voa标准英语2008-2008, a Year of Closed Doors for Africa's Migran

The International Organization for Migration¹ said 2008 has been a disastrous² year for Africans seeking to migrate to other countries in search of a better life. IOM said many Africans lost their lives, others ended up being exploited and abused.
　

Some 220 illegal immigrants arrive in the southernmost Italian island of Lampedusa after being intercepted3 by Italian coast guards, (file photo)

In recent days, about 2,000 migrants from Africa have arrived on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. The government said this brings the number of illegal immigrants arriving by sea to well over 24,000, almost double that of last year.

The migrants were not welcome on the southern Italian island. They were put in an overcrowded detention⁴ cell while their cases were being processed.

Spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, Jean-Philippe Chauzy told VOA migrants are finding more and more doors closed to them as the global economic crisis gathers steam. He said the outlook for 2009 is not promising⁵.

"I think the reality is that a lot of doors that were ajar for immigrants, especially at the time when the economy was more buoyant than it is now, the fear is that many of those doors will now be slammed shut… In times of recession, migrants are sometimes perceived as stealing jobs from nationals," he said.
　

Somali and other African migrants protest outside South Africa's Parliament against xenophobic attacks in Cape6 Town, 02 June 2008

And, that is what happened in May and June of this year in South Africa. Chauzy recalled the violence that erupted following a xenophobic flare-up against immigrants from southern Africa and other parts of the continent.

"More than 60 people were killed during the xenophobic violence and several hundred others were injured. And, obviously, tens of thousands were affected⁷ by the xenophobic resentment⁸ against immigrants in South Africa… The flare-up happened in May and June, but the consequences, I would say the impact of the xenophobic flare-up, I would say, still persists to this day," he said.

Chauzy said in some ways it is worse because more and more Zimbabweans are fleeing to South Africa to escape the poverty and cholera⁹ in their country.

He said 2008 also saw migration flows increase from the Horn of Africa across the Gulf¹⁰ of Aden to Yemen. He said migrants, mostly Somalis and Ethiopians, took enormous risks to escape war and poverty.
　

Yemeni NGO workers give newly arrived Somali migrants water on the beach of Hasn Beleid village, 230 kms east of the Red Sea port of Aden, 15 Oct., 2008

"More than 45,000 people actually crossed the Gulf of Aden on hundreds of boats. And, unfortunately, the estimates regarding the number of people drowned in the Gulf of Aden is probably in the region of 500 people. Obviously not all tragedies are reported. Many still go underreported or unreported," said Chauzy.

The International Organization for Migration is urging countries to avoid measures that would further contribute to the stigmatization¹¹ of migrants. It argued the world's more than 200 million immigrants make positive contributions to society. So, governments, it said, should not enact¹² policies that would encourage anti-immigrant feelings.

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

3 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

4 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

9 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

10 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

11 stigmatization   

n.描绘，陈述

参考例句：

12 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。