VOA标准英语2009年-France Confirms Deportation of Illegal Afg

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
21 October 2009

 
An immigrant in a makeshift camp in Calais that was dismantled¹ by French governemnt (File)
The French government confirmed Wednesday that it has expelled illegal Afghan immigrants in its first joint² deportation⁴ flight with Britain. Oposition politicians and human rights groups have harshly criticized the move, which comes amid ongoing⁵ violence in Afghanistan.

The deportation was widely anticipated, but the French government had refused to confirm that it would be expelling Afghan illegal immigrants until Wednesday. Immigration Minister Eric Besson told Europe One radio that three Afghan men had been put on a plane that had been chartered by the British government. The plane was also carrying illegal Afghan immigrants living in Britain.

Besson said a fourth Afghan had been slated⁶ to be expelled as well, but was held back at the last minute. He said those expelled had lost their appeals against deportation, including one before the European Court of Human Rights. He will not rule out future deportation flights with Britain. The French government argues it is trying to crack down on human smuggling⁷ rings and that illegal immigrants are given every legal recourse to remain in France.

 
Activists shout slogans against deportation as they march away from Lille Airport, France, 20 Oct 2009
The expulsions have sparked widespread outcry on the part of human rights groups and opposition⁸ politicians, including Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe. The French rights group France Terre d'Asile has gathered thousands of signatures in a petition against deportation.

Marie-Helene Senay, communications director for France Terre d'Asile, says it is simply wrong to deport³ Afghans back to their conflict-torn country -- even if they do not meet asylum⁹ requirements in France.

"We think the situation in Afghanistan does not [warrant] the return of Afghan people in good security. We know the situation over there is the worst we have ever known since 2001," she said.   "We know there is still war everywhere, that the police and the security forces cannot maintain the country in a stable position. So we really wonder what kind of security we can [have] for the people we send back there," she added.

The deportations come as Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his main political rival have agreed to a runoff election scheduled for early November -- a move observers hope will end the political crisis there. Meanwhile, the United Nations and the European Union's justice commissioner¹⁰ say European governments should emphasize granting Afghan immigrants asylum rights -- rather then rounding them up for possible expulsion.

1 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 deport   

vt.驱逐出境

参考例句：

• We deport aliens who slip across our borders.我们把偷渡入境的外国人驱逐出境。
• More than 240 England football fans are being deported from Italy following riots last night.昨晚的骚乱发生后有240多名英格兰球迷被驱逐出意大利。

4 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

5 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

6 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

7 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

8 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。

9 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

10 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。