PBS高端访谈:海地霍乱危机的诱因

 　　JUDY WOODRUFF: Finally tonight, we update the situation in Haiti, four years after it was hit by a catastrophic earthquake that killed more than 100,000 people.

　　Efforts to rebuild the poverty-stricken island were led by the United Nations. But in a cruel twist, U.N. soldiers sent there to help are thought to have inadvertently started a cholera¹ epidemic² one year later.

　　Now a lawsuit³ is being brought by more than 5,000 Haitians.

　　We have this report by Inigo Gilmore of independent television news.

　　INIGO GILMORE: The Artibonite River is in many ways Haiti's life source. For generations, people have come here to bathe. It had always provided a natural and safe source of drinking water, too -- that is, until it was poisoned with cholera, just over three years ago. People around here started dying.

　　WOMAN (through interpreter): This is where we take water to wash our clothes, to shower, to drink. And the U.N. is up there dumping their bathroom waste into the water. We got infected from the water.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Soldiers stationed at this United Nations base perched by the river in the town of Mirebalais were accused of being the source of the cholera outbreak.

　　In October 2010, it was alleged⁴ that dark liquid from an overflowing⁵ septic tank was spewing from the base into the river.

　　WOMAN (through interpreter): My daughter got cholera when she was 2 years old, and, recently, she got sick again. She spent three days in hospital. She was much bigger than this. She's lost a lot of weight.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Three years on, there's been nearly 700,000 cholera cases. Now this insidious⁶ disease is growing more deadly.

　　At this Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital in Leogane, we met countless⁷ young families in distress⁸.

　　WOMAN(through interpreter): She wasjust crying. She was crying for three days, so we drove her here. She had diarrhea in the car. When we got here, they ran some tests, and it revealed she had cholera.

　　INIGO GILMORE: The doctors are acutely worried about her child, Alchena. She's malnourished and fungus⁹ is spreading inside her mouth.

　　Another sick baby, Ruji, is just six months old. Ravaged¹⁰ by their harsh living conditions, young and old are succumbing¹¹ quickly to cholera, which should be easy to treat. But the number of clinics and doctors here is actually decreasing, as Haiti drops off the international agenda and aid budgets are slashed¹².

　　DR. KENNETH LAVELLE,Doctors Without Borders: There are less and less treatment centers, you know. There is less and less preventive activities. So, as the organizations, as the government have disengaged from the day-to -day management of cholera, the number of deaths is increasing.

　　This is the only facility where they can come. Everyone else, including the Ministry¹³ of Health, they're not present. They're not engaged in this medical activity, which is absolutely unacceptable.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Haiti had never had a recorded case of cholera before 2010. Proof of its source is not definitive¹⁴, but the scientific evidence from international and local experts has been stacking up.

　　DR. JEAN ANDRE VICTOR,Haitian Association of Environmental Rights (through interpreter): Scientifically, you can't be 100 percent sure. But the waste from the base was being dumped into the river. And the first victims were drinking water from the river.

　　The soldiers at the base came from Nepal, a country where cholera exists. The bacteria we identified matches the one from Nepal. All this cannot just be coincidence.

　　INIGO GILMORE: It's nearly 10 years since the United Nations Stabilization¹⁵ Mission in Haiti was launched. It's the third largest peacekeeping operation in the world, even though Haiti has not been at war.

　　The U.N. mission has a fractious relationship with Haitians. Its force is accused in dozens of rape¹⁶ and sexual abuse cases, and now for bringing cholera. The epidemic is now reaching some of the most remote corners. Surrounded by rice paddy fields, this village lies more than two hours downstream from the U.N. base in Mirebalais. But, even here, cholera has taken a heavy toll¹⁷.

　　MAN (through interpreter): This is the water we used to drink from. We got cholera from this water.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Villagers step forward to tell us about the loss of their loved ones.

　　MAN (through interpreter): I lost my child. And I had cholera myself. When I lost my child, I thought he'd been poisoned. I took him to a traditional healer. Before we could do anything, the child was dead.

　　INIGO GILMORE: This old man lost his brother, a cousin, and his two children. He seemed shell-shocked, wondering aloud who would now look after him.

