美国国家公共电台 NPR--The ICRC connects families with POWs on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war

The ICRC connects families with POWs on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war

Transcript¹

NPR's A Martinez talks to Martin Schüepp of the International Committee of the Red Cross about its efforts to reach prisoners of war from both sides in the Ukraine war.

ASMA KHALID, HOST:

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been able to connect families to POWs on both sides of the Ukraine war. And there are many more that they're hoping to reach through negotiations² with the Ukrainian and Russian governments. The organization is also providing humanitarian³ aid to the millions who have fled Ukraine or who have stayed in the country and are living in dire⁴ conditions. Martin Schuepp is director of operations for the ICRC. And he spoke⁵ with my colleague, A Martínez.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

So tell us about the work you're doing in Ukraine and in Russia.

MARTIN SCHUEPP: There's millions who have been displaced, but also hundreds of thousands, millions, who are still staying behind and are often living under very difficult circumstances with barely a roof over their head. We try to support them as good as we can, providing often the very basics. It can be as simple as a heating point, a charging point for a phone or reestablishing water points so that people can have access to the very basics.

MART?NEZ: And you mentioned some of the basics that they lack and how something that seemingly is so little for maybe us, charging our phone, is so vital for them. It's a lifeline to just get in contact with anyone that's familiar to them or maybe even family.

SCHUEPP: Indeed. I've spoken about the material conditions. But you should not underestimate also the impact on the mental well-being⁶ of such a conflict. And as you rightly say, staying in contact with family members is particularly important at times of conflict.

MART?NEZ: Martin, does the Red Cross have an estimate of how many have been taken prisoner in the war so far?

SCHUEPP: I can't speak to numbers of how many prisoners there are in this particular conflict. But, indeed, we need to estimate that there are thousands who have been taking prisoner since over the last year.

MART?NEZ: What about the conditions that you've been hearing about when it comes to those camps?

SCHUEPP: We have been able to visit prisoners of war in this conflict on both sides. And one of the main goals for us is, indeed, to assess the conditions of the prisoners and to discuss our findings as well confidentially⁷ with those who are holding them. And we are not sharing what we see precisely⁸ in public, but rather share recommendations that we observe with the authorities.

MART?NEZ: Are there any stories that you can share, Martin, from people that have been just looking for any sign of any family members at some of these camps?

SCHUEPP: We've received over 50,000 emails and phone calls over the last 12 months from relative inquiring about the safety and well-being and being worried about it. And sometimes the stories are really heart-wrenching and heartwarming. I just have one story in mind of a mother, a spouse⁹, who called us and then put the little girl on the phone, who just wanted to make sure that we pass the message to her father that she forgives him for missing her birthday and that she hopes that he will be back soon.

MART?NEZ: When people think of the Red Cross, they think or at least they imagine that it means hope, hope that something is being done. What do you tell people?

SCHUEPP: Indeed, as the International Committee of the Red Cross and as humanitarians¹⁰, we cannot give up hope. We need to work every day because people approach us in hope that we are able to find their brother, to find their son, to find their daughter and that we can provide help and that we can provide support. We've been able to transmit information over 9,000 times to family members about somebody who might have been missing or separated.

MART?NEZ: Typically, Martin, how long does it take to find people? And how likely are you to find people?

SCHUEPP: There is really no typical answer to that. It can be that somebody calls us and we have already registered somebody as a prisoner. And we can immediately say, look; we know this person. And you could write a message to him that we could transmit so that he has some news from you or vice¹¹ versa. So that can go very fast. But also, from other contexts outside the current conflict we're talking about, we know how long it can sometimes take to find information.

MART?NEZ: Martin Schuepp, director of operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Martin, thank you.

SCHUEPP: Thank you very much.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 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。

4 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。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

7 confidentially   

ad.秘密地，悄悄地

参考例句：

• She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
• Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。

8 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

9 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

10 humanitarians   

n.慈善家( humanitarian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finally, humanitarians saw it as a means of helping to feed the hungry of the world. 人道主义者把这一计划看成是为世界上那些忍饥挨饿的人提供粮食的一项措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• All humanitarians fought against slavery. 所有人道主义者都为反对奴隶制而斗争过。 来自互联网

11 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。