VOA标准英语2008年-South Africans March Against Anti-Foreigner Att

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
30 May 2008

South Africans in several cities around the country held marches Friday to protest recent attacks by their countrymen against foreigners. The marches came as government officials studied measures to deal with the tens of thousands of people displaced by the violence. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

South African citizens marched in the country's major cities to protest the violence against foreigners in the past three weeks.

In addition, youth wings of the country's three largest political parties announced a campaign against anti-foreigner hatred¹ and urged the government to arrest and prosecute² countrymen who engaged in such acts.

More than 50 foreigners were killed and hundreds wounded in attacks that began in Johannesburg and spread to other parts of the country. Attackers accused foreigners of taking jobs and public housing from South Africans but authorities said the motive³ was mainly criminal.

Relief agencies say some 30,000 victims have taken refuge in police stations and community centers while tens of thousands more have left the country.

The government responded by ordering the army to help police quell⁴ the violence. Armed Forces Chief Lieutenant⁵ General Solly Shoke told reporters that the operations had been largely successful and the violence had subsided⁶.

"We condemn⁷ this type of behavior with a contempt that it deservers," said Shoke. "We pledge ourselves that we will support the police in their endeavor to quell that situation."

He added that the military had donated 200 tents to the displaced. Relief groups are also pressing to provide food, clothing and better shelter to the victims who face increasingly harsh conditions as winter begins in the southern hemisphere.

South African officials have condemned⁸ the violence and have apologized but the government has yet to announce a policy on dealing⁹ with the plight¹⁰ of the victims.

Government spokesman Thembo Maseko told reporters Thursday the government had discarded a proposal to group the displaced in large centers.

"Many of the foreign nationals have jobs, have families, have kids going to school," he said. "So to uproot¹¹ them from particular communities and put them in a refugee camp is something that government does not prefer at this particular time."

Relief groups say grouping displaced in large centers would create administrative¹² and security challenges and possibly aggravate¹³ the social problems already being experienced by the victims.

As a result, many say the displaced should either return home, as thousands have already done, or be re-integrated into local communities. But they acknowledge that re-integration will be slow.

Many victims say they are traumatized by the violence and are fearful of their former neighbors. Some say they want to be placed under the care of the United Nations but U.N. officials say this is the responsibility of the South African government.

1 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

2 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

3 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

4 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

5 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

6 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

8 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

9 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。

10 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

11 uproot   

v.连根拔起，拔除；根除，灭绝；赶出家园，被迫移开

参考例句：

• The family decided to uproot themselves and emigrate to Australia.他们全家决定离开故土，移居澳大利亚。
• The trunk of an elephant is powerful enough to uproot trees.大象的长鼻强壮得足以将树木连根拔起。

12 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

13 aggravate   

vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火

参考例句：

• Threats will only aggravate her.恐吓只能激怒她。
• He would only aggravate the injury by rubbing it.他揉擦伤口只会使伤势加重。