VOA标准英语10月-Nigerian Official Appeals for Assistance for Baka

Tens of thousands of Nigerian residents in the disputed Bakassi peninsula have fled to southern Nigeria, creating what has been characterized as a growing humanitarian¹ problem. We hear more from Gilbert da Costa in Abuja.
　

Locals move their property from Archibong, a disputed area of southern Bakassi Peninsula, Nigeria, (File)

An estimated 200,000 Bakassi returnees live in temporary shelters in southern Nigeria. Overcrowded camps in Akwa Ibom state are receiving a steady influx² of newcomers fleeing what they said were persecution³ by Cameroonian soldiers who now control the oil-rich territory.

A spokesman for the Akwa Ibom state government, Aniekan Umanah, says providing assistance to the returnees is straining state government resources. He called for urgent federal government intervention⁴.

"We have camps in three local government areas. At the first instance, we recorded up to 75,000 [returnees] and took steps in providing emergency feeding and medical relief, clothing supply and so on to support them. Only three days ago, we had another batch⁵ of about 20 buses with new returnees. We are handicapped and we don't know when it would end. International intervention, federal intervention - whatever supports that can come the way of the state that is what we need," said Umanah.

Some 300,000 Nigerians, mostly fishermen, lived in Bakassi before its transfer to Cameroon in August, in compliance⁶ with the International Court of Justice ruling in 2002 that the long-disputed peninsular belonged to Cameroon.

A transitional arrangement, brokered⁷ by the United Nations, was to allow Nigeria and Cameroon jointly⁸ administer the territory for five years after the formal handover. Nigerian residents, fearing harassment⁹ by Cameroonian security forces, have besieged¹⁰ makeshift relief camps in Akwa Ibom and neighboring Cross River states and are in desperate need of help.

To meet the resettlement and rehabilitation¹¹ needs of the returnees, a presidential task force set up by the federal government has come up with a budget of about $200 million. The federal government has so far provided less than $20 million.

1 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。

2 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

3 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。

4 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

5 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

6 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

7 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

8 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

9 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

10 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

11 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。