2007年VOA标准英语-Sudan Denies a United Nations Human Rights Team

By Jim Fry
Washington, DC
13 February 2007
 
watch Sudan UN report

The Sudanese government Monday said it would deny visas to a U.N. human rights mission due to arrive this week to investigate alleged¹ abuses in Darfur. The team leader says it is in Sudan's interest to open up to the mission.  Meanwhile, the leader of the U.N.'s food program says there are plans to feed six million people in the Sudan -- if relief workers can reach those in need.  VOA's Jim Fry reports.

The six-member U.N. human rights team was due to arrive this week in Sudan... but the Khartoum government announced it would deny the team visas unless it replaces one member.

In Geneva last weekend, officials admitted the mission is contentious².

 
Jody Wiliams
Mission Leader Jody Williams stood her ground against Sudan's objection "This is the mission composition today and this is the way it's staying."

The Sudanese foreign ministry³ said one member of the delegation⁴ is unacceptable because of past comments about the Sudan. Williams said it is in the interest of the Sudanese government to allow the team to investigate possible human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, in Washington, the executive director of the U.N.’s food program said the U.N. will feed twice as many people this year as last in the Sudan. In an interview with the VOA, Jim Morris said that can only happen if relief workers can gain access to war torn areas. "We're prepared to feed up to six million people there this year.  It's a very tough environment to work in.  Our people are at risk.  We had a truck driver killed not so long ago."

The U.N. fed three million people last year but a spokeswoman says the four-year-old civil war in the Darfur region kept food from hundreds of thousands of refugees.

 
Jim Morris
Morris says there is new hope in southern Sudan. "We were helped last year with the African Union troops.  My hope is there will be U.N. peacekeeping troops there.  The root of all of the problems in the Sudan are tied back to security."

The human rights mission is still waiting for entry to Sudan; leader Jody Williams insists her team is independent: "Nobody is telling us what to think.  Nobody is telling us what to say. Nobody is telling us what to write."

A spokeswoman said on Monday the team remains⁵ hopeful Sudan will grant the visas.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

3 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。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。