VOA常速英语2020--美国国际开发署对国际宗教自由挑战的回应（在线收听）

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government. An unexpected side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is increased pressure on religious minorities, including violations of freedom of religion or belief. According to U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Ahmed Shaheed,“The pandemic has caused a flare-up in existing religious intolerance in many countries. I am alarmed to see the upsurge in incitement to hatred, scapegoating religious or belief communities, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims for the spread of virus.” The fact is that 83 percent of the world’s population lives in places with high or very high restrictions on worship and religious expression, most of them targeting religious minorities. The coronavirus pandemic did not create these conditions, but it has made the situation worse.

接下来是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。由新冠肺炎疫情引发的一个意外的副作用是对宗教少数群体的压力增加，包括侵犯宗教或信仰自由。根据联合国宗教或信仰自由问题特别报告员艾哈迈德·沙希的说法，“这场疫情引起了许多国家现有宗教不容忍现象的爆发。我对于很多现象的激增感到震惊，包括煽动仇恨，将基督教、犹太教和穆斯林等宗教或信仰团体作为传播冠状病毒的替罪羊。”事实上，世界上83%的人口生活在对礼拜与宗教表达高度限制的地方，其中大多数地区会针对宗教少数群体。冠状病毒疫情并未创造这些条件，但是却使情况更糟。

For that reason, U.S. President Donald Trump on June 2 signed an Executive Order to advance international religious freedom by integrating it into U.S. diplomacy. The Executive Order requires the Secretary of State to develop a plan within six months that will prioritize international religious freedom in the planning and implementation of United States foreign policy and the foreign assistance programs of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. It also provides at least $50 million per fiscal year for programs that advance international religious freedom. “USAID will play a critical role in the implementation of the Executive Order,” said USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa in a written statement. “Americans have always believed our first freedom is the freedom of religion, and it is a key component of our national security strategy.” USAID's efforts toward fulfillment of the President's Executive Order on Advancing International Religious Freedom will be managed by Samah Norquist, Senior Advisor on Religious Freedom and Pluralism in the Middle East. Ms. Norquist has “decades of experience working in international affairs and religious liberty issues in the Middle East and globally.” “Promoting religious liberty is a pillar of our new multi-year country strategies,” said Acting Administrator Barsa. “Whether in response to genocide committed against Christians and Yazidis in Northern Iraq, or the ethnic cleansing of the Muslim Rohingya in Burma, the institutional culture regarding international religious freedom has become a top priority at USAID.”That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

为此，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在6月2号签署行政命令，将国际宗教自由纳入美国外交中，以推进国际宗教自由。行政命令要求国务卿在6个月内制定一项计划，在规划和实施美国外交政策以及国务院和美国国际开发署（USAID）的对外援助计划时，优先考虑国际宗教自由。还为每个财政年度提供至少5000万美金，用于促进国际宗教自由。美国国家开发署代理署长John Barsa在一份书面声明中表示，“美国国际开发署将在执行行政命令方面发挥关键作用。”“美国人一直认为我们的首要自由是宗教自由，它是我们国家安全战略的关键组成部分。”美国国际开发署为执行总统关于促进国际宗教自由的行政命令所作的努力将由中东宗教自由和多元化问题高级顾问萨马·诺奎斯特负责。诺奎斯特女士“在中东和全球的国际事务和宗教自由问题上有数十年的工作经验” 代理署长Barsa表示，“促进宗教自由是我们新的多年期国家战略的支柱”“无论是应对伊拉克北部针对基督教徒和雅兹迪人的种族灭绝，还是缅甸针对穆斯林罗兴亚人的种族清洗，有关国际宗教自由的制度文化都已成为美国国际开发署的首要任务。”这是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。