VOA标准英语2009-Australia Investigates Brawl Among Asylum Se

About 150 Afghan and Sri Lankan migrants have clashed there in recent days at Christmas Island Detention¹ Center in Australia, leaving several people hurt

Phil Mercer | Sydney 23 November 2009

Australia's Immigration Department is investigating disturbances² at its Christmas Island Detention Center. About 150 Afghan and Sri Lankan migrants have clashed there in recent days, leaving several people hurt. The remote processing facility houses more than 1,000 people while their claims for refugee status are assessed.
 
Police say rival groups of asylum³ seekers attacked each other with tree branches, pool cues and broom handles. Thirty-seven needed medical treatment and three were flown to the Western Australian capital, Perth, suffering from broken bones.
 
Officials say it took staff on Christmas Island about half-an-hour to regain⁴ control. Afghan and Sri Lankan inmates⁵ have been segregated⁶ while authorities investigate the cause of the fights.
 
Police say those who instigated⁷ the violence could face charges.

Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans says frustrations⁸ among Sri Lankan detainees may be the cause.
 
"There hasn't been too many problems but there has been some increased tension I think around the Sri Lankans, in particular being a bit concerned as we have had some people removed back to Sri Lanka - found not to be refugees, and obviously the spotlight⁹ on the groups that were intercepted¹⁰ in Indonesia," Evans said. "So I think generally there has been a bit of anxiety among Sri Lankan detainees."
 
The government plans to expand the Christmas Island facility to accommodate 1,400 inmates. Currently just under 1,000 are housed there.
 
Refugee advocates say the center is overcrowded and that the unrest, which began Saturday, was the result of the cramped¹¹ conditions.
 
This year there has been a sharp increase in the number of people trying to illegally enter Australia by boat.
 
Many are from Sri Lanka. While some have been taken to Indonesia, most are transferred to Christmas Island, a remote Australian territory 2,600 kilometers northwest of Perth, to have their applications for refugee status processed.
 
Opposition politicians in Canberra accuse the government of losing control of the borders. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promises a hard-line approach to criminal gangs that smuggle¹² migrants into the country but says that anyone seeking asylum will be treated humanely¹³.
 
Canberra accepts about 13,000 refugees every year under official humanitarian¹⁴ programs. Most asylum seekers who arrive by boat are eventually deemed to be in need of protection and are allowed to settle permanently¹⁵ in the country.

 

1 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

2 disturbances   

n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍

参考例句：

• The government has set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances at the prison. 政府成立了一个委员会来调查监狱骚乱事件。
• Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances. 已调集了增援警力来平定骚乱。

3 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。

4 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

5 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 segregated   

分开的； 被隔离的

参考例句：

• a culture in which women are segregated from men 妇女受到隔离歧视的文化
• The doctor segregated the child sick with scarlet fever. 大夫把患猩红热的孩子隔离起来。

7 instigated   

v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government has instigated a programme of economic reform. 政府已实施了经济改革方案。
• He instigated the revolt. 他策动了这次叛乱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

9 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

10 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

11 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

12 smuggle   

vt.私运；vi.走私

参考例句：

• Friends managed to smuggle him secretly out of the country.朋友们想方设法将他秘密送出国了。
• She has managed to smuggle out the antiques without getting caught.她成功将古董走私出境，没有被逮捕。

13 humanely   

adv.仁慈地；人道地；富人情地；慈悲地

参考例句：

• Is the primary persona being treated humanely by the product? 该产品对待首要人物角色时是否有人情味？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In any event, China's interest in treating criminals more humanely has limits. 无论如何，中国对更人道地对待罪犯的兴趣有限。 来自互联网

14 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。

15 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。