VOA慢速英语2015 联合国支持保护冲突中的记者

AS IT IS 2015-05-30 UN Supports Protection of Journalists in Conflicts 联合国支持保护冲突中的记者

The United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution on the protection of journalists in conflict zones. All 15 Council members voted Wednesday in support of the resolution.

The measure comes as the number of deaths and kidnappings of news reporters and other media workers continues to rise.

The group Reporters Without Borders says 66 journalists were killed last year and more than 20 others have died since January. Over the past 10 years, 700 media workers have been killed, either while on the job or because of their occupation.

The U.N. resolution condemns¹ such attacks. It warns those involved in conflicts, including governments and armed groups, to take all reasonable steps to protect journalists. It also calls for the immediate² and unconditional³ release of reporters who are held as hostages in battle areas.

Christophe Deloire works for Reporters Without Borders. He said Iraq and Syria have come two of the most dangerous places for journalists to work. Forty-five have been killed in Syria since that conflict started in 2011. In Iraq, at least 15 others have died since 2013. Mr. Deloire said ensuring accountability is important to preventing future attacks.

“In the world, more than 90 percent of crimes against journalists are never prosecuted⁴, are never punished. It is like an encouragement for all those who commit crimes against journalists. If we want to protect journalists, we have to fight impunity⁵.”

He added that attacks on journalists in conflict areas could be considered war crimes and should be given to the International Criminal Court.

The United States ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, is a former journalist. She says restrictions⁶ on press freedom and threats against reporters often are signs of an effort to suppress civil, political and human rights. She noted⁷ the current political unrest in the central African nation of Burundi. There, the country’s military disputed President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term in office. Many people in Burundi consider a third term unconstitutional.

“Since the unlawful attempt to seize power was quashed, several independent journalists report being told that they are on a list of people to be arrested, and many more reportedly have been threatened with death, torture and disappearance⁸, leading them to go into hiding.”

Ms. Power said governments like the one in Syria and armed groups, such as the Islamic State, attack journalists because they do not want people to see them for what they really are.

As the Security Council met Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists released a statement condemning⁹ the murder of a Brazilian radio reporter. His tortured body was found last Saturday, one day after he was reported kidnapped in the country’s northeast. It was the second murder of a Brazilian journalist in less than a week.

Words in This Story

journalist(s) – n. a writer, reporter or photographer for a news-gathering organization

zones – n. areas

ensuring – v. guaranteeing

accountability – n. a willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions

1 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

4 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

5 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 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。

8 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

9 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》