-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
18 September 2009
The U.N.'s Human Rights Chief is calling for an investigation1 into Yemeni air strikes that killed dozens of civilians3. U.N. aid agencies say the humanitarian4 situation of the civilian2 population caught in the conflict in northern Yemen continues to deteriorate5.
U.N. High Commissioner6 for Human Rights, Navi Pillay says she is deeply disturbed by eyewitness7 reports of an air attack Wednesday by Yemeni warplanes against a makeshift camp in northern Yemen.
The air strike reportedly killed dozens of civilians displaced by fighting between the government and Al Houthi rebels in and around Saada city.
The High Commissioner's spokesman, Rupert Colville, says she is urging the government to launch an investigation and to refrain from launching similar attacks in the future. Colville notes this was the second deadly air strike resulting in civilian deaths in the space of three days.
"We see this as a deeply disturbing development in a conflict that was always very troubling in terms of its impact on civilians," he said. "The high commissioner is reminding the government of Yemen and the armed forces of Yemen of their obligation to protect civilians caught up in fighting and to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law."
"She is also urging the government to launch a full-fledged investigation into what went wrong with these air strikes in particular and possible other similar episodes and take immediate8 measures to try and ensure that we do not see a further avoidable tragedy of this nature," he added.
Displaced Yemenis from the northern Saada province carry water to their tent at a camp set up by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Mazraq in Hajja region, 10 Sep 2009
Colville says High Commissioner Pillay is also very concerned that aid workers have limited access to the thousands of people trapped by this conflict. She says civilians are being deprived of much needed food, water, and medication.
U.N. aid agencies share Pillay's concerns. They continue to call upon the Yemeni government and rebels to open a humanitarian corridor so they can safely deliver assistance to the civilians.
U.N. refugee spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming calls the humanitarian situation of the civilian population caught in the conflict alarming.
"Five weeks into the conflict, Saada city remains9 virtually isolated10 and inaccessible11 for the U.N. humanitarian community," she said. "However, yesterday there was a bit of a lull12 in the fighting between government troops and Al-Houthi forces and we did manage to get some aid in to some of the internally displaced in Saada. And, we are planning another such operation today through a local NGO partner."
Fleming says the UNHCR is still trying to gain access to Saada province from neighboring Saudi Arabia. She says the agency is ready to launch a cross-border operation from Saudi Arabia to assist displaced people north of Saada city pending13 security clearances14 from both governments.
The UNHCR and other U.N. agencies say they are strapped15 for cash. They say their appeals to the international community for money to run their humanitarian operations have fallen on deaf ears. They say, so far, they have received nothing.
1 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 civilian | |
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 humanitarian | |
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 deteriorate | |
v.变坏;恶化;退化 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 eyewitness | |
n.目击者,见证人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 isolated | |
adj.与世隔绝的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 inaccessible | |
adj.达不到的,难接近的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 lull | |
v.使安静,使入睡,缓和,哄骗;n.暂停,间歇 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 pending | |
prep.直到,等待…期间;adj.待定的;迫近的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 clearances | |
清除( clearance的名词复数 ); 许可; (录用或准许接触机密以前的)审查许可; 净空 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 strapped | |
adj.用皮带捆住的,用皮带装饰的;身无分文的;缺钱;手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词);用皮带抽打;包扎;给…打绷带 | |
参考例句: |
|
|