VOA标准英语2009-Access to Displaced Tamils Better, But Still

The U.N. refugee agency reports access to about 300,000 internally displaced Tamils in northern Sri Lanka is getting better, but remains¹ limited. The UNHCR says more access is needed to provide critical aid to the many people living in dire² conditions in cramped³ camps.
　
Tamil civilians⁵ lie and sit on the ground in the Manik Farm refugee camp located on the outskirts⁶ of northern Sri Lankan town of Vavuniya, 26 May 2009

The U.N. refugee agency says about 300,000 internally displaced people are living in 40 emergency shelter sites spread across the districts of Vavuniya, Jaffna and Trincomalee.

Spokesman Ron Redmond says the UNHCR and partners are carrying out emergency shelter work, regular non-food distributions and protection monitoring to ensure people are receiving the help they need.

Still not adequate

He tells VOA there has been an improvement in access to the sites in the past week. But, it still is not adequate considering the urgent needs that must be addressed. He says emergency shelter, water and sanitation⁷ and medical assistance are the most pressing needs.

"Prior to fleeing, a large portion of the population already spent months living in squalid conditions with insufficient⁸ food, shelter, proper water and sanitation," said Redmond. "So, as a result, many of the displaced are already suffering from malnourishment and related medical conditions."

"So, it is difficult to stabilize⁹ that situation when you have so many people turning up with so many different problems. Due to the magnitude of the displacement¹⁰, overcrowding is another issue that needs to be addressed urgently," he added.

Working with government

Redmond says the UNHCR is working with the government and shelter agencies to identify additional land to assist people who are jammed into every available living space in some of these sites.

He says his agency is asking the government to give people in the camps freedom of movement. He says the UNHCR also is encouraging the government to complete screening as soon as possible and separate the ex-combatants, so the civilian⁴ population will be allowed to move freely in and out of the camps.

Redmond says the best way to help restore normalcy to peoples' lives is to get them home as soon as possible, as soon as conditions allow.

"This includes addressing security issues-de-mining and removal of unexploded ordnance," he said. "We have also got to do, what we call, village profile assessments¹¹, which helps to assess the level of damage. There needs to be reconstruction¹² of damaged homes. There needs to be reconstruction of infrastructure¹³ if it has been damaged and that includes roads and public buildings."

Redmond says livelihoods¹⁴ have to be developed, jobs have to be created and the civil administration has to be revived in the affected¹⁵ districts and provinces. He notes a lot of work has to be done before people can really feel comfortable about going home, and staying home.

 

1 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。

2 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

3 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

4 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。

5 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。

6 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

7 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

8 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

9 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

10 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

11 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

12 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

15 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。