PBS高端访谈:成千上万的塞内加尔儿童被迫为学习可兰经而乞讨

 　　JUDY WOODRUFF: And we travel now to Senegal, considered one of West Africa's rising nations, home to a stable democracy with plans for universal health care and education, but where a troubling human rights crisis persists.

　　Kira Kay of the Bureau for International Reporting has the story.

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　　KIRA KAY: In a sandy courtyard in the city of Saint-Louis, a group of young boys begin their evening prayer studies. They are talibes, meaning students, and they have come 200 miles from their home villages to live with this Koranic master, called a marabout.

　　But their studies have only come at the end of a long, hard day's work begging on the streets. You see Senegal's talibes weaving in and out of traffic with their little yellow tubs or rusty² cans. It's dangerous, dirty work, up to 10 hours a day. Along with morsels³ of food, they are hoping for money. They owe their marabout a quota⁴ of about a dollar a day.

　　Begging is used to teach talibes humility⁵ and resilience. But this marabout admits it's also a matter of simple economics.

　　ALIOUNE SECK, Koranic Teacher (through interpreter): You have to buy these books, medicine, water, electricity, everything you need in life. And the government doesn't give it to us. That's why they beg.

　　KIRA KAY: Talibe aid worker Issa Kouyate says what he sees is more sinister⁶.

　　ISSA KOUYATE, Maison de la Gare: The society knows that these marabouts treat these boys like slavery. The government knows these marabouts treat these boys like slavery. Most of the marabouts abuse these boys.

　　KIRA KAY: The talibe system is unique to West Africa, and is rooted in centuries-old tradition, says Imam Mouhamed Cherif Diop.

　　MOUHAMED CHERIF DIOP, Coordinator⁷, Tostan (through interpreter): It is assumed that I am not capable of giving my children their necessary education because of my affection, that I will tolerate things that I shouldn't. And so we have entrusted⁸ our children to the marabouts, who live in another village, to create this distance to permit a good education.

　　KIRA KAY: But Diop agrees the system, so valued in this 95 percent Muslim country, is now being exploited, with at least 50,000 young boys, mostly from poor families, forced to beg.

　　MOUHAMED CHERIF DIOP (through interpreter): It's a staggering number, a huge number who are begging. And they have moved to the big cities, because marabouts who want to use begging as a source of revenue know that's where you will find the most donors⁹.

　　KIRA KAY: Some of these boys left home so young, they don't remember where they came from. They sleep on cement or dirt floors, dozens to a room. And for boys who don't make their daily quota, the punishment can be brutal¹⁰.

　　Social worker Abdou Fode Sow is caring for an 11-year-old whose marabout beat him with a shred¹¹ tire.

　　Abdou Fode Sow, Intermondes (through interpreter): With those strips, the boy was hit until he bled. And each time that he came back without money from begging, he was hit again, even though his injuries hadn't yet healed.

　　KIRA KAY: This talibe, named Arouna, told me he has been beaten more times than he can count. He became a talibe when he was only nine. Now 17, he resents the years he's been kept a virtual captive by his marabout.

　　AROUNA KANDE (through interpreter): They called me to tell me my mother had died. I wanted to go home, but my marabout said, no. Then my father died, and again he refused to let me leave. I still have three sisters at home, and if I can get money to buy phone credit, sometimes, I will call them.

　　KIRA KAY: I met Arouna at Maison de la Gare, a rare safe haven¹² for boys like him. Here, they can wash their clothes, take a shower, get medical attention, and otherwise take a break from their rough lives. And, for that moment, those street-hardened boys briefly¹³ become the children they should be.

　　The center is run by Issa Kouyate. He offers local marabouts incentives¹⁴ like a new roof or some sleeping mats in exchange for allowing the boys to visit his center in between their begging rounds. But despite years of this work, Kouyate still finds conditions that shock him, like this school, just feet from the town's reeking¹⁵ garbage dump.

　　ISSA KOUYATE: It's really difficult for me to just understand why he's just living here. I don't know the words how to explain this. It's just like people who are living here are just rubbish.

　　KIRA KAY: Kouyate notices a boy from the center scratching from lice, despite the clean clothes Kouyate gave him three days before. He tries to convince the marabout to move the school before the rainy season floods it with garbage.

　　But Kouyate admits it will take much larger forces to end the talibe begging system. A year ago, a candle tipped over in a Koranic school in Senegal's capital, Dakar. Eight boys died in the fire. You can still see their begging bowls in the rubble¹⁶.

　　Matthew Wells of Human Rights Watch says this tragedy should have been a turning point.

　　MATTHEW WELLS, Researcher, Human Rights Watch: In the aftermath of the fire, the president of the country and a bunch of other leaders, they came and they said, this can't happen again. We have to take action to stop this type of abuse.

　　KIRA KAY: And what's stopping the government from taking that action?

