VOA标准英语2008年-UN, Aid Agencies Withdraw from War-Battered Nor

International aid agencies are withdrawing from Sri Lanka's war-battered northern region, as fighting intensifies¹ between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi that the withdrawal² comes a week after the government ordered aid workers to quit the region.
　
Sri Lankan soldier checks United Nations vehicle as it leaves de facto frontier post at Omanthai in northern region, 12 Sep 2008

The United Nations and other aid agencies pulled out their personnel, Tuesday, from territory held by Tamil Tigers in northern Sri Lanka.

U.N. agencies and about a dozen other aid groups were providing food aid, clean water and other emergency needs to about 160,000 people who have fled their homes because of the fighting between the rebels and the military.

U.N. spokesman in Colombo, Gordon Weiss, says the escalation³ in fighting in recent weeks has made it too dangerous for aid workers to operate in Killinochi. He says the aid workers will relocate to another town.

"It's going to leave a vacuum that needs to be filled," noted⁴ Weiss, "we are much more effective, we work much better when we are close to our beneficiaries, close to the people who need that help, but unfortunately it is just not possible."

Last week, the government ordered aid workers to quit rebel-held areas, saying it could not guarantee their safety as it pushes ahead with a major offensive to capture the rebel stronghold, Killinochi. The government says it can care for the displaced people.

But, earlier this month, hundreds of civilians⁶ protested against the departure of aid workers, blocking traffic to prevent U.N. vehicles from leaving the area.

The head of Colombo's Center for Policy Alternatives, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, says the departure of international aid agencies will make the civilians vulnerable to pressure from both the military and the rebels. He says the government wants the civilians to leave rebel-held areas to isolate⁷ the guerrillas. On the other hand, the rebel group, also known as the LTTE, wants them to stay.

"If the population does not move out as the government would like them to move out of rebel-held territory, then the fear is the there could be some sort of siege tactic⁸ employed to try to get them out," Saravanamuttu said. "On the other hand, the LTTE stands accused of wanting to keep the civilians in as a civilian⁵ shield against the advancing army. They (civilians) are caught between the two key protagonists⁹ here who have no great regard for their safety and welfare."

Monday, President Mahinda Rajapakse ruled out negotiations¹⁰ with Tamil Tiger rebels and expressed confidence that the military will soon crush the guerrillas. Observers say the rebels will withdraw into the jungle to mount a guerrilla war if the military captures their strongholds in the north.

The rebels have been fighting for a quarter century for an autonomous¹¹ homeland for the minority Tamil community.

 

1 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

3 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 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。

7 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

8 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

9 protagonists   

n.（戏剧的）主角( protagonist的名词复数 )；（故事的）主人公；现实事件（尤指冲突和争端的）主要参与者；领导者

参考例句：

• Mrs Pankhurst was one of the chief protagonists of women's rights. 潘克赫斯特太太是女权的主要倡导者之一。 来自辞典例句
• This reflects that Feng Menglong heartily sympathized with these protagonists. 这反映出冯梦龙由衷地同情书中的这些主要人物。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。