VOA标准英语2009年-UN Rights Official Calls for Investigation

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
18 September 2009

The U.N.'s Human Rights Chief is calling for an investigation¹ into Yemeni air strikes that killed dozens of civilians³. U.N. aid agencies say the humanitarian⁴ situation of the civilian² population caught in the conflict in northern Yemen continues to deteriorate⁵.

U.N. High Commissioner⁶ for Human Rights, Navi Pillay says she is deeply disturbed by eyewitness⁷ reports of an air attack Wednesday by Yemeni warplanes against a makeshift camp in northern Yemen. 

 
The air strike reportedly killed dozens of civilians displaced by fighting between the government and Al Houthi rebels in and around Saada city.

The High Commissioner's spokesman, Rupert Colville, says she is urging the government to launch an investigation and to refrain from launching similar attacks in the future. Colville notes this was the second deadly air strike resulting in civilian deaths in the space of three days.

"We see this as a deeply disturbing development in a conflict that was always very troubling in terms of its impact on civilians," he said. "The high commissioner is reminding the government of Yemen and the armed forces of Yemen of their obligation to protect civilians caught up in fighting and to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law." 

"She is also urging the government to launch a full-fledged investigation into what went wrong with these air strikes in particular and possible other similar episodes and take immediate⁸ measures to try and ensure that we do not see a further avoidable tragedy of this nature," he added. 

 
Displaced Yemenis from the northern Saada province carry water to their tent at a camp set up by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Mazraq in Hajja region, 10 Sep 2009
Colville says High Commissioner Pillay is also very concerned that aid workers have limited access to the thousands of people trapped by this conflict. She says civilians are being deprived of much needed food, water, and medication.

U.N. aid agencies share Pillay's concerns. They continue to call upon the Yemeni government and rebels to open a humanitarian corridor so they can safely deliver assistance to the civilians.

U.N. refugee spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming calls the humanitarian situation of the civilian population caught in the conflict alarming.

"Five weeks into the conflict, Saada city remains⁹ virtually isolated¹⁰ and inaccessible¹¹ for the U.N. humanitarian community," she said. "However, yesterday there was a bit of a lull¹² in the fighting between government troops and Al-Houthi forces and we did manage to get some aid in to some of the internally displaced in Saada. And, we are planning another such operation today through a local NGO partner." 

Fleming says the UNHCR is still trying to gain access to Saada province from neighboring Saudi Arabia. She says the agency is ready to launch a cross-border operation from Saudi Arabia to assist displaced people north of Saada city pending¹³ security clearances¹⁴ from both governments.

The UNHCR and other U.N. agencies say they are strapped¹⁵ for cash. They say their appeals to the international community for money to run their humanitarian operations have fallen on deaf ears. They say, so far, they have received nothing.

 

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 deteriorate   

v.变坏；恶化；退化

参考例句：

• Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗？
• He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为，这只会使局势更加恶化。

6 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

7 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

8 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。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

11 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

12 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

13 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

14 clearances   

清除( clearance的名词复数 )； 许可； （录用或准许接触机密以前的）审查许可； 净空

参考例句：

• But I can't get to him without clearances. 但是没有证明我就没法见到他。
• The bridge and the top of the bus was only ten clearances. 桥与公共汽车车顶之间的间隙只有十厘米。

15 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》