VOA标准英语2010年-Turkey Becomes Refuge for Fleeing Iran

Iranians fleeing the Tehran government's crackdown on its opponents are increasingly seeking refuge in Turkey.   Months of continuing political instability in Iran and the lack of visa requirements in Turkey are turning the country into a sanctuary¹ for those trying to escape Iran's political crisis.

The twice weekly train from Tehran draws into Istanbul's Haydarpasha station.   Spilling from the passenger cars, a steady trickle² of Iranians fleeing the sometimes violent crackdown by Iranian authorities.   Whether its by plane, train or coach, Iranians are fleeing their country in growing numbers.

One of the latest arrivals is 29-year-old photo journalist Nima Ezapou. He escaped Tehran using pedal power.

I fled Tehran on my bicycle he says, after hearing that his friend had been taken into custody³ by authorities.   He says he knew his friend would probably be tortured and given his name to authorities. So he fled, he says, and when he got close to the turkish frontier,  took a train across the border.

Ezapou's story is increasingly common, observers say.

Turkey shares a long border with Iran and doesn't require Iranians to have a visa, a fact that has made Turkey the first port of call for those seeking sanctuary from what they describe as fear of persecution⁴ by Iran's government.

But only a few find permanent sanctuary.   Under Turkish law only Europeans can claim refugee status.   Most Iranian exiles are now looking to other countries for help.

One woman who worked as a journalist in Iran, but was afraid to allow her name to be used, says she was part of the underground Iranian opposition⁵ media. Despite having to flee her country with her husband, she says she has no regrets.

We weren't political journalists, she says, but after the elections the situation changed a lot.  She says anyone with a conscience would have reflected on what's happening. We saw this as our duty, she says. So the reports became political, and we started writing for web and blog sites, and that put us in great danger.

But for Iranians who support the opposition or oppose the Tehran government, being in Turkey who does not guarantee safety and some Turkish human right groups say Iranian agents are now intimidating⁶ the refugees. British journalist  Robert Tait  who covers Iran from Turkey for the British newspaper The Guardian⁷, describes the allegations.

"There are numerous tales of Iranian refugees who've fled post election violence, having being harassed⁸ and assaulted here in Turkey," said Robert Tait.

The Turkish government denies such accusations⁹. But reports in the Turkish media, of Iranian refugees being attacked continue to grow, with no arrests so far.

But for photo journalist Ezapou such intimidation¹⁰ has done little to undermine his convictions. He says he is looking forward to going back to rejoin the struggle for democracy in Iran.

There is a continuity to this movement he says, whether fast or slow, it definitely will continue...I will go back to Iran, he says, I have a small role to play.  He says it is his duty to he country, where people want freedom and peace.

Analysts¹¹ say the growing number of Iranians seeking refuge in Turkey is an embarrassment¹² to Turkish leaders, who have been courting the Iranian leadership.  Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate President Ahmadinejad on his controversial election victory last year.   But, analysts point out there are other pressures, including the fact that Ankara wants closer ties and eventual¹³ membership in the European Union, which will be watching Turkey's treatment of Iranians who flee repression¹⁴ at home.

1 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

2 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。

3 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

4 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

7 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

8 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

9 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

10 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

13 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

14 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。