VOA慢速英语--南苏丹和平活动家获美国奖项

South Sudanese peace activist¹ Rita Martin Lopidia Abraham received the 2020 Women Building Peace Award this week. The award comes from the United States Institute of Peace, a group set up by Congress. The Institute works in support of conflict resolution and prevention worldwide.

Abraham heads a not-for-profit group called EVE. The organization was formed in 1996. It works to empower women in South Sudan.

Abraham says her struggle for peace in her country has been difficult. She told VOA she has faced countless² threats, even some from men taking part in negotiations³.

"Sometimes when you talk to the parties and you speak truth to power, people seem to misunderstand you," she said. "This is very sad, because at the end of the day, the purpose is for peace. But with the warring parties (in South Sudan), it's not always the case.''

The activist will receive $10,000 and be recognized by the Institute during a celebration next year.

Abraham said she will use part of the money to educate more women in South Sudan about their rights.

"I am so passionate⁴ about young women," she said. She hopes to invest some of the prize money in a young women's leadership project that EVE operates.

Abraham noted⁵ that she has always had a desire to support orphans⁷. "Part of the award will go towards helping⁸ orphans and street children in the South Sudan capital, Juba," she said.

Abraham has served as a delegate at the South Sudan peace talks in Addis Ababa and Khartoum. In 2018, she signed a peace agreement in the Ethiopian capital on behalf of the South Sudan Women Coalition⁹ for Peace. The coalition includes 50 women's organizations in South Sudan and other countries.

Abraham said the leaders of South Sudan have been slow to enact¹⁰ important parts of the peace agreement.

"I am as disappointed as other Sudanese," she said, adding that the agreement has been "reduced to power-sharing." People are only paying attention to what positions they can get.

Abraham said the opposing sides are not talking about the second part of the agreement. It requires standards for security enforcement in Juba and other areas.

She noted that issues in the first part of the agreement have yet to be resolved.

"We still have challenges in the formations of the legislature, state governments," she said. And there are still people who have not been replaced in the states. "This is a big challenge," Abraham said.

Words in This Story

passionate – adj. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs

orphan⁶ – n. a child whose parents are dead

behalf – n. as a representative of someone

disappointed – adj. feeling unhappy or displeased¹¹ because something you hoped for or expected did not happen

standard – n. a level of quality that is considered acceptable or desirable

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

3 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。

4 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

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 orphan   

n.孤儿；adj.无父母的

参考例句：

• He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。
• The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。

7 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

11 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。