VOA标准英语2009年-UN Condemns Pakistan Suicide Bombing

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
05 October 2009

 
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (Oct 2009 file photo)
The U.N. Secretary-General is condemning² the terrorist attack that killed five World Food Program aid workers in Islamabad, Pakistan. Several other people were injured in the attack as well. 

Islamabad police say a suicide bomber³ disguised as a security officer struck the lobby of the WFP headquarters in Pakistan shortly after midday.  Some of the injured, who are in critical condition are being treated in a hospital.

The U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon is in Geneva for the opening of the World Telecom Conference. He says his mood of high expectations and happiness has been transformed into a heavy mind and sadness with the news of the terrorist attack in Islamabad.

"I condemn¹ in the strongest terms the attack at the Office of the World Food Program in Islamabad, Pakistan," Ban said. "Such an attack is unjustifiable. This is a terrible tragedy for the United Nations and the whole humanitarian⁴ community in Pakistan. This is a heinous⁵ crime committed against those who had been working tirelessly to assist the poor and the vulnerable on the front-lines of hunger and other suffering in Pakistan." 

 
Pakistani paramilitary troops patrol in front of the United Nations office in Islamabad after a suicide blast, 05 Oct 2009
Mr. Ban said he offers his deepest condolences to the colleagues who fell in the line of duty for noble causes and to their families and friends.

WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran issued a statement expressing her deepest condolences and called the victims humanitarian heroes.

Militants⁶ have mounted numerous suicide attacks in Pakistan during the past two-and-one-half years. Several of them targeted foreigners.

U.N. chief Ban says humanitarian assistance to the Pakistani people will continue despite this tragedy.

"There are more than two million displaced persons who need urgent humanitarian assistance. They need our assistance," he said. "They are very vulnerable people. We have to help them so that they can be reintegrated and they can return to their own homes. That is our commitment and we will continue." 

The World Food Program is providing vital food assistance to about 10 million people across Pakistan. This includes emergency relief to as many as two-million Pakistani civilians⁷ who fled conflict in the Swat Valley region earlier this year. 

The United Nations says it is closing its offices in Pakistan temporarily, while it assesses the security situation. 

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

4 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。

5 heinous   

adj.可憎的，十恶不赦的

参考例句：

• They admitted to the most heinous crimes.他们承认了极其恶劣的罪行。
• I do not want to meet that heinous person.我不想见那个十恶不赦的人。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。