VOA标准英语2011--Iraqi Women Fear Violence, Erosion of Rights

Iraqi Women Fear Violence, Erosion of Rights

Women in Iraq often bear the brunt of war. After three wars since 1980, sectarian conflicts and terrorist attacks, many have lost at least one close relative. Women are concerned about their future under the current government.

By Iraqi traditions, women are considered the glue that holds society together. They are expected to take care of their families, no matter the difficulties.

Sadia Jabar is the widowed mother of six children. Terrorists in 2004 killed one of her sons because he worked for an American company. She was left with little money and a traumatized family.

"I don't know what to do, the world is collapsing¹ in front of me. I don't know what to do. We started to sell furniture to buy medicine for my sick child. No schools. Everything is bad. And my child is sick. It is worse than death," said Jabar.

Jabar now sells her sewing with the help of a group set up to help women. But she is pessimistic about the future.

"I'm expecting it's going to get worse," Jaba added. "Some of them fear the Americans, but I think it will get worse because of the fighting and the government is not united."

Teacher Wameed Marhoon has no faith in the government and is not optimistic about what the future holds for her children.

"The biggest problems are religious conflict, corruption² and politics," said Marhoon. "It's everything: politics, destruction, instability, lack of security. All of this together, plus anyone who comes to the country wants to take the money. Nobody is thinking of the people, nobody is thinking of us."

Women often are the ones taking care of their own families as well as the children of their dead relatives.

Human rights activist³ Sundus Abass says at the same time, religious groups are eroding⁴ women's freedoms.

"First of all they are talking about our personal freedoms, what we should wear, if we can work or not, if we can study or not, women should not go to university, women shouldn't drive the cars - these things are something which is anti-nature in our society," said Abass.

Abass's brother was shot dead in the sectarian killings⁵ of 2006. She fears a repeat of that violence.

"I think there will be more violence in Iraq, at least I am talking about the near future," added Abass.

It is the future that worries many Iraqis. They question if the government is capable of avoiding the sectarian tensions that brought the country to the brink⁶ of civil war five years ago.

1 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

5 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

6 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。