VOA标准英语2009-Somalia Fighting Forces More to Flee Capital

The United Nations refugee agency says nearly 170,000 people have now been displaced from their homes in Somalia's capital since Islamist insurgents² launched a renewed offensive in early May.
　
A Somali woman and her child sit in front of a makeshift home after they fled fighting in Mogadishu, 09 Jun 2009

According to the U.N. refugee agency hospital records indicate that more than 250 people have been killed since May 7, and nearly 169,000 displaced. The UNHCR says the bulk of those fleeing their homes have headed to settlements for internally displaced people in Afgooye, south of Mogadishu, or have moved to safer areas of the capital and its outskirts³. According to the agency, 33,000 people have been displaced in the last week alone.

In early May, the al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam militias⁴ launched a new offensive in Mogadishu in an effort to topple the internationally-backed transitional government of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The insurgents reject the government's brand of Islamism as too moderate and want African Union peacekeepers to leave the country.

About 4,300 Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers are deployed⁵ in the capital. Their presence has prevented key landmarks⁶, including the president's residence, the port, and the airport, from falling under insurgent¹ control, but they have had little success in stemming the overall fighting.

In a letter to the African Union ahead of a summit meeting in Libya early next month, the organization Human Rights Watch called on the AU to ensure that its peacekeepers respect human rights. While noting the extensive challenges faced by the mission, the group raised concern with reports that AU peacekeepers have fired indiscriminately at civilians⁷, including an incident in February in which peacekeepers allegedly killed 13 civilians after their convoy⁸ came under attack.

The AU has appealed to the U.N. to take over responsibility for peacekeeping, but the Security Council has said the security situation remains⁹ too precarious¹⁰.
　
Al-Shabab militiamen fire on Somali government troops in the streets of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, 22 May 2009

Human Rights Watch is also urging African leaders to press the United Nations to establish a commission of experts to investigate rights abuses in the Somali conflict, saying it would be the first step towards providing accountability. The Africa director at Human Rights Watch, Georgette Gagnon, says much of the relevant information is already available through existing reports.

"There really isn't a lack of information per se about what's going on," said Gagnon. "The information is getting out. The real issue is what's being done about it which is very little, both at the Security Council in New York and to some extent by the African Union."

Meanwhile, the United States government has acknowledged sending arms to the Somali government. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the transitional government represents Somalia's best chance in 18 years to return to peace and stability.

"At the request of that government, the State Department has helped to provide weapons and ammunition¹¹ on an urgent basis," said Kelly. "This is to support the Transitional Federal Government's efforts to repel¹² the onslaught of extremist forces which are intent on destroying the Djibouti peace process and spoiling efforts to bring peace and stability to Somalia through political reconciliation¹³."

Human Rights Watch's Georgette Gagnon says it has not yet received any information about the arms transfers. The group has been highly critical of Somalia policy under the Bush administration, including its support for Ethiopian forces who occupied the country from late 2006 to early this year, and its policy of launching air strikes against suspected terrorists. Gagnon.

"We've also been very concerned about U.S. policy in Somalia which frankly¹⁴ has not been good and has in our view to some extent increased the bad human rights situation there. So we've been calling on the new Obama administration to change its policy in Somalia," said Gagnon.

The United States has also said it believes that Eritrea is providing support to al-Shabab, which is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations, suspected of links to al-Qaida.

1 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

2 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 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。

9 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。

10 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

11 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

12 repel   

v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥

参考例句：

• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。
• Particles with similar electric charges repel each other.电荷同性的分子互相排斥。

13 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

14 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。