VOA标准英语2009年-Asylum Claims Rise in Industrialized Count

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
22 October 2009

A new survey finds asylum¹ applications in 44 industrialized countries rose by 10 percent in the first half of 2009, compared to the same period last year, bringing the total of asylum claims to 185,000. 

The report finds the number of claims for asylum by Iraqis dropped by nearly a third this year compared to last. But the survey notes Iraq remains² the top country of origin of the asylum applicants³ for the fourth year in a row.

Afghans and Somalis are the second- and third-largest groups. The U.N. refugee agency says deteriorating⁴ security conditions in their countries are prompting more people to seek refuge abroad. 

UNHCR spokeswoman Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba tells VOA trends show an uneven⁵ distribution in asylum claims and that certain nationalities tend to go to the same countries to seek asylum. 

 

 
Somali immigrants are guarded by members of Malta patrol boat in the Mediterranean⁶ sea after being rescued off Italy's Lampedusa island
"If you take the Iraqis, for example, the vast majority of them, more than 50 percent of them, filed claims in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Turkey," she said. "The other groups like the Somalis are mainly applying for asylum in the Netherlands and Sweden as well as in Italy. Why is not very clear, but we do know that asylum policy can affect asylum trends." 

For example, the survey finds Iraqi asylum claims in Sweden dropped sharply from 9,000 last year to just 1,000 this year. It says this decline followed a decision by a migration⁷ court in Sweden that ruled the situation in Iraq was not one of "armed conflict."

The UNHCR thinks Iraqis still have valid⁸ claims for asylum. Lejeune-Kaba says the agency believes it is premature⁹ for governments to send Iraqis back to their country. 

"Countries should not send back Iraqis that apply from central provinces, including Baghdad. And, these are the areas where the vast majority of refugees from Iraq also come from. It just simply is not safe enough for people to return there at this time," she said. 

The survey finds Europe, as a region, received 75 percent of all asylum applications. But, it says the United States remains the single largest recipient¹⁰ country with an estimated 13 percent of all applications filed in industrialized nations. 

The report says France ran as the second recipient nation, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany.

1 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。

2 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。

3 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

4 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

5 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 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。

8 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

9 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

10 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。