VOA标准英语2009年-51st Aid Worker Killed in Eastern Chad

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
27 October 2009

 
The U.N. refugee agency reports a Chadian colleague working in eastern Chad was killed in an ambush¹ during the weekend. The UNHCR says dozens of humanitarian² aid workers have been killed in eastern Chad this year.

The U.N. refugee agency says Michel Mitna was the head of the Chadian government's refugee body known as CNAR. The agency is located in Guereda in eastern Chad.

The UNHCR says he was attacked Saturday by armed bandits and killed, his driver was wounded and the unidentified bandits managed to escape.

U.N. refugee spokesman Andrej Mahecic says Mitna worked daily with the UNHCR to protect and assist refugees and internally displaced people in this volatile³ region.

He says Mitna was riding in a vehicle clearly marked with the CNAR and UNHCR logos when he was attacked about 110-kilometers northeast of Abeche.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic⁴ killing," said Mahecic. "This is the 51st armed attack on a humanitarian vehicle in eastern Chad this year alone, 31 of which belong to UNHCR and its partners."

"Just last week for example, five staff working for Premiere Urgence, a French NGO that is our partner in the area of Farchana, were kidnapped while traveling in convoy⁵. The bandits only freed the kidnapped staff when their hijacked⁶ vehicle was involved in an accident. Two of the five aid workers are still in hospital in N'Damena," he added.

Mahecic says Mitna, who was 40 years old, leaves behind a wife and five children. He says he had worked in eastern Chad for six years. He says UNHCR staff in Guereda did not work on Monday in a gesture of solidarity⁷ and sorrow.

The UNHCR has been working with CNAR and many international humanitarian agencies in eastern Chad since 2003. He says they have been caring for about 250,000 refugees in 12 camps who fled Sudan's conflict in Darfur and have been assisting 160,000 internally displaced Chadians as well.

Mahecic says humanitarian workers in eastern Chad constantly face security threats while trying to help these hundreds of thousands of needy⁸ people. He calls armed banditry the greatest threat for aid workers in this region.  

1 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

2 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。

3 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

6 hijacked   

劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）

参考例句：

• The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
• The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。

7 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

8 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。