VOA常速英语2007-Cuban Refugees Arrive in Hungary Amid Controvers

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
10 October 2007

Dozens of Cuban refugees who were detained by the United States after fleeing their country, have arrived in Hungary where they will be granted political asylum¹.  Stefan Bos reports from Budapest that the refugees' arrival has led to a diplomatic dispute between Hungary and Cuba.

Hungarian officials have confirmed that 28 Cuban refugees, mostly men with a few women and children, landed in Budapest and will receive political asylum.

They are part of a group of 44 Cubans captured at sea by the United States Coast Guard in recent years while trying to reach the United States.

They were detained at the American naval² base at Guantanamo Bay.

Cuban dissidents have said some of the refugees were activists³ who were persecuted⁴ for opposing the Communist government of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
 
The spokesman of Hungary's ministry⁵ of foreign affairs, Lajos Szelestey, tells VOA that the Cubans arrived in Hungary under an agreement with Washington.

"All in all, 28 people arrived in Hungary because the Hungarian government accepted the request of the U.S. administration," he said.  "And the decision was approved by all five parliamentary parties."

Cuba has condemned⁶ that decision, calling Hungary a "lackey⁷" of the U.S.

In a statement, Cuba's foreign ministry said the government of Hungary has acted, in Cuba's words, "as an accomplice⁸ of the American empire and is waiting for a reward."  The Cuban statement said Havana resists "the empire and despises the lackey."

Calls to the Cuban embassy in Budapest went unanswered.

Hungarian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Szelestey however said only humanitarian⁹ considerations were behind Hungary's decision to accept the refugees.

"The Hungarian side explained that Hungary was and would be prepared to take any refugees on the basis of humanity," he said.  "They fled Cuba and were captured on the sea and taken to Guantanamo, as far as I know nearly or more than three years ago."

Of the refugees, 17 are reported to have held a three-week hunger strike in August to protest alleged¹⁰ poor conditions at Guantanamo and the unwillingness¹¹ of U.S. authorities to grant them asylum.

One aid worker believes it will take time for the Cubans to adjust to Hungarian society.  The office manager of the Christian¹² organization Hungarian Baptist Aid, David Gal¹³, explained to VOA that his group will help the refugees find housing and jobs and adapt to Hungarian culture.

Gal said the Cubans will receive counseling in a temporary shelter near Budapest.

"They will be helped by social workers and also counselors¹⁴ because these people obviously went through some shock," he said.  "So we have recruited some Spanish-speaking counselors and social workers who will be with them to help them in the whole situation of moving, arriving in a new country and so forth¹⁵.  They arrived early in the morning and they were extremely tired so they went to bed to immediately.  There was very little conversation at this point.  But we hope to find out very much about them in the coming days."      

Hungarian officials have released few details about the refugees, citing security concerns.

1 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

7 lackey   

n.侍从；跟班

参考例句：

• I'm not staying as a paid lackey to act as your yes-man.我不要再做拿钱任你使唤的应声虫。
• Who would have thought that Fredo would become a lackey of women?谁能料到弗烈特竟堕落成女人脚下的哈叭狗？

8 accomplice   

n.从犯，帮凶，同谋

参考例句：

• She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。
• He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。

9 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。

10 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

11 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

12 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

13 gal   

n.姑娘，少女

参考例句：

• We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
• What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么？

14 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

15 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。