2007年VOA标准英语-IOM Seeks $85 Million to Aid Iraq's Displaced

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
16 June 2007

The International Organization for Migration¹ (IOM) is appealing for $85 million to assist hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Iraqis. It warns large numbers of people will be forced to flee Iraq's borders, unless the international community provides the cash needed to care for Iraq's desperate homeless.  Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from IOM headquarters in Geneva.

Iraqi children drink water from taps at a refugee camp for internally displaced people outside Najaf, Iraq, 16 June 2007

The International Organization for Migration says the suffering of more than 2 million internally displaced people is increasing every day.  It says another 4 million Iraqis who have not yet fled their homes are experiencing desperate food shortages and also need urgent help.

IOM Spokesman Jean-Philippe Chauzy says money from the appeal will target the most vulnerable people. They include female-headed single households, the elderly, the young and the sick. He says these people are stuck inside Iraq. They have nowhere to go and have few means to survive.

"The situation inside Iraq is critical, because until now the displaced have been able to go to the governorates," he said.  "They have been able to get some assistance, obviously, from some of the relatives in various parts of the country.  But this displacement² has reached such a level now that many governorates are closing their doors to the displaced." 

Chauzy says those who have had to flee sectarian violence find themselves very isolated³.  He says they have little prospect⁴ of either returning home or going to neighboring countries.

About 2 million Iraqis have fled the country.  Most of the refugees are in Syria and Jordan, both of whom are finding it difficult to cope with the overwhelming numbers. 

The International Organization for Migration and its partners have been providing humanitarian⁵ assistance to internally displaced people in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, despite extremely difficult security conditions.  The agency has assisted nearly 5 million people with food and non-food emergency provisions. 

IOM Spokesman Chauzy says the $85 million appeal will cover a two-year period.  He says money initially⁶ will be used to create, what is called, quick-impact community assistance programs in all parts of the country.  He says these projects would include rehabilitation⁷ and construction of water supply, sanitation⁸, health, and school facilities.

"It is also important to bear in mind, that unemployment in Iraq is rampant⁹. Up to 60 percent. Competition for jobs is very, very high and those quick impact programs would hopefully create some form of employment inside Iraq and therefore alleviate¹⁰ some of the hardships that are linked to this displacement," he said.  "The money would also be used critically to rebuild some of the shattered infrastructures¹¹." 

Chauzy says shelter is a priority need.  So the money would help rehabilitate¹² public buildings, provide construction materials to the homeless to build or rehabilitate houses.

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

3 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 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。

6 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

7 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

8 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。

9 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

10 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

11 infrastructures   

n.基础设施( infrastructure的名词复数 )；基础结构；行政机构；秘密机构

参考例句：

• Public transportation termini and depots are important infrastructures for a city. 公交场站设施是城市重要的基础设施。 来自互联网
• The increasingly fast urbanization process requires more and more infrastructures. 我国城市化进程不断加快，对城市基础设施的需求也越来越大。 来自互联网

12 rehabilitate   

vt.改造(罪犯)，修复；vi.复兴，(罪犯)经受改造

参考例句：

• There was no money to rehabilitate the tower.没有资金修复那座塔。
• He used exercise programmes to rehabilitate the patients.他采用体育锻炼疗法使患者恢复健康。