VOA常速英语2013--刚果的厌战人们希望持久和平马上到来（在线收听）

Congo's War-Weary Citizens Hope for Lasting Peace 刚果的厌战人们希望持久和平马上到来

GOMA, DRC — African leaders from the Great Lakes region will meet Thursday to find a solution to fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo between the armed forces and M23 militants. Residents of the eastern town of Goma are hoping for a quick and firm end to the conflict.

A love song in a time of war is heard inside a guitar shop in Goma, where students practice their chord progressions. Meanwhile outside, the military battles a tenacious group of rebel soldiers.

在戈马一家吉他商店里放着一首战争时的情歌,学生们在这里练习和弦。同时在外面军队同顽强的叛军士兵正展开激烈交战。

Shop owner Emmanuel Birubi said Congolese people have a natural gift for guitar. Sadly, though, in the midst of conflict, he said nobody has the money to spend on music.

店主伊曼纽尔·贝鲁比称刚果人民对于吉他有一种与生俱来的天赋。不过他表示遗憾的是在这场冲突当中,没人愿意将钱花在音乐上。

When there is war, people dont have the means to buy anything. But when there is peace, people are OK, they dont worry, they can come to buy a guitar, explained Birubi.

“当有战争发生,人们不愿购买任何东西。但当和平到来,人们就万事OK,他们不用提心吊胆，就会来买把吉他。”贝鲁比解释道。

Tentative progress

After nearly two weeks of fierce fighting outside the city, Birubi hopes the military will finish off the M23 rebels once and for all. All the time, they talk about peace, but so far no solution. So my wish is that the army will continue to fight until they finish the war, he said.

经过城外近两周的激烈战斗后, 贝鲁比希望军队能够彻底击垮M23叛军。“他们所有的时间都在谈论和平,但到目前为止没有解决方案。所以我的愿望是,军队继续战斗,直到他们结束战争,”他说道。

In the last two weeks, Congolese armed forces, backed by United Nations peacekeepers, have pushed the rebels back from within striking distance of Goma. The rebels had briefly seized control of the city in November, and until now, had held positions just 10 kilometers from the population.

在过去的两周, 联合国维和部队支持的刚果军队使反政府武装从戈马的攻击距离撤出。反政府武装在11月曾一度控制了这座城市,直到现在,占据的地点离人口聚集地仅10公里。

The ongoing conflict has taken its greatest toll on civilians. Thousands of people have fled to camps like this since the rebellion began last year. With fighting recently renewed, a new influx of people has put a real strain on resources and has raised the cost of living.

持续的冲突已造成平民们痛苦不堪。自去年开始反抗成千上万的人逃离到这样的营地。随着最近的战事不断,新涌入的人已经造成资源的压力并提高生活成本。

Muchengeri Jean-Baptiste Ndandi fled to the Mugunga camp from the nearby hills as fighting intensified last November. There is hunger. We are suffering. See the place where Im sleeping, see how the children are living, these are the problem we have here.

牧格利·让·巴蒂斯特·南迪从去年11月的战斗加剧以来就逃到附近山上的穆甘加营地。“这里充满饥饿。民不聊生。看看我睡觉的地方,看看孩子们的生活,这些都是我们的问题。”

Eastern Congo has long been wracked by war, fueled by historic tension between neighbors and the scramble for natural resources.

刚果东部地区一直饱受战争,这是由于邻近地区因历史渊源的紧张关系及争夺自然资源所致。

As the regions leaders point fingers and trade blame, people here just hope the fighting will stop long enough for a more normal life to begin again. 

随着该地区的领导人的指手画脚及胡乱责怪,这里的人们只是希望战争能够停止足够长的时间以便正常的生活重新开始。