VOA慢速英语2020 也门专家预测冲突不会停止

Five years of civil war has turned Yemen -- the poorest Arab nation on the Arabian Peninsula -- into the world's worst humanitarian¹ crisis. An estimated 100,000 people have been killed during the conflict.

也门是阿拉伯半岛最贫穷的国家，5年的内战致其陷入全球最严重的人道主义危机。估计有10万人在这场冲突中丧生。

Yemen is home to 24 million people. About 80 percent of the population depends on food and humanitarian aid to survive.

也门有2400万人口。大约80%的人口依靠粮食和人道主义援助生活。

Yemen's warring groups have welcomed a United Nations call for an immediate² end to the conflict. But Middle East experts believe that such calls will not stop the fighting.

联合国呼吁也门立即结束冲突，也门交战各方对此表示欢迎。但是中东问题专家认为，冲突不会因这样的呼吁而停止。

A Saudi Arabian-led coalition³ launched a military offensive against Iranian-supported Houthi rebels five years ago. The coalition's members wanted to re-establish Yemen's ousted⁴ government, under President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

五年前，沙特阿拉伯领导的联盟对伊朗支持的胡塞叛军发动了军事进攻。该联盟的成员希望重建也门被推翻的由总统哈迪领导的政府。

Rights groups have accused both the Saudi-led forces and the rebels of rights violations⁵ against civilians⁶, as well as war crimes.

人权组织指责沙特领导的部队和反政府武装侵犯平民的权利，并犯有战争罪。

Yemen expert Helen Lackner says the conflict appears to have no end. She told VOA, "These policymakers, as far as the Yemenis are concerned, are actively⁷ promoting the fighting...they don't care one bit about the millions who are suffering."

也门问题专家海伦·莱科纳表示，冲突似乎没有结束。她告诉美国之音：“就也门人而言，这些决策者正在积极推动这场冲突……他们一点也不关心数百万受苦的民众。”

Lackner added that at the end of 2019, the fighting appeared to be slowing. But two major agreements failed to move forward. The United Nations-supported Stockholm agreement was supposed to end the coalition offensive on the port of Hodeida. The Riyadh agreement was to solve the crisis between Hadi's government and southern separatists supported by the United Arab Emirates.

莱科纳补充说，到2019年底，冲突似乎有所放缓。但两项主要协议未能取得进展。这份由联合国支持的《斯德哥尔摩协议》旨在结束沙特联军对荷台达港的进攻。而《利雅得协议》是为了解决哈迪政府与阿拉伯联合酋长国支持的南部分裂分子之间的危机。

But Lackner notes there has been a serious increase in fighting since January, especially in Yemen's south. She adds that a major Houthi offensive also threatens other parts of the country that were once said to be more secure.

但是莱科纳指出，自1月以来，特别是在也门南部，冲突严重加剧。她还指出，胡塞发动的大规模攻势甚至威胁到该国曾被认为比较安全的其他地区。

Cinzia Bianco is watching events in Yemen for the European Council on Foreign Relations. She told VOA she expects the situation in Yemen to worsen if the Houthis continue their offensive toward the center of Marib province.

辛西娅·比安科（Cinzia Bianco）是欧洲外交关系委员会在也门的事态观察员。她告诉美国之音，她预计，如果胡塞继续向马里布省中心发动攻势，也门的局势将进一步恶化。

Bianco predicts rising tensions in two separate areas: "one...in the north, and the other in the south, along the Red Sea coast."

比安科预测，在两个不同的区域，紧张局势会加剧。“一个是北部地区，另一个是红海沿岸的南部地区。”

Bianco says the Houthis have shown that they are able to continue fighting without support from Iran. She noted⁸ the country is currently battling a major coronavirus outbreak.

比安科表示，胡塞武装已经表明，他们能够在没有伊朗支持的情况下继续战斗。她指出，该国目前正在与一场重大的冠状病毒疫情作斗争。

Words in This Story

outbreak – n. a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease

promoting – v. helping something happen, develop or increase

1 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。

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 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。

4 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

5 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。