VOA标准英语2009-UN Secretary-General To Visit War-Torn Sri Lanka

（单词翻译）

The U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he will leave Friday for a two-day visit to Sri Lanka to see first-hand the damage done by the fighting between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. Mr. Ban, who spoke¹ to reporters at the U.N. European headquarters in Geneva, says he will offer the Sri Lankan government the U.N.'s help in trying to reconcile the divided ethnic² groups.
　
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva, 19 May 2009

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is relieved that the military operations in northern Sri Lanka have ended. But, he says he is deeply troubled by the loss of so many civilian³ lives.

He says every effort must be made to begin a process of healing and national reconciliation⁴.

"The legitimate⁵ concerns and aspirations⁶ of the Tamil people and other minorities must be fully⁷ addressed," said Ban Ki-moon. "We must recognize the profound pain, particularly in communities affected⁸ by the conflict and among so many who lost loved ones to the violence. We urgently need to treat the wounds of war that has alienated⁹ the communities in the island for almost three decades."

The Tamil Tigers began fighting for an independent state more than 25 years ago. The civil war has claimed more than 70,000 lives and made millions more homeless.

The Sri Lankan government began its so-called fight-to-the finish early this year. Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been displaced and thousands killed.

Mr. Ban said reports of possible rights violations¹⁰ during the final stages of the bloody¹¹ battle should be investigated.

"Wherever serious and credible¹² allegations are made of grave and persistent¹³ violations of international humanitarian¹⁴ laws, these should be properly investigated," he said. "As you may note, the High Commissioner¹⁵ for Human Rights has already called for that investigation¹⁶. I hope these allegations are handled through appropriate procedures."

The High Commissioner has accused both the government and Tamil Tigers of possibly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Mr. Ban says he will visit some of the hardest hit areas, including the conflict zone, to assess conditions on the ground . He says he is very concerned about the safety and welfare of the civilian population.

He says it is critical to address the immediate¹⁷ needs of the Tamil people, to work for reintegration and reconstruction¹⁸ of the society and to achieve a sustainable and equitable¹⁹ political solution.