VOA常速英语2007年-UN Says Congolese Protesters Should Receive Aid

By Selah Hennessy
Dakar
06 November 2007

United Nations officials say Congolese soldiers have obstructed¹ food distribution to displaced families in the Democratic Republic of Congo by trying to register their own families for U.N. aid. Dozens were injured Monday in violent riots in eastern Congo, after newly displaced refugees attacked a U.N. convoy², saying they had not received food assistance since fleeing their homes in recent weeks. Selah Hennessy reports from the VOA West and Central Africa bureau in Dakar.

Christophe Illemassene is from the U.N. Office for the Coordination³ of Humanitarian⁴ Affairs in Congo's capital, Kinshasa.

He says Monday's riots, just north of the regional capital Goma, took place because newly displaced people have not received aid. Many of them fled fighting two weeks ago between fighters loyal to rebel leader Laurent Nkunda and local Mai Mai tribal⁵ militia⁶.

"We had to actually stop the registration⁷ because we had some interference from families of soldiers who actually wanted to be incorporated in the list of people who were going to receive assistance," said Illemassene.

But he says the problem may now have been solved.

"It seems that the government has agreed to deliver assistance to the families of those soldiers which would allow us to resume registration of those newly displaced families," said Illemassene.

He says most people at the site where the riot took place have been provided with food aid as well as medical assistance and shelter.

"The bulk of the population in those sites do get assistance in all its forms," said Illemassene. "They have received the complete package of our assistance."

U.N. military spokesman in the DRC Lieutenant⁸ Colonel Pierre Chareyron says around 24 U.N. officials were injured during the riot. He says at least seven protesters were injured after local police forces opened fire on the crowd.

According to local officials, a six-year child was also killed.

Jason Stearns is an independent political analyst⁹ based in Kinshasa. He says this is not the first time local populations have rioted over the U.N. failure to provide aid.

He says in the past, local authorities, eager to lay the blame for unrest on an outside force, have been known to organize local populations against the United Nations.

"The United Nations has always been a very convenient target," said Stearns. "They are of course well off, they drive around in their air conditioned cars and they are well armed, so it is very easy to mobilize the population and say, well look, it is the big powers behind the situation, this is the world powers doing this. And here they are and here you are suffering, and they are not doing anything about that."

But he says the United Nations should do more to help and protect the Congolese population.

"I think on the ground there is more they could do in terms of presence, in terms of trying to implement¹⁰ their mandate¹¹, protecting the population and arresting human rights abusers," said Stearns.

Illemassene from the U.N. office coordinating¹² humanitarian affairs says more than 170,000 people have been displaced in Congo since early September. He says, of those, around 120,000 have received assistance from the United Nations.

1 obstructed   

阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• Tall trees obstructed his view of the road. 有大树挡着，他看不到道路。
• The Irish and Bristol Channels were closed or grievously obstructed. 爱尔兰海峡和布里斯托尔海峡或遭受封锁，或受到了严重阻碍。

2 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

3 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

4 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。

5 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

6 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

7 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

8 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

11 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

12 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白