2006年VOA标准英语-Humanitarian Crisis Looms in East Timor

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Dili
31 May 2006

Tens of thousands of people displaced by the violence wracking East Timor are facing a humanitarian¹ crisis, with food, water, and medicine in short supply at dozens of camps that have sprung up around the capital.  Violence between rival gangs continues, despite the presence of more than two thousand peacekeepers.

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An Australian army medic treats a victim of machete attack after a street fight, in Dili, May 31, 2006   
  

The violence that has engulfed² Dili for more than a week as armed rival gangs rampaged through the city subsided³ Wednesday, a day after the popular president, Xanana Gusmao, took over the nation's security.

But later in the day, sporadic⁴ fighting and arson⁵ attacks resumed, hampering⁶ aid deliveries to the estimated 100,000 people displaced by the fighting.

Over 13,000 people are crammed⁷ into one camp near Dili's airport, too afraid to return home.  Many say they want to wait and see if the violence ends following Mr. Gusmao's assumption of emergency powers.

Aid volunteers call out names as they hand out bowls of noodles. Alberto Francisco waits in line to collect what little food there is for his family.

Francisco says the leaders of the country must solve the problem, because it is the common people who are suffering.

Brother Adriano, one of those in charge of the camp, says they desperately⁸ need supplies.

"At this moment we need really humanitarian support - food, water, medicine," he said.  "These people [are] already here in this camp more than one month…in spite of the Australian troops arriving, but the number population at this camp every day is…increasing."

The fighting was sparked last month by a violent split in the military over alleged⁹ discrimination and poor working conditions. This prompted the first wave of people to flee to the camps.

The violence deteriorated¹⁰ into general anarchy¹¹ last week with gangs from the west of the country, who are perceived as supporting Indonesia's 24-year brutal¹² rule of East Timor, fighting gangs from the east, who are perceived to have supported independence.

Inga Metham, the deputy country program manager for Oxfam based in Dili says the lack of security for trucks to deliver aid to the people is one of the biggest problems facing aid organizations.

"Definitely the first priority coming out is around security, the second is around food, third water, fourth sanitation¹³, and health care is followed quite quickly," she noted¹⁴.

The increasing lawlessness led the government to appeal for international peacekeepers, who began arriving last week from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Portugal.

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 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

5 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

6 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

7 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

8 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

9 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

10 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

11 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

12 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

13 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

14 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。