VOA标准英语2009年-UN Boss Tells Sri Lanka it Cannot Confront

The United Nations' top official, during a 24-hour visit to Sri Lanka, got a first-hand look at the country's largest camp for civilians¹ displaced by the recently ended war. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also flew over the devastation² where the final battle occurred.
　
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at a news conference in Kandy, Sri Lanka

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon cautioned Sri Lanka's government leaders not to view their civil war victory as a defeat of the Tamil people.

Mr. Ban, at a joint³ news conference with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollogama, predicted that history could repeat itself if there is no reconciliation⁴ between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils.

The United Nations estimates the war left as many as 100,000 people dead.

The end of the quarter-century conflict has scattered⁵ 300,000 Tamils. More than two-thirds of them are at a sprawling⁶ displacement⁷ camp called Manik Farm. The Secretary-General on a tour of it (Saturday) said it was clear Sri Lanka does not have adequate resources to handle the situation alone. He said such a huge challenge could only be adequately confronted with help from the international community.
　
Two girls await arrival of UN Secretary General at Manik Farm

In one of the camp's tents, the Secretary General visited a girl with wounds to both her legs. She had been hit by shrapnel and arrived in the camp five days earlier. She says there is no medical facility in the camp for her surgery and she cannot even get pain pills. Mr. Ban told her he hopes she will be able to walk soon and to go to school.

At a neighboring tent he met another family, which had survived shelling by hiding in bunkers. The Secretary General promised them they would be able to return home. "Before then we'll provide the food, water, sanitation⁸, medicines and schools. So, have great courage and great hope for the better future," he said.

The Secretary-General did not stop at the temporary home of a school teacher, who identified himself as Kumar. His mother and sister died in the family's escape from the combat zone. He says conditions are worse in other areas of the sprawling camp. "All the VIPs are coming and they are showing this area only. If they go the downside they can see the real situation of this camp. The people, they're suffering," he said.

In addition to shortages of water and toilets and adequate medical care, the displaced also complain there is no freedom of movement at Manik Farm.

Later in the day, here in Kandy, the top U.N. official met President Mahinda Rajapaksa. But Sri Lanka appears not to have made any immediate⁹ concessions¹⁰ on Mr. Ban's calls for unhindered access to the camps by international aid organizations and that screening of the displaced be expedited so families can be reunited.

The Secretary General is welcoming the president's promise to resettle most of the displaced Tamils by the end of the year.

1 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。

2 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

5 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

6 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

7 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。

8 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

9 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。

10 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。