comes from Montenegro. He too is undecided about the future. Mitrovic's dorm room bears reminders⁷ of his study visit to America some years back.  Temporarily comfortable in Mitrovica, both students shudder⁸ at the prospect⁹ of Kosovo being independent from Serbia. Mitrovic says Serbs must stay because to them Kosovo is holy land.

Vasic says his deepest worry is panic, where Serbs would be forced out of Kosovo in convoys¹⁰ of buses. "If we get a solution that is not a compromise, then probably we'll have a celebration for one side and panic and dissatisfaction on the other. And then disaster. Maybe we'll have convoys and people leaving."

U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari has been to north Mitrovica and very much wants the Serb minority to remain. The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on the Kosovo status proposal in April.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 segregated   

分开的； 被隔离的

参考例句：

• a culture in which women are segregated from men 妇女受到隔离歧视的文化
• The doctor segregated the child sick with scarlet fever. 大夫把患猩红热的孩子隔离起来。

5 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

6 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

7 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

8 shudder   

v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动

参考例句：

• The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
• We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

10 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句