VOA标准英语2010年-Italy to Step Up Fight Against Illegal

Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni told the upper house of parliament that recent violence between African agricultural migrants and local residents in the southern region of Calabria is evidence of the negative consequences of illegal immigration.

Addressing the upper house of the Italian parliament late Tuesday, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni praised the work of the security forces in the southern Calabrian town of Rosarno, where African farm workers rioted in the streets last week.  The two days of violence erupted after a group of white local youths allegedly shot two immigrants with a pellet gun.

Maroni said the immediate¹ reaction on the part of security officials from the start of the disorder² ensured the violence did not degenerate³ into more serious incidents.  In all, 21 migrants were injured in the clashes, with eight still hospitalized.

Migrant workers leave an abandoned factory turned into a dormitory in Rosarno, southern Italy, 09 Jan 2010, following overnight clashes between migrants and police

The interior minister said about 750 illegal immigrants, were transferred to holding centers in the southern cities of Crotone and Bari.  He added that more than 300 with regular permits left Rosarno voluntarily with their own means to other destinations.

Maroni made clear the fight against illegal immigration would continue without let-up.

He said the illegal entry into Italian territory represents the basis for the marginalization and exploitation of foreigners and often becomes the reservoir for recruiting laborers⁵ by criminal organizations.

Maroni said 42,000 immigrants were repatriated⁶ in the past two years.  He added that since an agreement was reached with Libya, arrivals by boat on the Italian southern coast have dropped by 90 percent.

He added arrivals are down from more than 30,000 to just more than 3,000, mainly thanks to the government's new 'push-back' policy to Libya.

Maroni also said the government plans to further intensify⁷ its fight against illegal labor⁴ in the agricultural sector⁸ as part of its plan to more effectively combat illegal immigration, black-market labor and every form of organized crime.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 degenerate   

v.退步，堕落；adj.退步的，堕落的；n.堕落者

参考例句：

• He didn't let riches and luxury make him degenerate.他不因财富和奢华而自甘堕落。
• Will too much freedom make them degenerate?太多的自由会令他们堕落吗？

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

6 repatriated   

v.把（某人）遣送回国，遣返( repatriate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The refugees were forcibly repatriated. 难民被强制遣送回国。
• Ancient artworks were repatriated from the US to Greece. 古代艺术品从美国遣送回希腊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 intensify   

vt.加强；变强；加剧

参考例句：

• We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
• They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。