　　They took me to a nearby cemetery¹⁸. And in the undergrowth, blue plastic sheeting was clearly visible. They told me how they wrapped the bodies in plastic and buried them hurriedly in unmarked graves, fearing the spread of contagion¹⁹. There's no dignity in death around here. A human bone was lying near one grave.

　　First, there was sorrow. Now there's real anger.

　　MAN (through interpreter): The United Nations must be held accountable. We lost a lot. They should compensate²⁰ us and they should do it right away.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Their cause has been taken up by Haiti's leading human rights lawyer, who is seeking compensation from the U.N. for over 5,000 Haitian victims, whose plight²¹, he says, is being ignored.

　　MARIO JOSEPH,Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (through interpreter): The recognition of human rights for rich people, human rights for poor people, we can't accept that, because United Nations is an organization for the world.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Mario Joseph has now launched a lawsuit in New York's federal court to challenge the U.N.'s claims of immunity²² from prosecution²³. But over at the U.N. headquarters in Port-au-Prince, there's a refusal to even discuss the issue.

　　Why didn't the United Nations committee just admit it's responsible for the outbreak of cholera in Haiti?

　　SOPHIE DE CAEN,U.N. Humanitarian²⁴ Coordinator²⁵ in Haiti: Well, unfortunately, I can't comment on that particular side of the issue.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Why?

　　SOPHIE DE CAEN:Because we're not supposed to be commenting on issues that are being considered by the legal office in our -- in our headquarters.

　　INIGO GILMORE: But it's not just a legal matter. There's a moral matter here as well. People are appalled²⁶ by what's happened. They blame the U.N.

　　SOPHIE DE CAEN:As I said, I'm sorry, but I can't -- I can't comment on it. I think what's more important is how to deal with it here and now.

　　MARIO JOSEPH: The United Nations promotes the due process, the rule of law, the human right. They need to give Haitian people a day in court.

　　INIGO GILMORE: But as he seeks his day in court against the U.N., it seems he won't be getting much help from his own Health Ministry, which is clearly reluctant to take on the world body.

　　MARIE GUIRLAINE RAYMOND,Haitian Health Ministry (through interpreter): We support the Haitian people who are victims of cholera.

　　INIGO GILMORE: You said you support victims of cholera. Do you support the claim of 5,000 against the United Nations?

　　MARIE GUIRLAINE RAYMOND(through interpreter): We support the Haitian people.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Can you answer the question? Do you support this claim, please?

　　MARIE GUIRLAINE RAYMOND (through interpreter):Do you answer my -- do you Do you hear my answer? You are the level of the Health Ministry.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Suddenly, she'd had enough. She headed for the door, jumped in her car, and drove off.

　　The Haitian government says it's working with the U.N. on a 10-year plan to rid Haiti of cholera. But the aid agency trying to hold back a disease that's already claimed over 8,000 Haitian lives says it's an emergency right now.

　　DR. KENNETH LAVELLE:So who's going to treat these patients, yes? This problem is not going away, yes? An eradication²⁷ plan over 10 years is a great idea, a great initiative, but it doesn't address the needs of the Haitian people today.

　　INIGO GILMORE: Four years ago, the world responded to Haiti's massive earthquake with promises to rebuild the country and make it better than before. Four years on, many pledges still remain unfulfilled, and the world body stands accused of heaping more misery²⁸ on this ravaged people.

1 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

4 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

5 overflowing   

n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。
• The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。

6 insidious   

adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧

参考例句：

• That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。
• Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。

7 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

8 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

9 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

10 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

11 succumbing   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• Mrs. Smith washed and ironed clothes for him, succumbing to him. 史密斯太太被他迷住了，愿意为他洗衣烫衣。
• They would not in the end abandon their vital interests by succumbing to Soviet blandishment. 他们最终决不会受苏联人的甜言蜜语的诱惑，从而抛弃自己的切身利益。

12 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

15 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

16 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

17 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

18 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

19 contagion   

n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延

参考例句：

• A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
• The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。

20 compensate   

vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消

参考例句：

• She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。
• Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。

21 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。

22 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

23 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

24 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。

25 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？

26 appalled   

v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

28 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。