VOA标准英语2009年-Red Cross Appeals for Civilian Protection

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
23 October 2009

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is urgently appealing for the protection of the civilian¹ population in Pakistan as the level of violence rises throughout the country. The ICRC says it is particularly concerned about the situation of tens of thousands of civilians² trapped in strife-torn South Waziristan.

 
A Pakistani tribal³ family who fled from South Waziristan due to military offensive against al-Qaida activists⁴ and Taliban militants⁵, Waziristan, Monday, 19 Oct. 2009
The International Committee of the Red Cross says military operations in South Waziristan and a spate⁶ of suicide attacks throughout Pakistan are increasing the numbers of civilian casualties, wounded prisoners and internally displaced persons.

ICRC head of operations for South Asia, Jacques de Maio, says it is hard to know how many people have fled fighting between the Pakistan army and Taliban militants in South Waziristan. 

He says some reports put the number at 50,000 people. But, he says other reports indicate up to 150,000 people may be moving out of the area. He says the whole situation is extremely worrying.

"The humanitarian⁷ concerns must extend imperatively⁹ to all the civilians who are still in the areas, which are in the theater of military operations and armed clashes," he said. "Those are civilians trapped in the actual combat zones and we are particularly concerned about the fate of the sick and the wounded in those areas." 

De Maio says lack of access to Waziristan is preventing the ICRC from obtaining an exact picture of the humanitarian needs of the people left behind. He says most of the people who have fled their homes are relying on local authorities and on family to meet their immediate¹⁰ needs. 

He says this is putting great stress on the limited resources of host families. While the humanitarian needs are great, he says the number one priority right now is protection for civilians from the effects of armed violence and conflict.

"It is an absolute imperative⁸ and priority that all those involved in this armed violence observe the principles of discrimination, distinction between civilians and non-combatants and actual combatants," he added. "And, also proportionality in the methods, ways and means of conducting these operations… The ICRC has offered its services to the government of Pakistan to be granted full access to all people deprived of freedom in relation to the situation, be they held under civilian or military authority." 

De Maio says it is critical that aid get through to those who need it. He says it is urgent to provide effective and unobstructed medical services for the sick and wounded.

He says the ICRC with the Pakistan Red Crescent has managed to provide substantial aid to 500,000 displaced people. He says they have delivered food, water, health care and other goods and services to ensure that tens of thousands of sick and wounded civilians receive treatment.

He says the field surgical¹¹ hospital in Peshawar is carrying out 100 surgical operations a week and is supporting private and governmental facilities in the North-West Frontier Province and in the Tribal Areas.

He is appealing for the ICRC to be given safe access to the combat zones to be able to assist those who have been wounded in the crossfire¹².

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 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。

3 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

7 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。

8 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

9 imperatively   

adv.命令式地

参考例句：

• Drying wet rice rapidly and soaking or rewetting dry rice kernels imperatively results in severe fissuring. 潮湿米粒快速干燥或干燥籽粒浸水、回潮均会产生严重的裂纹。 来自互联网
• Drying wet rice kernels rapidly, Soaking or Rewetting dry rice Kernels imperatively results in severe fissuring. 潮湿米粒的快速干燥，干燥籽粒的浸水或回潮均会带来严重的裂纹。 来自互联网

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

11 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

12 crossfire   

n.被卷进争端

参考例句：

• They say they are caught in the crossfire between the education establishment and the government.他们称自己被卷进了教育机构与政府之间的争端。
• When two industrial giants clash,small companies can get caught in the crossfire.两大工业企业争斗之下，小公司遭受池鱼之殃。