VO常速英语2014--提神草药阿拉伯茶禁令造成非洲农民经济困难（在线收听）

Khat Import Bans Cause Economic Hardship for African Farmers 提神草药阿拉伯茶禁令造成非洲农民经济困难

MERU, KENYA—

Kenyan farmers are starting to pull out fields of khat -- a leafy green plant chewed as a stimulant in the Horn of Africa and in some Arab states. More countries are banning the import and sale of the plant, and six months after a British ban went into effect, Kenyan farmers are finding it hard to grow alternative crops.

Khat farmers in central Kenya are struggling to sell the leafy stimulant known as Khat or Miraa after most European countries banned its import.

肯尼亚中部的阿拉伯茶农们正在努力销售这种大多数欧洲国家禁止进口被称为阿拉伯茶或米拉茶的叶类兴奋剂。

It is another day on the farm for this teenager as he picks Khat leaves for local consumption.

这个少年日复一日在农场为本地销路挑选阿拉伯茶叶。

Hilary Kiriangi said he is fearful for his future as his family struggles to find a market for their produce.

希拉里·克里安吉表示当家人正努力为自家产品寻找市场时他对自己的未来感到担心。

"Even though I am a student, my community economy will suffer, and someone like me I will not get school fees and a good life," he said.

“尽管我就是个学生,我的社区经济将受到影响,而且像我这样的人得不到学费，享受不到好生活。”

Hezekiah Kiriangi has been a Khat farmer for more than 30 years. He said he also is feeling the pinch of the ban.

拥有30多年阿拉伯茶种植经验的希泽克亚·克里安吉表示他也感到了禁令的压力。

"Since they said we cannot export Khat my business has gone down. Whatever I was getting from the Khat before I cannot get it any more. The issue has been politicized, Khat is not a drug it is like any other crop."

“自从他们不进口阿拉伯茶以来我的生意一直不好。之前我从阿拉伯茶中获得的现在再也得不到。这个问题已经上升到政治层面,阿拉伯茶不是毒药,它就像任何其他作物一样。”

The World Health Organization classifies khat as a drug of abuse because it can produce mild-to-moderate psychological dependence. But Kenyans and those living in neighboring countries, especially in the horn of Africa, disagree.

世界卫生组织把阿拉伯茶归为滥用毒品,因为它能产生轻度到中度的精神依赖。但肯尼亚和那些生活在周边国家，特别是非洲之角的人不同意这个观点。

Khat is banned in most European countries and the United States and Canada.

阿拉伯茶在大多数欧洲国家，美国和加拿大被禁止。

Before the ban, khat traders exported about 60 tons of the leafy stimulant to the Netherlands and Britain weekly.

在禁令出台之前,阿拉伯茶贸易商每周向荷兰和英国出口约60吨的这种叶类兴奋剂。

Politician Mithika Linturi said the ban has not been fair to his community and he is asking that the ban be lifted.

政治家米特卡·林特里表示禁令对他的社区毫无公平可言,他要求解除限制。

"If they are honest and genuine then give us notice and tell us, 'We will not accept your miraa in another 5-10 years.' That way people will be able to get other income-generating activities and prepare themselves for that eventuality. But this sudden ban is really hurting our community. We feel it. We are very desperate and the situation is very bad," said Linturi.

“如果他们真诚守信就会通知我们,告知我们接下来的5至10年中不会接受你们的米拉茶。这样人们就会开始其他创业,提前为这种不测做好准备。但突如其来的禁令真的伤及我们的社区。我们深深感受到痛楚。我们很绝望,情况非常糟糕。”

Critics and some government officials have called for those communities dependent on Khat to grow other crops, but farmers are finding it hard to leave what they have grown for centuries.

批评人士和一些政府官员呼吁那些依赖阿拉伯茶的社区种植其他作物,但和这种作物有几个世纪感情的茶农们感觉难以割舍。