VOA慢速英语--报告抨击阿富汗政府将学校变成战场

AS IT IS 2016-08-20 Report Criticizes Military Use of Schools in Afghanistan 报告抨击阿富汗政府将学校变成战场

A new report says that state security forces in Afghanistan are using schools in Taliban-held areas for combat missions.

These actions, the report says, do not just interfere¹ with children's education.

Often, the schools become battlegrounds, leaving schools damaged or destroyed. Students and teachers are put in danger, too.

Human Rights Watch, in a report released this week, demanded that the government take steps to stop putting schools at the center of the fighting. Keeping schools out of harm's way, the report says, is one way to protect the gains that the education sector² has made in Afghanistan since 2001.

Military activity in Baghlan Province

The report focused on the military activities of Afghan security forces in the northern Baghlan province. This area has had intense fighting over the past year in and around its capital city, said Patricia Gossman, the senior Afghanistan researcher at the New York-based organization.

Gossman explained that Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 20 teachers and school administrators³, in addition to local families affected⁴ by the conflict, for the report. She noted⁵ the number of times in which Afghan soldiers occupied schools was "quite shocking."

Taliban insurgents⁶, too, have used schools in Baghlan to launch attacks. In one such case, Taliban forces occupied a Swedish government-financed school soon after it opened in 2015, the report says.

In early 2016, government forces attacked the Taliban forces. The Taliban forces escaped, but the fighting destroyed the school.

Afghan government challenges Human Rights Watch report

Dawlat Waziri is an Afghan Defense⁷ Ministry⁸ spokesperson. He rejected the report, saying the government's investigations⁹ have not found violations¹⁰.

"However, we do not rule out the possibility of use of schools by security forces for an hour, or a couple of days, in instances when these facilities were closed for vacations, or in areas where operations were underway against insurgents," Waziri told VOA.

Impact on education sector

Gossman said that she is particularly concerned about the impact on girls' education.

"We had situations where even tent schools were being used by the military. And obviously, the other concern is that this has a disproportionate effect on girls' education because if you have got a bunch of armed men in a school, families are going to be particularly reluctant to send their girls to school."

Education is one of the few success stories in Afghanistan since the end of Taliban rule in 2001. At that time, less than a million children – all boys – were going to school. Since then, the number of children in school has risen to 9.5 million. About 40 percent of students are girls.

The future of the security situation in Baghlan

The security situation in Baghlan continues to grow worse. The Taliban have advanced in a number of areas and recently captured a key district just a few kilometers from the provincial¹¹ capital.

The Afghanistan Analysts¹²' Network is pessimistic about the future of the security situation in Baghlan. It notes that the recently captured district was the first to fall in Baghlan province since 2001.

Words in This Story

combat mission – n. a specific military or naval¹³ task that involves active fighting

sector – n. a sociological, economic, or political subdivision of society

disproportionate - adj. having or showing a difference that is not fair, reasonable, or expected

reluctant – adj. feeling or showing doubt about doing something

pessimistic – adj. having or showing a lack of hope for the future

1 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 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。

6 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

10 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

11 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。