联合国称摧毁神庙为“反文明罪行”

AS IT IS 2015-09-02 UN: Temple Destruction Is a 'Crime Against Civilization' 联合国称摧毁神庙为“反文明罪行”

A United Nations official says Islamic State militants² have destroyed the Temple of Bel in the historic Syrian city of Palmyra. The head of the U.N.’s cultural agency is calling the destruction, an “intolerable crime against civilization.” UNESCO chief Irina Bokova added that her agency would try to protect “all that can be saved” from the Islamic State.

Officials say the militants used explosives to destroy the ancient ruins on Sunday. The U.N. released two satellite images of the Temple of Bel. Officials said one was taken on August 27; the other, on Monday -- one day after Syrian observers said the temple had been destroyed.

Maamoun Abdulkarim is Syria's antiquities³ director. He said on Monday there had been a big explosion in the area. But he added that no one has been able to get close enough yet to confirm how much, if any, of the temple survived.

The Temple of Bel is nearly 2,000 years old. Syrians consider it to be one of the country's most important shrines⁵. Experts say it was probably used for religious purposes long ago.

Last week, the Islamic State released pictures of militants destroying another ancient Palmyra temple, Baal Shamin. The pictures were published on social media. The U.N. called that attack, a war crime.

The Syrian Observatory⁶ for Human Rights reported two weeks ago that the Islamic State executed Palmyra's former antiquities director, Khaled Asaad. The British-based observatory said the group cut off his head and left his body so passers-by could see it.

Historians began saying Palmyra’s priceless treasures were endangered when Islamic State forces seized the city in May. The militants have also destroyed historic artifacts in Iraq. They say the ancient objects are blasphemous⁷ – an insult to God.

But the Observatory says Islamic State has sold a number of ancient pieces to raise money. It says the militants are actually destroying copies in some videos that claimed to show them breaking works of art.

Brett McGurk is one of President Barack Obama’s main advisors⁸ to the coalition⁹ against the Islamic State, also known as ISIL. Ambassador McGurk told reporters on Sunday that the fight against the group is moving forward.

“The objective in this first year is to degrade its capabilities¹⁰; is to remove its leaders; to degrade its ability to mass; and maneuver¹¹ force around the battlefield. And that’s what we’re doing right now.”

But he admits the Islamic State is something the world has never seen before. The militant¹ group is said to have about 25,000 foreign fighters from about 100 countries.

Words in This Story

temple – n. a building or other structure meant for religious or spiritual activities

antiquities – adj. relating to objects, buildings or works of art from long ago

shrine⁴ – n. a holy place

blasphemous – adj. ungodly; against God or holy things

degrade – v. to slowly break down

maneuver – n. movement or a series of movements; a military exercise of troops and other forces

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

4 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

5 shrines   

圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All three structures dated to the third century and were tentatively identified as shrines. 这3座建筑都建于3 世纪，并且初步鉴定为神庙。
• Their palaces and their shrines are tombs. 它们的宫殿和神殿成了墓穴。

6 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

7 blasphemous   

adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的

参考例句：

• The book was declared blasphemous and all copies ordered to be burnt.这本书被断定为亵渎神明之作，命令全数焚毀。
• The people in the room were shocked by his blasphemous language.满屋的人都对他那侮慢的语言感到愤慨。

8 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。