PBS高端访谈:南苏丹数百万人陷入战争引发的饥荒

 　　Last night, we brought you a look at the brutal¹ civil war ravaging² South Sudan and the lives it has scarred.

　　Tonight, another calamity³ afflicting⁴ South Sudan, a famine, caused by drought and man. The United Nations estimates 40 percent of the country's people are at risk.

　　Again in partnership⁵ with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports.

　　She studies with focus and poise⁶. Rebecca looks like a typical student next to her classmates in Thoahnom school, in a remote area of South Sudan,

　　but few of them have been through what she has endured.

　　Her family fled for their lives when government soldiers raided their village. They survived by hiding in swamps for two weeks.

　　When we fled our village, we were 28 people. When we got here, we were 24. Two were shot and two died of hunger.

　　One of those who died was her 13-year-old sister. Rebecca watched her grow weak and starve to death.

　　We didn't have anything to dig with to bury her, so we just put grass on the body and left it there.

　　Marco Nuer is 16 years old and also goes to school here. Two months ago, he made it to this village with what remained of his family.

　　When we fled the fighting, I saw at least 20 people killed. Along the road later, people died of hunger.

　　His brother, sister and father were among those who died of starvation. The trauma⁷ of their loss haunts him.

　　Both Rebecca and Marco have found safety in this village controlled by rebel gunmen. Rebecca's family have been given this small hut to shelter in by local people.

　　Her mom, Tipasa, tries to sell tea to make extra money for food, but it's never enough, so she forages⁸ in the marshes⁹.

　　These are the roots of the water lily flowers. This is all people in this part of South Sudan have to eat. It's muddy. It has very little nutritional¹⁰ value and is deeply unpleasant.

　　This is what they ate when they were hiding in the bush, too, and how countless¹¹ numbers of people in South Sudan are trying to survive,

　　on the run from government troops targeting them because of their tribe.

　　A split between president Salva Kiir and his vice¹² president, Riek Machar, in 2013 tore apart the country, sparking a civil war.

　　Both sides have been accused of war crimes.

　　Most recently, government soldiers have been attacking communities of tribes seen as supportive of Machar's rebel fighters, killing¹³ civilians¹⁴ and forcing large groups of people to flee.

　　They run into these massive swamps. It is a good hiding place from soldiers hunting them, but there is nothing to eat here, so famine has come to both Marco and Rebecca's homes.

　　This is a cruel manmade disaster. There is food in South Sudan, but many have had to leave it behind when they flee.

　　Food is being dropped by aid agencies to the most desperate. Those with the strength come out of hiding to get lifesaving supplies.

　　This is Leer, the famine area where Marco is from. People here used to grow their own vegetables and farm cattle.

　　When they ran for their lives into the bush, they left behind any way of feeding themselves.

　　The International Committee of the Red Cross is giving them tools and seeds. If they plant maize¹⁵ now, they can harvest it by August, if they live that long.

　　In many ways, this area is symbolic¹⁶ of the link between war and hunger in South Sudan.

　　An area where aid agencies are giving out food to local people, they say this once was a vibrant¹⁷ marketplace, until government troops came in and burned it to the ground.

　　And now the only thing left of that market is just ash on the ground.

　　The numbers of those in need here are staggering; 100,000 people are right now starving to death across the country. Millions more are on the brink¹⁸.

　　Before I came here, I thought, I know the drill, I have been there.

　　I have never seen anything more complicated, more saddening as compared to South Sudan; 4.8 million people do not have enough food. It really shocks me.

　　Deepmala Mahla runs the U.S.-based charity Mercy Corps¹⁹' operation in South Sudan. She is not optimistic for the future.

　　I have to say the gap between being brink of starvation and actually starving, there isn't a whole lot of time left. It happens — the deterioration²⁰ happens pretty fast.

　　South Sudan is the most dangerous place in the world for aid workers, yet people here desperately²¹ needs their help.

　　Over 80 have been killed since the war started, a fifth of those in this year so far alone. Aid agencies often struggle to reach people starving in the wilderness²².

　　Flying for hundreds of miles over this vast country, you rarely see even a dirt road.

　　It's in these remote areas where people are dying, far from the world's view. People in urban areas like the capital, Juba, can get help.

　　International Medical Corps runs this hospital. In the intensive care ward²³ for children, Dr. Sadia Azam shows us how she diagnoses malnutrition²⁴.

　　So, she is in danger?

　　Yes, she is in danger. She is really acute malnourished.

　　What's causing that for her?

　　The children are like this. Their bodies are very fragile. They are very weak.

　　And weak bodies can't fight off deadly diseases.

　　One-and-a-half-year-old Nyagoah also has pneumonia²⁵. This hospital exists largely because of U.S. government funding.

　　American money is responsible for much of the aid relief in South Sudan, whether it's food drops from planes or the seeds and tools distributed in famine areas.

　　Cuts to foreign aid proposed by the Trump²⁶ administration could mean less money makes it here. And charities are nervous.

　　Jason Straziuso is the regional spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

　　The United States is the largest single supporter of the ICRC, a substantial part of our budget.

　　And we view this American generosity²⁷ and goodwill²⁸ as vital to our operations, as vital to our humanitarian²⁹ assistance around the world.

　　Rebecca escaped the horrors of widespread killings³⁰, only to face starvation in the wilderness.

　　Famine will continue to stalk families like hers in this country for as long as people cannot peacefully farm their cattle and grow food at home.

　　And the war that drives hunger here is far from over. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Jane Ferguson in Unity³¹ State, South Sudan.

　　In her final report tomorrow, Jane brings us the stories of women in South Sudan who have survived rape³² used as a weapon of war. undefined

1 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

2 ravaging   

毁坏( ravage的现在分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• It is believed that in fatigue there is a repeated process of ravaging the material. 据认为，在疲劳中，有一个使材料毁坏的重复过程。
• I was able to capture the lion that was ravaging through town. 我能逮住正在城里肆虐的那头狮子。

3 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

4 afflicting   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• Violent crime is only one of the maladies afflicting modern society. 暴力犯罪仅仅是困扰现代社会的严重问题之一。
• Violent crime is only one of the maladies afflicting modern society. 暴力犯罪仅仅是危害社会的弊病之一。

5 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

6 poise   

vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信

参考例句：

• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。
• Ballet classes are important for poise and grace.芭蕾课对培养优雅的姿仪非常重要。

7 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

8 forages   

n.牛马饲料( forage的名词复数 )；寻找粮草

参考例句：

• A long-term trial had been carried out on tropical forages. 选用热带主要牧草草种进行长期定位试验。 来自互联网
• A young fur seal forages amid bull kelp near Gansbaai, South Africa. 一只年轻的海豹在南非干斯拜附近的巨藻丛中觅食。 来自互联网

9 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 nutritional   

adj.营养的，滋养的

参考例句：

• A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持人的健康。
• The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.食品上的标签提供很多关于营养成分的信息。

11 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

12 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

13 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

14 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。

15 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

16 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

17 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

18 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

19 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

20 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。

21 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

22 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

23 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

24 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

25 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

26 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

27 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

28 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

29 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。

30 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

31 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

32 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。