VOA标准英语2008年-Aid Agencies Warn Insecurity on the Rise in Afg

International aid agencies are expressing concern about the deteriorating¹ security situation in Afghanistan, noting that problems have spread to previously² stable areas and attacks on aid agencies and their staff are on the increase. Tendai Maphosa has more in this report for VOA from London.

Aid agencies say rising insecurity in Afghanistan is hampering³ efforts to provide relief. The Agency Coordinating⁴ Body for Afghan Relief or ACBAR, represents about 100 non-governmental aid organizations. In a just released statement, the group also says that the number of civilians⁵ killed in the Afghan conflict is on the rise - up by approximately 50 percent over the same period last year.

Speaking with VOA from her office in Kabul, ACBAR spokesperson Anja de Beer says that while most of the deaths are attributed to insurgents⁶, the international and Afghan forces are also responsible. Some of the deaths she says occur in aerial bombings but there are also cases where she alleges⁷ they are the result of excessive force.

"There are unfortunately instances that a search is conducted by coalition⁸ forces and the Afghan forces, sometimes there are extra-judicial executions, that luckily seems to be the exception," said de Beer.

De Beer added that the insurgents are gaining a foothold in areas where they were not so strong before. This, she says, has forced the closure of a large number of schools and health facilities in the south; is hindering the implementation⁹ of vital development projects; and has caused significant levels of internal displacement¹⁰.

The ACBAR statement says that aid agencies are also increasingly being targeted by both insurgents and criminal elements. This, it says has forced many relief agencies to restrict their development and humanitarian¹¹ activities.

Relief officials worry that with a drought in some parts of the country and increased food prices, over four million Afghans are facing extremely difficult circumstances. They say that young children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women are at especially high risk.

ACBAR's Anja de beer says her organization believes the Afghan conflict cannot be solved on the battlefield.

"What is needed for sustainable peace is support for development and delivery of essential services to the population, government reforms and peace building initiatives," she said.

De Beer also said perceived corruption¹² by the Afghan authorities turns members of the public against the government. Also, she added, the agricultural sector¹³ needs more support and that aid should be delivered in a more efficient and effective manner.

 

 

1 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

4 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

7 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

10 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。

11 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。

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。