2007年VOA标准英语-British Aid Agencies Launch Appeal For Darfur

By Sonja Pace
London
24 May 2007

A group of British-based relief organizations has launched an urgent public appeal for funds to help some 4.5 million Africans affected¹ by the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region and surrounding countries. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London.

The Disasters Emergency Committee, which represents major U.K.-based aid agencies, says urgent help is needed to relieve the plight² of people in Darfur and in neighboring Chad and Central African Republic.

The group says money is needed now to get aid in ahead of the rainy season, which will make transport even more difficult and create conditions for increased health risks, including malaria³, for an already vulnerable population.

Oxfam is among the agencies launching this appeal. The group's director for Sudan, Caroline Nursey says assistance now is crucial.

"It is a massive effort to get food to these people, to get them clean water, to make sure that there are medicines, particularly with the rainy season coming, we need to have mosquito nets, we need to have all the drugs and things ready for them," she said.

About 200,000 people have died since the conflict broke out in Darfur in 2003 when rebel groups took up arms against the central government, accusing Khartoum of ignoring the impoverished⁴ west of the country.

The government denies allegations that it has supported Arab militias⁵, known as Janjaweed, who stand accused of mass killings⁶, rape⁷, and looting in black-African villages in Darfur.

Sudanese mother and child, Habile, Chad, 14 May 2007

Aid officials say that 4.5 million people have been affected by the conflict. Two-and-one-half million have fled their homes and hundreds of thousands live in camps. And the violence has spread to neighboring Chad and to the Central African Republic.

Caroline Nursey says the security situation in the region has become increasingly precarious⁸, making aid deliveries even more difficult.

"It is extremely tough to operate," she said. "It is an environment where, if the needs were not so great, we would say we just cannot do it. But in fact, what we have had to do is to adapt our ways of working and we have got to continue to do that to meet the needs of this, across the region, four-and-one-half-million people."

Darfur is an extremely dangerous area for aid agencies. Nursey says all aid groups or convoys⁹ have at some point been attacked. Dozens of aid workers have been killed and injured in the past three years.

The United States has said genocide is being committed in Darfur. Khartoum denies this and says the West is exaggerating the situation.

In its just released human rights report for 2006, Amnesty International Secretary-General Irene Kahn calls the situation in Darfur a bleeding wound on the world's conscience. Amnesty says the international community has not done enough to end the conflict.

1 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。

2 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

3 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

6 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

7 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

8 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

9 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句