VOA常速英语2008年-Burundian Refugees to End Exile

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
24 February 2008

The UNHCR says a comprehensive solution has been found that will enable some 218,000 Burundian refugees who fled to Tanzania in 1972 to end their lengthy¹ exile and begin new lives, either in Tanzania or in Burundi. From UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, Lisa Schlein reports the new program will solve one of the most protracted² refugee problems in Africa.

 

Under the new program, Burundian refugees in Tanzania will be given the choice of repatriation³ or citizenship⁴ in Tanzania. The 218,000 refugees have been living in a state of limbo⁵ in three settlements in Tanzania for the past 35 years. They could neither lay down permanent roots in Tanzania nor go back to the country they had fled so many years ago.

UN refugee spokesman, Andrej Mahecic, tells VOA a breakthrough to this intractable problem came late last year. He says Tanzania, which had decided⁶ to close the "Old Settlements," worked with Burundi to find a lasting⁷ solution for the refugees.

"The great majority of these people will become new citizens of Tanzania and as such, the positive consideration of citizenship applications by the Tanzanian authorities is indeed an historic and unprecedented⁸ contribution to the regional stability," he said. 

Mahecic says 172,000 refugees have opted⁹ to remain in Tanzania and become citizens. This makes sense, he says, since most of these people were born in Tanzania and many others have spent most of their lives there.

"It is worthwhile mentioning that only 76,000 of the group that would like to locally integrate - only 76,000 are above the age of 18. So, as you can see, most of them were actually born in exile and have spent most of their lives in exile. They have attended schools in Tanzania and they are looking for an opportunity to continue their lives in Tanzania as new Tanzanian citizens," he added.

Mahecic says 46,000 refugees, who have maintained links with family and friends in Burundi, have decided to return home. At the end of this month, he says the UNHCR will begin repatriating¹⁰ them.

The UN refugee agency is seeking $34 million to help it implement¹¹ this operation over the next two years.

Mahecic says the Burundian government, together with the UNHCR, will facilitate the reintegration of the returnees. For example, upon their return, he says the Burundians will receive a cash grant, help with school fees, medical care and be provided with tools and seeds for farming.

Mahecic says the agency will also use money to improve water systems and health clinics in Tanzania. It will support communities that receive the new citizens to strengthen their educational systems and vocational training centers.

1 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

2 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

4 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

5 limbo   

n.地狱的边缘；监狱

参考例句：

• His life seemed stuck in limbo and he could not go forward and he could not go back.他的生活好像陷入了不知所措的境地，进退两难。
• I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead.I felt as if I was in limbo.我不知道家人是生是死，感觉自己茫然无措。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

8 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

9 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。

10 repatriating   

v.把（某人）遣送回国，遣返( repatriate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Since banks are reducing overall lending, that means repatriating cash. 由于银行总的借贷额在下降，这就意味着资金必然国内回流。 来自互联网
• US immigration officials have again delayed moves start repatriating six-year-old Cuban shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez. 六岁的古巴海难幸存儿童埃利安非常幸运，美国移民局官员已将原本要遣返他的时间再次拖延。 来自互联网

11 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。