VOA慢速英语--希腊难民营现紧张局势

AS IT IS 2016-03-16 Tensions Rise in Greek Refugee¹ Camp 希腊难民营现紧张局势

For the refugees² living in a camp along the border of Greece and Macedonia, each day begins with hope.

The refugees hope that the Macedonians will open the border. They hope that it won't rain. They hope that they have enough food.

Hope is what brings between 500 and 1,000 new refugees to the area every day.  

Provisional agreement

The refugees' hopes were high last week. The refugees said they believed a meeting between the European Union and Turkish leaders would bring good news.

Few of the nearly 16,000 refugees living in the camp understand that the EU and Turkey have reached a limited agreement. The EU will take one Syrian refugee from Turkey for each Syrian refugee that Turkey takes from Greece.

EU leaders will meet soon to discuss the plan. The plan has angered UN refugee chiefs and human rights groups. The UN’s refugee agency said a blanket return may violate³ international law.

Possibility of resistance

If EU and Turkish officials go forward with the plan, it could spark anger in the camp. The few refugees who understand the plans say they will resist.

One refugee, a 32-year-old father of two children, said, "There's war in Syria; there will be war here. I didn't risk the journey here – a sea crossing with my wife and kids – to be taken back."

High tensions

Tensions are high in the camp. Many children are sick. The children's parents are angry about how few doctors are in the camp.

"We queue for hours to see anyone," said a woman from Syria. She has three young children. The youngest, age 2, has been sick for days.

In the last few weeks, fights have broken out while refugees wait for food.

A French medical charity called Doctors Without Borders has given food to refugees. But it is difficult serving everyone in the camp. The charity asks other organizations to help.

A local Greek charity called Praxis works in the camp, but does not have enough employees.

A Praxis worker said: "What is happening here is disgracing⁴ Europe – it is shaming Europe."

UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency, has a small presence in the camp. One worker for Doctors Without Borders said UNHCR representatives spend most of their time talking with the press.

The police presence grows

The number of police in the camp has increased. One policeman said he worries that the refugees will become violent when they learn they are not going to the EU.

"We don’t want a repeat of what happened the other day," he said. He was referring to the February 29th clash⁵ between refugees and Macedonian border guards.

Refugees shook the fence blocking their way. Guards shot rubber bullets and tear gas to keep them back.

Last Wednesday refugees and locals complained that police told them to stop selling food.

A Syrian refugee from Aleppo, who has been selling soft drinks, said, "I think they want to make the refugees even more uncomfortable, to pressure them so when the time comes to move them away, they might not resist."

Words in This Story

blanket – adj. affecting everyone or everything?

spark – v.  to cause (something) to start or happen?; to incite⁶ or fuel

complain – v. to say or write that you are unhappy or sick, or to state that you do not like something?

uncomfortable – adj. causing a feeling of physical unease

1 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

2 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

3 violate   

vt.违反，违背，亵渎，侵犯，妨碍

参考例句：

• Those who violate traffic regulations should be punished.那些违反交通规定的人应该受处罚。
• Can they be allowed to violate rules and regulations at will?难道能容许他们随心所欲地破坏规章制度吗？

4 disgracing   

使丢脸（disgrace的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• For rising back out disgracing my name. 为了诋毁我的名誉而冒险。

5 clash   

vi.冲突，不协调，砰地相撞；n.冲突，不协调

参考例句：

• There is a clash between two classes at 2 p.m. on Thursday.星期四下午两点有两堂课是冲突的。
• The pot came down on the stone floor with a clash.锅“当”地一声掉到石地上。

6 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。