VOA常速英语2015--英国丹麦拒绝接收厄立特里亚难民（在线收听）

Britain, Denmark Criticized for Turning Away Eritrean Refugees 英国丹麦拒绝接收厄立特里亚难民

LONDON—

Some European countries are rejecting asylum applications from Eritrean refugees, despite evidence they face imprisonment and torture if they are forcibly returned to the country, according to human rights group Amnesty International. 

Eritreans are the third largest group of refugees arriving on Europe’s shores, after Syrians and Afghans.

继叙利亚和阿富汗难民后，厄立特里亚难民是抵达欧洲海岸的第三大集团。

Stefan Simanowitz of Amnesty says the vast majority are young men fleeing oppressive national service.

大赦国际的斯特芬·希曼诺维斯表示其中绝大多数是逃离国家压迫的年轻人。

“Children, from the ages of 17 or 16 are forced into conscription, which is meant to last 18 months, but in reality can go on for indefinite periods," he said.  "We spoke to people who had left after being in conscription and national service for 10 or 15 years.  Others who have had family members conscripted for over two decades.”

“17至16岁的孩子就要被迫服18个月的兵役,但实际上可能会持续很久。我们采访到的是已经服役10至15年后从这个国家逃离的人。"

Oppressive regime 

A U.N. commission of inquiry earlier this year described Eritrea as one of the world’s most oppressive regimes.  The Eritrean government denied the accusations made in the report.

而联合国的一个调查委员会今年早些时候称厄立特里亚是世界上最专制的一个国家。但厄立特里亚政府对这一报道予以否认。

Amnesty says the conscription amounts to forced labor and anyone trying to evade or escape it is detained in appalling conditions.

大赦国际表示会发展成强迫劳动的征兵，如果有任何人试图逃避或躲避都将面临可怕的后果。

“If they are seen or caught, they can be shot and killed.  They can be arrested, they can be tortured," he said.  "Many of them are locked up in cells underground or in shipping containers for long periods as punishment for trying to avoid conscription.”

“如果他们被看发现或被逮捕,就会被开枪射杀。他们会被逮捕并被折磨致死。有很多人都会在地下监狱或集装箱中被关押很长时间作为拒服兵役的惩罚。”

Amnesty says the same fate would likely face Eritreans who had fled overseas, but then forcibly returned.

希曼诺维斯表示被欧洲或其他地方强行遣返的厄立特里亚难民可能会面临同样的命运。

Safe haven 

Despite this some European countries, including Britain and Denmark, have begun rejecting the majority of Eritrean asylum applications.  The British government changed its advice in March, claiming that Eritrea is safe for migrants to return to after leaving illegally.  Simanowitz says they must change course.

然而,包括英国和丹麦在内的一些欧洲国家已经开始拒绝大部分厄立特里亚难民的庇护申请。今年3月英国政府改变了策略，两国政府表示非法离开的移民返回厄立特里亚非常安全。

“The situation for Eritrean asylum seekers is a desperate one and they must be given safe haven,” he said.

“厄立特里亚寻求庇护难民的局势令人堪忧,必须给他们提供安全的避风港。”

Speaking at last month’s EU-Africa Migration summit in Malta, French President Francois Hollande said the Eritrean regime must be confronted. He said the world needs to put maximum pressure on Eritrea, because what is happening is extremely serious.  Nobody is talking about it.  It is a country that is becoming empty of its own population.

Despite Britain and Denmark’s approach, Eritrean refugees were among the first refugees to be relocated from Germany to Spain under the European Union’s new migrant plan.  Each European country sets its own rules on asylum.