VOA标准英语2010年-Watchdog Urges AU to Focus on Human Ri

if there is sufficient political will within the organ, the African Union can have significant impact on the continent and can have significant impact in ending conflict and ensuring that human rights are respected." - Amnesty International's Noel Kututwa

A human-rights group is calling for African leaders, who are in Ethiopia for an annual African Union summit, to focus on the importance of human rights in some of Africa's most long-standing conflicts.  Amnesty International says concrete steps need to be taken to protect human rights and humanitarian¹ law in Somalia and Sudan.

Britain-based human-rights watchdog Amnesty International says African leaders must do more to make sure rights are upheld across their continent.

Amnesty International's special advisor² on Africa, Noel Kututwa, says the humanitarian situation in Somalia is deteriorating³, with thousands of civilians⁴ killed in 2009.

He says the African Union needs to make sure African countries do not play a part in Somalia's conflict.

"So we are calling on the African Union to ensure that its members respect firstly the arms embargo⁵ - that is very important because the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Somalia continues to escalate⁶ the conflict situation and escalate the violence," he said.

He says in Sudan human-rights abuses thrive in a climate of impunity⁷.  The United Nations has estimated that in 2009 more than 2,500 people were killed and 350,000 displaced.

Amnesty International says those responsible for human-rights abuses should be brought to justice.

Kututwa adds that humanitarian groups must be free to help the Sudanese population.

"They depend solely⁸ for their water, education, sanitation⁹ from these humanitarian organizations.  Now by banning the operations of humanitarian organizations in Darfur, means that close to 200,000 people have been placed at risk because they cannot access these services," he added.

Kututwa says in recent years the African Union has played an increasingly important role in bringing justice to the continent.

UNAMID peacekeepers patrol a road at Abu Shouk refugee camp, near the Darfur town of al-Fasher, Sudan (File)

Peacekeepers from South Africa, Ethiopia and Mozambique were deployed¹⁰ to Burundi in 2003, and African peacekeepers were sent to Sudan's Darfur region in 2004 - a force that was 7,000 strong by 2007.  The African Union also has 5,000 troops stationed in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

Kututwa says the African Union needs to use its power to do more in Somalia and Sudan.

"The African Union does have power and if there is sufficient political will within the organ, the African Union can have significant impact on the continent and can have significant impact in ending conflict and ensuring that human rights are respected in some of these countries," said Kututwa.

Sunday, the 53-member African Union elected Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika as its leader, replacing Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.

 

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

3 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

4 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。

5 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

6 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

7 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

8 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

9 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

10 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。