VOA标准英语2013--Conditions Worsen for Darfurian Refugees, Others

 

Conditions Worsen for Darfurian Refugees, Others

A medical aid group says conditions are getting worse for tens of thousands of people who’ve fled fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region. Refugees and others have been gathering¹ for months in the Chadian town of Tissi.

Fighting in North Darfur State has been going on since January. Rival Arab tribes are battling over gold mining rights. Hundreds of people have been reported killed. Thousands have been displaced within Darfur and many others have crossed the border into Chad.

Doctors without Borders, also known by the French acronym² MSF, has been providing medical care in and around Tissi since April.

MSF Head of Mission Jason Mills said about 55,000 people have fled violence in Darfur.

“They’re spread out into many different encampments around the area of 200 – 500 – 600 families – for the returnees, who are Chadians, who had previously³ fled to Darfur to seek aid 10 years ago. And then you have refugees – and there’s about 30,000 refugees – who have fled from Darfur into Chad  --about half of them living in a camp called Ab Gadam, 30 kilometers west of Tissi. And then there are also another 15,000 or so spread out north in the bush.”

Mills said it’s a logistical challenge to help all those in need – and the challenge will only become greater as the rainy season kicks in. The wadis and swamps will fill up and become impassable.

“We’ve pre-positioned a lot of materials in advance. Teams have been working hard over the last couple of months to get non-food item kits⁴ of plastic sheeting, jerry cans, utensils⁵, things like this in place and get them distributed before the rains. To get latrines constructed in the camp and also in some of the returnee settlements,” he said.

MSF will also position its medical teams in different areas to give them better access during the rainy season. Also, the World Food Program is providing helicopter service to transport humanitarian⁶ workers.

The major health issues now include watery⁷ diarrhea, especially among children under age five, along with respiratory problems. And there are fears conditions are right for a possible cholera⁸ outbreak. In addition, Mills said that many have been victims of the fighting.

“Twenty four percent of all our admissions in the hospital in Tissi are related to violence. Just yesterday the fighting resumed seven kilometers east of Tissi inside Darfur. Yesterday we received 15 new wounded – mostly walking wounded, who were able to make it to the Tissi hospital. We’re very concerned about people who perhaps were not able to make it and who don’t have access to any services inside Darfur,” he said.

Doctors without Borders also reported rising levels of malnutrition⁹ among the refugees and returnees.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

5 utensils   

器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物

参考例句：

• Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

6 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。

7 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

8 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

9 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。