VOA慢速英语2021--火灾摧毁了罗兴亚难民营的数千所房屋

A fire in Bangladesh Monday destroyed hundreds of shelters at the Rohingya refugee camp near Cox's Bazar. Thousands of people are now without homes, officials and witnesses said.

Mohammad Shamsud Douza is a top official with the government's Refugee, Relief and Repatriation¹ Commission. He said the fire at Balukhali camp broke out late in the day and spread quickly through at least four blocks. He said at least four teams of firefighters were struggling to control the fire.

Louise Donovan, a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency, said in an email that fire services, rescue and emergency workers and volunteers deployed² to help.

"So far the fire has affected³ shelters, health centers, distribution points and other facilities. Volunteers are supporting those affected," she said.

Rohingya refugees in the camps said many homes were burned down and several people had died, but neither officials nor the UN could confirm the reports. The cause of the fire has not been established.

Several videos posted on social media showed large clouds of smoke rising over the camp.

Zaifur Hussein is a 50-year-old Rohingya refugee who escaped the fire but lost his home. He told the Reuters news agency, "When we were in Myanmar we faced lots of problems... they destroyed everything... Now it has happened again."

Bangladesh shelters more than one million Rohingyas. Most fled Myanmar in August 2017 when its military began to attack the minority Muslim population, killing⁴ and raping⁵ many people and burning whole villages. The U.N. has described the country's action as genocidal. Myanmar denies the accusation⁶.

Bangladesh wants to begin sending the refugees back to Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Several attempts to do so under a joint⁷ agreement failed because the Rohingya refused to go. They fear they will face more violence in Myanmar. The country denies them basic rights including citizenship⁸.

In January, a fire also destroyed hundreds of poor, temporary homes in the camp, leaving thousands without shelter.

Words in This Story

distribution –n. the act of giving or delivering something to people

facility –n. something (such as a building or large piece of equipment) that is built for a specific purpose

1 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 raping   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的现在分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• In response, Charles VI sent a punitive expedition to Brittany, raping and killing the populace. 作为报复，查理六世派军讨伐布列塔尼，奸淫杀戮平民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The conquerors marched on, burning, killing, raping and plundering as they went. 征服者所到之处烧杀奸掠，无所不做。 来自互联网

6 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。