VOA常速英语2007-UN: More People Flee Mogadishu After Weekend Vio

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
30 October 2007

The U.N. refugee agency says a weekend of violence in Mogadishu has set off another wave of displacement¹ from the war-torn capital of Somalia. It says an estimated 36,000 people have fled their homes and more are preparing to leave. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

The U.N. refugee agency calls the fighting between Ethiopian troops and insurgents² in Mogadishu the worst in months. It says the violence probably will result in more people fleeing the city for safer areas.

UNHCR spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis says aid workers report more people are preparing to leave Mogadishu, even though the situation seems to have calmed down.

"Large numbers of people have packed up their belongings," she said. "But, they really are rather confused about where to go-whether to stay, whether to leave the city entirely³, or whether to relocate to another part of the city. The area around the city's Bakara market has seen a lot of upheaval⁴ with hundreds of families in several neighborhoods loading trucks, buses, and donkey carts with their household items. According to some accounts, residents have been told by city officials to vacate four districts close to the market as security operations were going to take place there."

Pagonis says many of the people preparing to leave Mogadishu said they are afraid this latest round of violence could escalate⁵ to major battles in the city.

She says people complain Ethiopian troops were firing indiscriminately on insurgents and civilians⁶. Since the insurgents do not wear uniforms, she says it is difficult to tell them apart from civilians.

"Most of those leaving Mogadishu were heading to the town of Afgooye, which is already struggling to cope with up to 100,000 people who fled from Mogadishu there earlier in the year," she said. "We had already delivered food or assistance to about 70,000 people in Afgooye earlier this year and we are preparing to carry out more distributions there."

UNHCR spokeswoman Pagonis says the town lacks basic facilities such as water and sanitation⁷. Because of the overcrowded conditions, she says many impromptu⁸, squalid settlements are sprouting⁹ along the road to Afgooye and in other areas.

The U.N. agency reports nearly 400,000 people have fled Mogadishu this year.

1 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

2 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

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

5 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

8 impromptu   

adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地)

参考例句：

• The announcement was made in an impromptu press conference at the airport.这一宣布是在机场举行的临时新闻发布会上作出的。
• The children put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.孩子们为来访者即兴献上了一场音乐会。

9 sprouting   

v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出

参考例句：

• new leaves sprouting from the trees 树上长出的新叶
• They were putting fresh earth around sprouting potato stalks. 他们在往绽出新芽的土豆秧周围培新土。 来自名作英译部分