VOA标准英语2009-UN Rights Official Urges Response to South S

The United Nations' special representative on human rights in Sudan has completed an 11-day visit to the country. Among other issues, she raised particular concern with the recent wave of tribal¹ violence in the country's south, urging the semi-autonomous southern government to increase its response.

Speaking in Khartoum at the end of her visit to Sudan, Sima Samar gave particular weight to challenges facing the country's semi-autonomous south.

"I think all the situation of human rights, the basic rights of the people to life which is affected² unfortunately by the tribal clashes and also by the attacks of the LRA and also basic social services is not really very good," she said.

She called on the government of southern Sudan to do more to address the clashes between ethnic³ groups that have killed hundreds of people this year. Her appeal follows a statement from the U.N. earlier this week that tribal violence in the south has claimed more lives in recent months than the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region, which has diminished in intensity⁴ in recent years.
　
Southern Sudanese policemen ride in a truck during celebrations in Juba, 26 May 2009

Tribal violence, much of it related to cattle-raiding has long been common in Southern Sudan. But Samar says the scale of the violence this year is unusually high, echoing a view expressed last month by south Sudan's president, Salva Kiir. Samar also noted⁵ that the latest wave of clashes has seen more targeting of women and children than in the past.

Sarah Preston, Sudan project coordinator⁶ for the organization Safer World, says lack of data makes it difficult to assess whether the scale of violence has indeed been greater than in previous years, but agrees that the character of the attacks have changed.

"What has been particularly alarming about some of the violence that took place this year was the targeting of women and children and civilians⁸ in some of the violence, whereas previously⁹ many of the clashes were between armed youth and soldiers who are normally associated with cattle raiding as well as the warrior¹⁰ groups," she said.

Samar urged the southern government to increase its troop presence in areas like Jonglei State, where a series of clashes this year between the Nuer and Murle ethnic groups have left over 700 people dead, according to most estimates. Samar says those responsible for the violence should face justice.

Last month, southern Sudan's president announced an ambitious campaign to disarm¹¹ civilians throughout southern Sudan.

But Preston, whose organization recently studied a similar effort last year, says civilian⁷ disarmament may not be the best approach.

"Until fundamental issues relating to the government's own security provision to civilians begin to be addressed as well as south-south peace-building, disarmament has the potential to be very divisive and actually to make tensions worse because people are unwilling¹² to give up their weapons or are fearful of giving up their weapons if they feel that there isn't other means to defend themselves," she said.

Preston says the southern security efforts continue to be oriented towards the conflict with the north, preventing more attention to security threats within the south.

North and south Sudan fought a two-decade civil war that came to an end with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. But with the approach of the biggest hurdles¹³ involved in that agreement, including national elections scheduled for next year and a referendum on southern independence in 2011, a return to violence is a growing concern.

Samar also highlighted continued human rights challenges in Darfur, where she said humanitarian¹⁴ organizations currently on the ground do not have the capacity to fill the gap left by the expulsion of thirteen international NGOs earlier this year, following the approval of an arrest warrant for Sudan's president by the International Criminal Court.

Samar also raised concerns with press censorship and restrictions¹⁵ on political speech, saying freedom of expression is necessary if the country hopes to hold fair elections next year.

Samar will make a presentation to the UN's Human Rights Council in Geneva on June 16.

1 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。

2 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。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

7 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。

8 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。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

11 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

12 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

13 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

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 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制