VOA英语2010年-Actor Ben Affleck Advocates More US Involvem

Hollywood Actor and Director Ben Affleck was in Washington this week, pushing for greater US engagement in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has founded an organization called "The Eastern Congo Initiative." Affleck says the DRC is at a critical juncture¹ in its transition from war to peace. He says although the country has achieved some milestones², violence in its eastern provinces continues to undermine progress and threatens to throw the country back into chaos³.

Ben Affleck is known for roles in big Hollywood movies, but the actor and director came to Washington to champion a cause far away, but near to his heart. He founded a group called, "The Eastern Congo Initiative."

In a report released this week, Affleck outlined points to help Washington and others engage more in that part of Africa. He says time is running out.

"We have this window of opportunity that's very important in terms of here with the U.S. government and in terms of what's happening in the next year before the elections. Congo is on this tipping point," said Affleck. "It could easily fall back into chaos or move forward into recovery. That gives me and others a sense of real urgency."

Affleck calls the eight-year conflict in the DRC one of the deadliest since World War II. He says progress is being made towards security and stability. But the DRC is still plagued by weak state institutions, extreme poverty and violence in the eastern provinces.

During her visit last year to the Congo, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said more must be done to protect civilians⁴.

According to Johnnie Carson, Secretary of State for African Affairs, the trend is unsettling.

"Over the last three years, we have seen a continuing rise in the number of rapes⁵ of women in the Eastern Congo. This last year it was 17,000," noted⁶ Carson.

About 2 million people are still displaced and another 200,000 are refugees in neighboring countries. Affleck's ECI and eight other groups are working to change people's daily lives.

"We are advocating systemic change particularly in terms of government institutions like the FDRC [the Congolese army] that is in need of reform, but it's not all about the government of Congo," Affleck told VOA. "It's about getting donors⁷ together in an intelligent way and for the United States to spend their money wisely and to understand this is a moment of urgency."

Carson says the U.S. spent about $900 million on assistance for Congo last year. But some experts say the amount that will be allocated⁸ to Congo's 2011 elections won't be enough.

"Even in the context of a 900 million dollar program, the U.S. intends to provide roughly $5 million for elections in the Congo," said Tony Gambino, a former USAID Mission Director to the Congo. "It is estimated that the international community needs to provide $300 million. A reasonable contribution from the U.S. would be more like $50 million."

But U.S. Senator John Kerry said even with a small amount, the U.S. can achieve results.

"We are putting $106 billion into Afghanistan a year. More than $1 trillion went into Iraq," said Kerry. "Frankly⁹, it would do America so much good to be able to say to the world that it's not just the war on terror or other kinds of things we care about."

He says the US needs to show that humanitarian causes are a priority

1 juncture   

n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头

参考例句：

• The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。
• It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。

2 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

3 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

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 rapes   

n.芸苔( rape的名词复数 )；强奸罪；强奸案；肆意损坏v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的第三人称单数 )；强奸

参考例句：

• The man who had committed several rapes was arrested. 那个犯了多起强奸案的男人被抓起来了。 来自辞典例句
• The incidence of reported rapes rose 0.8 percent. 美国联邦调查局还发布了两份特别报告。 来自互联网

6 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。

7 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

9 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。