2007年VOA标准英语-WFP: Humanitarian Aid Getting to Darfur Despite

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
15 June 2007

The World Food Program (WFP) says it has been able to successfully feed up to three million internally displaced people in Sudan's conflict-ridden province of Darfur.  The organization says it has been able to do this even though problems of security remain and it still has no access to certain areas.  Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva, where she interviewed a WFP Official who recently returned from Darfur.

A picture taken by WFP in February 2007 shows displaced Sudanese people at WFP food aid distribution center of Otash IDP camp in Nyala, Sudan

The war in Darfur between Sudanese-backed Arab Janjaweed militia¹ and rebel African groups has been going on for four years.  Many of the 2.5 million people who were forced to flee their homes have been living in camps managed by the United Nations. 

WFP Public Information Officer Louis Vigneault says life in the camps has become, what he calls, sort of normal for these people, but he tells VOA that nothing in Darfur is really normal.

He says it is difficult to travel safely from one place to another.  And the situation has become more complicated because the rebel and pro-government groups have splintered into rival sub-groups.  He says this causes problems for humanitarian² agencies which are no longer sure who is in charge.

"So, one day you send a security assessment³ mission and they go and they talk to the military leaders on their way to their destination and it is fine and nobody has any objection for the humanitarian convoy⁴ to pass by the next day," he noted⁵.  "And, the first thing you realize the next day is that someone else, a lieutenant⁶ or another general, has taken over and he does not want to follow the orders of the other one that you have met the day before.  So, you face now a roadblock.  So, you do not have any safe route." 

Vigneault spent three days visiting camps for internally displaced people in El Fascher and Kutum in northern Darfur.  He says people in the camps say they would like to return home.  For now, they prefer to remain in the camps where life is more secure and where they have access to food, water, health care, education and other basic needs.

He cautions people against thinking the situation in Darfur is acceptable just because the humanitarian operation is running well.

"We really need to work out a political resolution of that conflict to find a solution to it and not having the conflict just go on and on for years and years and years having in mind that it does not really matter because the vulnerable population has access to any kind of humanitarian relief so it is really not a problem for them," he added.  "And, that is really the danger that we are getting into now." 

Vigneault says aid agencies are afraid the international community, believing the situation in Darfur has reached tolerable levels, might not exert the effort needed to bring the conflict to an end.

1 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

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 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

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 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。