　　MATTHEW WELLS: I think, up to now, there's been a — really a lack of courage. I don't think there's a better word. There's a lack of courage from the government to follow through. It's been thought of as too sensitive, too complicated. And so every time it starts to act, there's a certain group of Koranic teachers who react and say, the government's attacking Islam. It's attacking religious education.

　　But there are also lots of religious leaders who spoke¹⁷ up after this event and said, it's time for the government to take action. So I think, really, religious allies are there to support the government and now it needs to follow through and take action.

　　AMINATA TOURE, Prime Minister, Senegal: That is true, that we have to — we can accelerate things, but at the same time, you have to handle things in such a way that they don't backfire on you.

　　KIRA KAY: Aminata Toure is the prime minister of Senegal.

　　The estimates are that there are still 10,000 kids begging just here on the streets of Dakar alone.

　　AMINATA TOURE: What would we do? Just take all the 10,000 kids, send them back to their families? They would come back one week later. You have to understand that you're talking to the deep and the core believing of people.

　　One of the policies that we're trying to implement¹⁸ is to come up with the idea of upgrading the Koranic schools, giving them a curriculum where we would mix Koranic teaching with modern teaching, with math and French, and try to give training to the teachers.

　　KIRA KAY: This school is considered a model. Besides Koranic studies, it offers regular academics, with the goal of advancing its students to high school. The school includes girls, not just boys. And, best of all, these students don't beg. Their parents pay a monthly boarding fee. The fees from the richer kids supplement those of the poorer.

　　This pilot program is overseen¹⁹ by Mamadou Basse from the Ministry²⁰ Of education.

　　MAMADOU BASSE, Ministry of Education, Senegal (through interpreter): When we visit a school, we look first at the physical condition: Is it clean, does it have proper bathrooms, do the children have access to medical care?

　　And then we look at the marabout: Do they meet the necessary requirements to teach? All the schools that fail to comply with the new laws will be completely closed. The schools that do not practice begging will be promoted by the government.

　　KIRA KAY: But Basse has only eight staff and two vehicles to inspect the tens of thousands of Koranic schools in the country. Basse is now waiting for a new law to be passed that could give his department more of the support it needs.

　　Meanwhile, it has fallen to religious leaders like Imam Diop to sway local attitudes. He has partnered with the grassroots group Tostan to bring a message directly to parents and community leaders: that child abuse is un-Islamic, no matter where it takes place.

　　MOUHAMED CHERIF DIOP (through interpreter): The Koran is here to help people. It is a good thing for everyone who studies it. But to study it, must I live in bad conditions and wear rags? No. I should live in conditions as noble as the Koran is for a Muslim.

　　KIRA KAY: And he's going door to door, convincing marabouts to endorse²¹ and join the government's modernization²² program.

　　MOUHAMED CHERIF DIOP (through interpreter): If the state wants change, but the community refuses, it won't work. If the community wants it, but the state doesn't follow, that also won't work. We have to combine the efforts of both the community and the institutions.

　　KIRA KAY: Back in Saint-Louis, another glimmer²³ of hope. With the help of the talibe center, Arouna is now attending a regular school a few hours a day. He wants to become a history or geography teacher, one boy perhaps rescued from a life on the streets, and a role model for more to come.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: This report was produced in collaboration²⁴ with students from New York University's Carter Journalism²⁵ Institute. You can visit our Web site to watch another story from the project, on Senegal's promising²⁶ gender²⁷ parity²⁸ law.

1 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

2 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

3 morsels   

n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑

参考例句：

• They are the most delicate morsels. 这些确是最好吃的部分。 来自辞典例句
• Foxes will scratch up grass to find tasty bug and beetle morsels. 狐狸会挖草地，寻找美味的虫子和甲壳虫。 来自互联网

4 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

5 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

6 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

7 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

8 entrusted   

v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。
• She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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》

10 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

11 shred   

v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少

参考例句：

• There is not a shred of truth in what he says.他说的全是骗人的鬼话。
• The food processor can shred all kinds of vegetables.这架食品加工机可将各种蔬菜切丝切条。

12 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

13 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

14 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

15 reeking   

v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的现在分词 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象）

参考例句：

• I won't have you reeking with sweat in my bed! 我就不许你混身臭汗，臭烘烘的上我的炕！ 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• This is a novel reeking with sentimentalism. 这是一本充满着感伤主义的小说。 来自辞典例句

16 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

17 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

18 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

19 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

20 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

21 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

22 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

23 glimmer   

v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光

参考例句：

• I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。
• A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。

24 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

25 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

26 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

27 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

28 parity   

n.平价，等价，比价，对等

参考例句：

• The two currencies have now reached parity.这两种货币现已达到同等价值。
• Women have yet to achieve wage or occupational parity in many fields.女性在很多领域还没能争取到薪金、职位方面的平等。