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(单词翻译)
By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
12 December 2006
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the U.N. Human Rights Council to take action to protect the people in Sudan's conflict-ridden province of Darfur and to investigate abuses committed against them. Annan's appeal to an emergency session in Geneva comes amidst growing fears that the conflict in Darfur could turn into a regional war. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan speaks to the Security Council at the United Nations headquarters |
The U.N. secretary-general recited a catalogue of atrocities3 ranging from the destruction of villages to rape4. And, he warned, the violence was now spreading to two neighboring countries - Chad and the Central African Republic.
"It is essential that this council send a clear and united message to warn all concerned, on behalf of the whole world, that the current situation is simply unacceptable and will not be allowed to continue," said Mr. Annan.
Annan said the people in Darfur cannot afford to wait another day. He said the violence, the killings6 and other violations7 of human rights must stop.
"I urge you to lose no time in sending a team of independent and universally respected experts to investigate the latest escalation8 of abuses," he added. "It is urgent that we take action to prevent further violations, including by bringing to account those responsible for the numerous crimes that have already been committed."
This emergency session was called last month after Kofi Annan criticized the U.N. Human Rights Council for focusing almost exclusively on Israel and paying scant9 attention to the tragic10 situation unfolding in Darfur.
Since the council came into being six months ago, it has held three special sessions on Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon.
U.N. High Commissioner11 for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, echoed Annan's concerns.
She said there was credible12 evidence that the Sudanese government was upgrading the militia13's arsenals14 and mobility15. The Janjaweed, Arab militia, have been accused of attacking and pillaging16 villages, of raping17 and killing5 civilians18.
Arbour also accused the rebels of widespread atrocities against civilians. She said they too must be held accountable for violations of international human rights.
"Yet, impunity19 is rampant20. The desperate plight21 of the people of Darfur has for too long been neglected or addressed with what the victims should rightly regard-and history will judge-as meek22 offerings, broken promises, and disregard," she said.
Sudan's deputy governor, Dr. Farah Mustafa, was not happy with what he heard.
He rejected the charges, calling them ill represented and distorted. He accused the high commissioner of having a hidden political agenda and of trying to exert pressure on Sudan to accept an international peacekeeping force in Darfur.
Khartoum has repeatedly rejected U.N. proposals to replace the small force of African Union soldiers with a larger, heftier U.N. backed peacekeeping unit.
1 escalated | |
v.(使)逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)逐步扩大;(使)更高;(使)更大 | |
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2 civilian | |
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的 | |
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3 atrocities | |
n.邪恶,暴行( atrocity的名词复数 );滔天大罪 | |
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4 rape | |
n.抢夺,掠夺,强奸;vt.掠夺,抢夺,强奸 | |
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5 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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6 killings | |
谋杀( killing的名词复数 ); 突然发大财,暴发 | |
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7 violations | |
违反( violation的名词复数 ); 冒犯; 违反(行为、事例); 强奸 | |
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8 escalation | |
n.扩大,增加 | |
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9 scant | |
adj.不充分的,不足的;v.减缩,限制,忽略 | |
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10 tragic | |
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
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11 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
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12 credible | |
adj.可信任的,可靠的 | |
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13 militia | |
n.民兵,民兵组织 | |
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14 arsenals | |
n.兵工厂,军火库( arsenal的名词复数 );任何事物的集成 | |
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15 mobility | |
n.可动性,变动性,情感不定 | |
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16 pillaging | |
v.抢劫,掠夺( pillage的现在分词 ) | |
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17 raping | |
v.以暴力夺取,强夺( rape的现在分词 );强奸 | |
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18 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
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19 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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20 rampant | |
adj.(植物)蔓生的;狂暴的,无约束的 | |
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21 plight | |
n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定 | |
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22 meek | |
adj.温顺的,逆来顺受的 | |
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