VOA标准英语2009年-Insecurity Hampering Aid Efforts in Somali

The UN refugee agency said security concerns are making it increasingly difficult for aid workers to gain access and provide assistance to the growing number of victims of Somalia's civil war. The UNHCR estimated more than 220,000 people have fled Somalia's capital, Mogadishu since early May. Twenty-thousand have fled in the last two weeks alone.

This mass exodus¹ of Mogadishu's residents began on May 7. That is when the al-Shabab and Hisbul Islam militia² groups jointly³ launched attacks against government forces in several districts of the Somali capital.

Tens of thousands of civilians⁴ have fled to the Afgooye corridor, about 30 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu. They joined about 400,000 other internally displaced people who fled from previous conflicts and are living in makeshift shelters.
　
Somali women displaced by violence protest lack of water near an IDP camp in Mogadishu on 20 Jul 2009

UN refugee spokesman, Ron Redmond, said the UNHCR is greatly concerned about their plight⁵. He said these homeless people are packed into a small, congested strip of land with little or no basic facilities.

"Our local partners in Somalia report that domestic humanitarian⁶ organizations are overstretched and struggling to meet the basic needs of the newly arrived," said Redmond. "There is a lack of adequate shelter, of sanitation⁷ facilities and of clean drinking water. The situation has grown worse following recent torrential rains. The lack of sufficient latrines poses a major health risk," he said.

Redmond said the continued fighting and worsening security situation in Somalia is hampering⁸ the timely delivery of assistance from the port of Mogadishu to Afgooye and other parts of Somalia. He said this is worsening one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

"This week's scheduled distribution of 4,000 UNHCR aid kits⁹ in Mogadishu and outlying areas, for example, had to be postponed¹⁰ due to security concerns," Redmond added. "In addition, due to the latest incidents in Baidoa and Wajid, where militants¹² occupied and looted two UN compounds yesterday, our assistance efforts in the adjacent region have virtually ground to a halt," he said.
　
Armed Al-Shabaab fighters patrol Bakara Market in Mogadishu, Somalia, 29 Jun 2009

The militant¹¹ al-Shabab group has forced three UN aid agencies to leave Baidoa, branding them as enemies of Islam. The United Nations confirms the three agencies have suspended their humanitarian operations in Somalia.

The World Food Program was not asked to cease its operations. A spokeswoman said WFP is continuing to feed 3.5 million hungry people in Somalia. But, she noted¹³ it is becoming more difficult and more dangerous for WFP to carry out its humanitarian mission.

1 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

2 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

3 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

4 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。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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。

9 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

10 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

11 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

12 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

13 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。