VOA标准英语2008年-UN Condemns Decision to Halt Aid in Zimbabwe

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
06 June 2008

The United Nations is lending its voice to widespread international condemnation¹ of the decision by the Zimbabwean government of Robert Mugabe to suspend the delivery of aid by private agencies in the country. The United Nations says halting their work will hamper² the UN's humanitarian³ operations as well. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.
　

Zimbabwean woman puts maize5 into bag in Domboshawa, 23 April 2008

The United Nations warns President Robert Mugabe's decision to halt aid will have serious repercussions⁶ for the people of Zimbabwe. It says non-governmental agencies are key implementing⁷ partners and without their assistance, the United Nations will not be able to deliver the food, water and other essential relief to the desperate millions in Zimbabwe.

Spokeswoman for the U.N. Organization for the Coordination⁸ of Humanitarian Assistance, Elizabeth Byrs, tells VOA over one-third of the population - or more than four million people - are in need of assistance.

"According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, with poor rainfall and lack of seeds, it means that this year's harvest will be worse than in 2007. It is already of concern. So, if we cannot have our implementing partners on board, it means that these people will not get the appropriate assistance," said Byrs.

More than half of Zimbabwe's population lives on less than one dollar a day. More than 1.5 million people have HIV/AIDS, with more than 3,000 dying every week.

The United Nations warns more people will become malnourished and sick. Some may even die if they are forced to live on starvation rations⁴.

The Zimbabwean authorities say they have halted aid because the agencies are supporting the opposition⁹ movement. The agencies deny this accusation¹⁰. The United Nations says these restrictions¹¹ go against fundamental humanitarian principles.
　

Louise Arbour, 2 June 2008

U.N. Human Rights spokesman, Rupert Colville, tells VOA the U.N. High Commissioner¹² for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, considers this action to be totally unconscionable.

"To deprive people of food because of an election is a complete perversion¹³ of democracy. How can you possibly deprive people with food and then ask for a democratic vote. And, not just food, but all the other aid that Zimbabweans need and are getting from international aid agencies. This is very important. So, to just postpone¹⁴ it for two or three weeks because an election is taking place simply is not acceptable," said Colville.

Colville says the government might be in violation¹⁵ of international human rights law, especially the international covenant¹⁶ on civil and political rights. He says humanitarian aid must not be politicized.

1 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

2 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

3 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。

4 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

5 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

6 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

8 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。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

11 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

12 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

13 perversion   

n.曲解；堕落；反常

参考例句：

• In its most general sense,corruption means the perversion or abandonment.就其最一般的意义上说，舞弊就是堕落，就是背离准则。
• Her account was a perversion of the truth.她所讲的歪曲了事实。

14 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

15 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

16 covenant   

n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约

参考例句：

• They refused to covenant with my father for the property.他们不愿与我父亲订立财产契约。
• The money was given to us by deed of covenant.这笔钱是根据契约书付给我们的。