VOA标准英语2011--Somalia Famine Refugees Joined by Others Fleeing Insecurity

Somalia Famine Refugees Joined by Others Fleeing Insecurity

Kenya's military offensive against Islamic extremists in southern Somalia is sparking concern about a fresh exodus¹ of Somali refugees to camps in Ethiopia.

The rainy season has arrived in most of the Horn of Africa, raising hopes for an end to the drought that destroyed the last few harvests, triggering famine in Somalia.

Hundreds of thousands of Somalis have already fled the famine zone to camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.

The reception center at the Dollo Ado, Ethiopia, camp receives hundreds of refugees a day.

Anne Laako of the United Nations refugee agency helps to register the new arrivals.

She says there is a new category of refugee joining the families with malnourished children. They are mostly men, escaping al-Shabab, the militant² group that has imposed its extreme vision of Islam on southern Somalia.

"It's not only the drought and famine but it's restrictions³ of movement by al-Shabab, and those combined. It's more difficult to move to where they used to move in order to get food and in order to get water and these things," Laako said.

Samuel Emmanuel of Ethiopia's refugee agency ARRA is coordinator⁴ of Hilaweyn camp, one of four facilities housing 130,000 refugees in the Dollo Ado complex.

He says construction has begun on another camp as fresh fighting forces more Somalis to flee what is becoming both a famine zone and a war zone.

"At this time the situation in Somalia is going from bad to worst. Al-Shabab is creating a drought disaster, and we are about to open a 5th camp due to the influx⁵ which is coming from Somalia," Emmanuel stated.

Ibrahim Ismael Haji fled southern Somalia a month ago with his wife and nine children.

They chose life as refugees not because of the famine, but to escape al-Shabab's harsh brand of Islamic Sharia law.

"People have a lot to be scared of from al-Shabab, things like beatings and beheadings. My family will have to accept life as refugees until Somalia is safe again," Haji said.

Mohamed Aden Osman arrived in Dollo Ado just this week. The 22-year old tells of a hazardous⁶ nine-day journey to the border, during which he was captured by al-Shabab and held for 48 hours. "Boys my age are just what al-Shabab is looking for. I was only freed after lying my captors," he said. "Promising⁷ I would go back home."

UNHCR's Anne Laakko says after a long day of interviewing new arrivals, she tries to imagine how bad conditions must be in Somalia if people are choosing to give up their homes for the boredom⁸ and harsh conditions of a refugee camp.

"It's difficult to stop thinking about it. I'm constantly thinking about it, and how the people are after they registered here, and if it's any better for them here than it is back home. And it is a very desperate situation," she said. "Here they [have] access [to] basic services but it's still a very difficult life."

Whether they are fleeing famine or fighting, the half million Somalis now in camps in Kenya and Ethiopia know that barring any unforeseen breakthrough, life as a refugee is their lot for the foreseeable future.

1 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

5 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

6 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

8 boredom   

n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊

参考例句：

• Unemployment can drive you mad with boredom.失业会让你无聊得发疯。
• A walkman can relieve the boredom of running.跑步时带着随身听就不那么乏味了。