VOA标准英语2009年-Thousands of Displaced in Kabo Living in A

The United Nations refugee agency says it finally managed to gain access over a week ago to a remote northern area of the Central African Republic, following months of insecurity. A UNHCR spokesman tells VOA aid workers found more than 2,000 displaced civilians¹ living in appalling² conditions in and around the town of Kabo and surrounding villages.
　
Displaced Congolese who fled to the southeast of Rutshuru, on the border with Uganda

The town of Kabo is located around 400 kilometers north of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. It is in a very remote, practically inaccessible³ area.

Although a UN team of aid workers finally managed to get to the region, UN refugee spokesman, Andrej Mahecic, tells VOA it is not clear when they will be able to return because of insecurity.

He says this is unfortunate since these people are desperate for all kinds of assistance. He says the internally displaced people, who are mainly ethnic⁴ Ngamas from Kabo, were forced to flee attacks by various armed groups. He says the fighting has been going on and off since November.

"Our staff reported the displaced have very limited access to safe drinking water and in some places they are forced to drink the water in the open fields along with their livestock⁵. The IDPs live in mud huts and their living conditions are dire⁶. There are serious health risks due to lack of water and sanitation⁷ facilities," said Mahecic. "Our staff also noted⁸ that the incidents of diarrhea and malaria⁹ are widespread. Basic health care is available only in the town of Kabo, which is a long walking distance from the current locations of these displaced people."

Mahecic says the displaced people need food as their crops were either destroyed by the locusts¹⁰ or were stolen by armed bandits. He says the displaced also asked for clean drinking water, education, plastic sheeting for shelter, more protection and security from the armed cattle raisers.

"These communities also told UNHCR about widespread cases of rape¹¹, killings¹², arbitrary arrests, torture and destruction of property," said Mahecic. "According to them, these atrocities¹³ have been mostly perpetrated by the armed cattle raisers, but also by the other armed groups and bandits in the area including government soldiers."

The UNHCR estimates more than 125,000 people have been forced out of their homes in northern CAR since 2005, many of them women and children. And, another 137,000 people are refugees in neighboring Chad and Cameroon.

1 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

2 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

3 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

6 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

7 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

10 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

12 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。

13 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》