VOA标准英语2008年-Iraq Displaced Facing Humanitarian Crisis

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
12 January 2008

The International Organization for Migration¹ says Iraq is still facing a humanitarian² crisis despite decreasing levels of violence, a drop in the number of people fleeing their homes and a limited number of people returning. IOM reports nearly 2.5 million Iraqis are internally displaced and some 2 million are living as refugees in Syria, Jordan and other neighboring countries.  Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from IOM headquarters in Geneva.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says the majority of Iraq's internally displaced fled their homes following the bombing of the Al-Askari Mosque³ in Samara in February 2006. 

In a new report, the IOM says the number of people leaving their homes in search of a safe haven⁴ slowed significantly in 2007 because of a drop in violence. In fact, according to the IOM report, an increasing number of internally displaced people and refugees have been returning to their places of origin.

But, IOM spokesman, Jean-Philippe Chauzy, tells VOA the number of people returning home remains⁵ very small. For example, he notes only eight percent of those who fled Baghdad have gone back.

"There are some challenges associated with those returns.  For instance, the report finds out that more than 30 percent of the displaced claimed that their property is currently occupied by private citizens," he noted⁶.  "That means that there will be numerous settlements regarding legal disputes over property. There are property issues that need to be addressed if the return movement continues or increases in 2008."

According to the IOM report, 65 percent of the displaced people surveyed come from Baghdad, followed by Diyala, Anbar, Ninewa and Salah Al-Din.  Most say they fled direct threats to their lives.

Chauzy says the longer the displacement⁷ crisis goes on, the worse the situation is becoming for these vulnerable people. He says many cannot afford to pay for even substandard shelter. He says they have little access to basic services, such as clean water, sanitation⁸ and electricity.

"We find for instance, that only 22 percent of the internally displaced have regular access to food distributions," he added.  "We know that this with inadequate⁹ shelter, with poor services is causing major chronic¹⁰ health problems-malnutrition amongst women, children and the elderly. We also know that some of the displaced or more particularly vulnerable-female-headed households that require increased attention as the assistance is being delivered to those displaced communities throughout Iraq."  

The IOM report notes the availability and quality of healthcare in Iraq dramatically deteriorated¹¹ in 2007 because of the continued exodus¹² of qualified¹³ professionals, severe shortage of medical equipment and damaged infrastructure¹⁴.

Health workers and IOM monitors report a rise in the number of unattended births, miscarriages¹⁵ and prostitution. They say many displaced Iraqis are psychologically traumatized from their experiences.

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 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。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 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。

7 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。

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 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

10 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

11 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

12 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

13 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

14 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。

15 miscarriages   

流产( miscarriage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Miscarriages are usually caused by abnormal chromosome patterns in the fetus. 流产通常是因为胎儿的染色体异常造成的。
• Criminals go unpunishedareconvicted and are miscarriages of justice. 罪犯会逍遥法外，法律会伤及无辜，审判不公时有发生。