VOA标准英语2009年-Internally Displaced Iraqis Lack Basic Nee

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
20 September 2009

A report by the International Organization for Migration¹ finds most of the 1.6 million Iraqis who were forced to flee their homes in the wake of the 2006 bombing of the al-Askari Mosque² in Samarra still lack the most basic needs. IOM surveyed nearly 224,000 internally displaced families in Iraq's 18 governorates. 

It has been 3.5 years since the bombing of the mosque triggered one of the worst displacement³ crises in recent times. Although security in Iraq has improved during this time, apparently⁴ the lives of most of these homeless people have not.

The International Organization for Migration says shelter, food and employment remain the most pressing needs of most of the more than 1.5 million people displaced by the bombing.
 
Iraqi IDP's watching during a visit by UN's deputy high commissioner⁵ for refugees, at the Chikouk camp in Baghdad's Kadhimiya district (File)

For example, the IOM study finds 58 percent of the IDP families in Diyala and 60 percent in Baghdad are without a source of income. And, these families, says IOM are in a relatively⁶ comfortable situation compared to those displaced elsewhere.

The report notes unemployment figures among IDP families are significantly higher in the other governorates with those in Kirkuk, Quadissiya, Basrah and Wassit the worst affected⁷.

IOM Spokeswoman, Jemini Pandya, says the unemployment figures there are staggeringly high.

"In some of the governorates, 99 percent of displaced families have not a single member working, without any source of income, which is in turn having a huge impact on their ability to afford rented accommodation and their ability to buy food in a country where the public distribution system is failing quite badly," she said.

IOM monitors in Anbar province report increasing numbers of children are leaving school to help support their families through begging, petty trade or doing odd jobs. They say a majority of people are afraid of being thrown out of their homes because rents are rising and they do not have the money to keep pace with this.

The study says female-headed households have a particularly tough time. This is because women have difficulty advocating for themselves and their children. In Baghdad, it finds more than 90 percent of female-headed households have no one employed outside the home.

The IOM investigators⁸ say they have reports that IDP women are particularly vulnerable to becoming involved in prostitution and trafficking just in order to survive.

The report says food is a big concern for most of the displaced and water too is emerging as a growing problem. It says in some places, a majority of displaced people get their water from rivers, lakes or streams and this is posing a major health risk.

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

3 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。

4 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 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。

8 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》