VOA标准英语2008年-Human Rights Activists Paint Complex Picture in

An independent human rights monitoring mission in South Ossetia paints a complex picture of propaganda, suffering, and ongoing¹ threats to civilians² in the breakaway region of Georgia. VOA correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports from Moscow.

On September 8, the independent Russian human rights organization "Memorial," and the Moscow Branch of Human Rights Watch concluded a six-day visit to Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, and number of Ossetian, Georgian, and mixed villages in the breakaway region of Georgia.

Speaking at a news conference in the Russian capital, representatives of the two organizations said the situation in the area is not as simple as presented by propagandists on either side of the conflict.

The activists⁴ note a discrepancy⁵ between some official Russian and South Ossetian claims of 2,000 war dead and a figure of 137 fatalities⁶ provided by Investigative Committee in the Russian Prosecutor's office. They say attempts to confirm a number was impossible, as one government committee referred them to another committee, which referred them back to the first. There was also no evidence of thousands dead based on visits to local hospitals and graveyards⁷.

Memorial representative Alexander Cherkasov also rejects as propaganda a story alleging⁸ Georgians herded⁹ residents of one village into a church and burned them inside.
　
Alexander Cherkasov

Cherkasov says the human rights monitors went to that village and it turns out that nobody knew about the alleged¹⁰ atrocity¹¹. He says villagers suggested perhaps it occurred elsewhere.

The human rights activists say they could not find any evidence in South Ossetian villages of torture, massacres¹², or other crimes against women, children and the elderly by Georgian forces. However, Cherkasov says residents of Georgian enclaves were advised to leave by local pro-Georgian authorities before the outbreak of hostilities¹³. This, according to the activist³, indicates the attack by Georgia was not spontaneous.

Cherkasov says there was a planned evacuation of people from the war zone. That, he comments, is something to be welcomed, because civilians should not be subjected to bullets. However, the activist raises the question of responsibility for people based on their status. It is one thing if they are refugees, but if Georgia made them evacuees¹⁴, that country, he says, should also be responsible for them.
　
Tatiana Lokshina

The deputy director of the Moscow office of Human Rights Watch, Tatiana Lokshina, says there were few if any casualties in South Ossetia among people who found shelter in basements. Most who died, however, were men who left safe areas in search of water and food. She says others perished after acting¹⁵ on a rumor¹⁶ that a humanitarian¹⁷ corridor would be opened to allow Tskhinvali residents to safely leave town. Instead, they drove into intense fighting and died.

Lokshina gives credit to Russian troops for preventing arson¹⁸ and looting in some of South Ossetia's Georgian enclaves, as well as for saving the lives of more than 100 Georgian civilians in mid-August. However, she says Russian forces have since removed their checkpoints around Georgian villages.

At the same time, Lokshina says South Ossetian authorities are not defending the security or property of civilians left in those villages. She says the villages she visited with Alexander Cherkasov have been burned to the ground.

The activists say Georgian homes in South Ossetia continue to be set on fire. They say some elderly Georgians, mixed Georgian and Ossetian families, and even pure Ossetians remain at risk in Georgian villages. Tatiana Lokshina describes the situation in those villages as acute, and calls on Russian forces to protect the civilians and whatever property remains¹⁹ there.

Memorial and Human Rights Watch representatives note their latest report is strictly²⁰ about South Ossetia. They say separate information will be provided about the situation in Georgia.

 

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 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。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 discrepancy   

n.不同；不符；差异；矛盾

参考例句：

• The discrepancy in their ages seemed not to matter.他们之间年龄的差异似乎没有多大关系。
• There was a discrepancy in the two reports of the accident.关于那次事故的两则报道有不一致之处。

6 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 graveyards   

墓地( graveyard的名词复数 )； 垃圾场； 废物堆积处； 收容所

参考例句：

• He takes a macabre interest in graveyards. 他那么留意墓地，令人毛骨悚然。
• "And northward there lie, in five graveyards, Calm forever under dewy green grass," 五陵北原上，万古青蒙蒙。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

8 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

9 herded   

群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动

参考例句：

• He herded up his goats. 他把山羊赶拢在一起。
• They herded into the corner. 他们往角落里聚集。

10 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

11 atrocity   

n.残暴，暴行

参考例句：

• These people are guilty of acts of great atrocity.这些人犯有令人发指的暴行。
• I am shocked by the atrocity of this man's crimes.这个人行凶手段残忍狠毒使我震惊。

12 massacres   

大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 )； 惨败

参考例句：

• The time is past for guns and killings and massacres. 动不动就用枪、动不动就杀、大规模屠杀的时代已经过去了。 来自教父部分
• Numberless recent massacres were still vivid in their recollection. 近来那些不可胜数的屠杀，在他们的头脑中记忆犹新。

13 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

14 evacuees   

n.被疏散者( evacuee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Moreover, for multi-exits, evacuees select a exit based on game theory. 在有多个出口时，疏散人员根据对策论选择出口。 来自互联网
• Evacuees wade through flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Peshawar on Saturday, July 31, 2010. 撤离灾区涉水通过后在白沙瓦沉重的季风降雨在周六，2010年7月31日。 来自互联网

15 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

16 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

17 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。

18 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

19 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。

20 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。