VOA常速英语2008年-UN Official Says Kenyan Displaced Need Assistan

By Derek Kilner
Nair
10 February 2008

The United Nations' top humanitarian¹ official has concluded a visit to camps for people displaced by post-election violence in Kenya. He said arrangements should be made to accommodate many of the displaced for at least the next few months. Derek Kilner reports from Nairobi.

The Kenya Red Cross estimates that 300,000 Kenyans have been displaced by violence after a disputed presidential election in late December. But U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator² John Holmes, following a tour of displacement³ camps in the country, says the actual figure is likely much higher.

"There are probably many more people who have been displaced from their homes who are not in camps, who have gone back to their ancestral homes, who are living with relatives, who are living with host communities, who are living with neighbors, who are not included at the moment in the count of people who are in camps but who are no less in need of physical help, psychological help," said Holmes.

Much of the violence has been carried out along ethnic⁴ lines, and many of those displaced were members of a minority tribe in their community. Many who have fled their homes say they do not feel comfortable returning. Holmes expressed optimism that most would be able to return to their homes, but said it could be some time yet before this is possible.

"Clearly what we all hope is that people will all be able to go home as soon as they can but it is clear from talking to people that this is not for the vast majority of them something that we can contemplate⁵ in the immediate⁶ future, given what they have been through and their experiences and the problems there still are," he continued. "No one wants camps to be there for longer than they absolutely have to be, but I think we have to plan for some camps being there for at least a period of months while the problems are being sorted out."

Holmes visited camps in the Rift⁷ Valley region, the site of some of the most serious inter-tribal clashes, as well as camps around the capital Nairobi, whose vast slums have also seen considerable violence.

Holmes said security concerns prevented the trip from reaching the western city of Kisumu. In the homeland of Raila Odinga's Luo tribe, the city has seen severe rioting and looting. The bulk of the Kikuyu community, to which President Mwai Kibaki belongs, has fled.

Violence has fallen off in recent days, as the country follows a mediation⁸ effort between Mr. Odinga and Mr. Kibaki led by former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. The negotiations⁹ reportedly made significant progress on Friday. The talks are set to resume Monday with the two sides discussing a power-sharing arrangement.

There has been no word on what such an arrangement might look like, though there has been much discussion of Mr. Odinga and Mr. Kibaki sharing power for two to three years, followed by new elections. Many expect some form of agreement to be announced in the coming days.

In addition to an immediate political solution, longer-term negotiations over underlying¹⁰ problems, including ethnic tensions, land grievances¹¹, and constitutional reform are also planned.

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 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

3 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

4 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。

5 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

6 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。

7 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

11 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》