2007年VOA标准英语-UNHCR Ends Repatriation of Liberian Refugees

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
30 June 2007

The U.N. refugee agency is ending its repatriation¹ program for Liberian refugees Saturday.  Since the operation began 2.5 years ago, the UNHCR has helped more than 100,000 refugees return home from neighboring countries, mostly from Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria.  Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.

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Liberian family lines up to board bus from Touplepleu at UNHCR transit center (file photo)

The U.N. refugee agency calls this a happy ending for Liberia after more than a decade of conflict and trauma³.  Agency spokesman Ron Redmond says helping⁴ many thousands of Liberians return home took time and effort.

"So, the conclusion of the Liberian repatriation is something that brings us a lot of satisfaction because it has been an extremely complicated and logistically difficult return," he noted⁵.  "And, it is good to see so many Liberians going home voluntarily to rebuild this country that has really suffered a lot," 

Between 1989 and 2003, more than 350,000 Liberian refugees fled the civil war raging in their country.  The fighting and violence killed an estimated 200,000 people, left more than 800,000 homeless and devastated⁶ the country's infrastructure⁷ and economy.

The UNHCR has assisted more than 100,000 refugees to return to Liberia, and it says another 50,000 have gone back on their own.  Redmond tells VOA the refugees know they will face difficulties, but he says they are eager to resume the lives they were forced to flee years ago and want to help rebuild their country.

He says his agency is doing its best to ease their return by giving the refugees a transportation grant, food, household items, tools and seeds.

Whenever possible, he says the returnees are provided with jobs or job training.  He says the U.N. also employs people to work on projects, such as the construction of roads, wells, schools and clinics.

Redmond says the future prospects⁸ for Liberia look good.

"A lot of people are working in Liberia on reconstruction⁹ and development," he added.  "There is a lot of support from the international community for the Liberian government, democratically elected Liberian government.  So, I think there is a willingness after so many years of falling back into conflict to see countries like Liberia really make a go of it this time." 

Redmond says in recent years, about half of all countries emerging from conflict have fallen back into war because they did not get the kind of long-term attention they needed. He says Liberia will get the happy ending it deserves, if the international community sticks with it.

1 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

2 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

3 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 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。

6 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

9 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。