VOA常速英语2007年-UNHCR Says Security In Chad Worsening

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
04 December 2007

The U.N. refugee agency says the worsening security situation in eastern Chad is limiting access to refugee camps and leaving thousands of refugees and displaced people feeling extremely vulnerable. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.

The UNHCR says the fighting has taken place north and east of the town of Abeche, which is near its main base of operations for 12 refugee camps. The area is generally uninhabited.

But, UNHCR spokesman, Andrej Mahecic says refugees in several of the camps are starting to suffer the consequences of declining security.

"Because of the deterioration¹ of the security situation, they feel less comfortable moving around the sites," said Mahecic. "As you know, often they collect wood for the cooking and heating and also our access has been somewhat limited. As I said, we had limited access to these areas in the past week due to the insecurity in that part of Chad. But, still all the essential services in the camps are running."

Mahecic says more than 130 humanitarian² aid workers from various organizations were stuck in the town of Hadjer Hadid south-west of Farchana by heavy fighting since November 24. He says they were finally relocated Monday to Abeche.

He says the volatile³ situation also has prompted an increase in banditry. He says the U.N. refugee agency is continuing to closely monitor the situation.

The UNHCR and its partners are caring for some 240,000 refugees who fled to Chad from western Sudan's conflict-ridden province of Darfur. In addition, the agency also is assisting 180,000 internally displaced people who are sheltering in nearby camps.

1 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。