VOA标准英语2009年-Children in Somalia Facing Acute Malnutrition C

The United States joined U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Thursday in urging Sudan to reconsider its announced expulsion of leading international aid agencies active in war-torn Darfur. Sudan took the action after the International Criminal Court, the ICC, issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir for Darfur war crimes.
　
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (File)

Though it does not have fully-normal relations with Sudan, the State Department says the United States is urging Sudanese officials both in Khartoum and at the United Nations in New York to rescind¹ the expulsions, which is says are contrary to Sudan's own best interests.

Sudanese authorities revoked² the operating licenses³ of the aid organizations, including Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders and Care International, only hours after the long-anticipated ICC action against President Bashir.

Sudanese officials accused the groups of passing information on Darfur atrocities⁴ to the ICC, a charge vehemently⁵ denied by the aid organizations. State Department Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid told reporters the United States hopes Sudan will reconsider an action that harms many of Sudan's most-vulnerable people.

"The action announced seems to me to be against Sudan's own interest, and is certainly not helpful to the people who need aid in that country. They should reconsider their position on this, because the vulnerable populations throughout Sudan rely heavily on the international organizations who deliver them much-needed aid," he said.

The United States is not a party to the ICC, but it has supported the charges against President Bashir, saying that those who committed atrocities in Darfur should be held accountable for their crimes.

Duguid described President Bashir, who has denied any wrongdoing, as a fugitive⁶ from justice, and said the charges against him can be what he termed "a lever" for the international community to help bring peace to Darfur.

China, another non-signatory of the ICC and a major trading partner of Sudan, has joined several Arab states in urging that the case against the Sudanese leader be suspended. But Duguid made clear the United States opposes delaying the legal process.

"What we are looking for is a resolution to the conflicts in Sudan. This current move by the ICC has added a lever, if you will, with which to try and achieve that. Those who are guilty of crimes against humanity should face justice. The delay or deferment⁷ of the ICC warrant is not something the United States is looking at right now," he said.

The Bush administration, concerned that the ICC lacked accountability, withdrew former President Bill Clinton's signature on the Rome Statute⁸ setting up the court. But it later made a formal determination that government-inspired violence in Darfur amounted to genocide, and provided some support for the ICC's prosecution⁹ of the case.

The Obama administration is reviewing U.S. policy with regard to the court though officials say concerns about its operations remain.

1 rescind   

v.废除，取消

参考例句：

• They accepted his advice and rescinded the original plan.他们听从了他的劝告，撤销了原计划。
• Trade Union leaders have demanded the government rescind the price rise.工会领导已经要求政府阻止价格上涨。

2 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

3 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

4 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

6 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

7 deferment   

n.迁延，延期，暂缓

参考例句：

• The bank do not allow further deferment of his payment. 银行不容许他再次推迟付款。 来自互联网
• Students are to refer to the regulations governing course deferment, refund and withdrawal the Student's Handbook. 学生需要参考学生手册上有关推迟入学、退费和退学的相关规定。 来自互联网

8 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

9 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。