VOA慢速英语2016 索马里兰出口牲畜以供朝觐（在线收听）

AS IT IS 2016-09-09 Somaliland Exports Animals for the Hajj 索马里兰出口牲畜以供朝觐

The self-declared republic of Somaliland is exporting millions of sheep and goats to Saudi Arabia for use as sacrificial offerings.

索马里兰是个自封的共和国，该国正向沙特阿拉伯出口数百万只绵羊和山羊，作为祭祀贡品。

These offerings are very important for the millions of Muslims going to Mecca for religious reasons.Their trip, a religious requirement, is called the Hajj.

对于数百万因宗教原因赴麦加的穆斯林教徒来说，这些祭祀品是非常重要的。朝圣之行这一宗教基本制度被称之为朝觐。

Sixty percent of Somaliland’s gross domestic product -- the value of all its goods and services come from livestock sales to the Middle East.So do 70 percent of its jobs.

索马里兰国内生产总值（所有产品及劳务的市场价值）约六成源于中东地区的牲畜销售。索马里兰百分之七十的工作岗位正源于此。

Mowlid Hassan Jama has worked at a livestock market in the Somaliland capital, Hargeisa, for 10 years.

莫利德·哈山·亚马在索马里兰首都哈尔格萨的一家牲畜市场工作，已经工作十年了。

He says “I earn my livelihood from this livestock, and, secondly, I feel I am supporting the Islamic community in having a good Hajj festival.”

他称“我的生计全靠这些牲畜，并且，我认为我是在支持伊斯兰共同体，让他们度过美好的朝觐节。”

The animals, once sold in the markets, are taken by truck to the Red Sea port of Berbera.There, they wait in quarantine for weeks while they receive blood tests and vaccinations.

这些牲畜一旦在市场售出，将由卡车运往柏培拉的红海港口。在那里，它们将验血，注射疫苗，接受数周的隔离检疫。

In the past, accusations of disease among Somaliland livestock led Saudi Arabia to temporarily ban imports of its animals.

过去，索马里兰的牲畜曾被指控患有疾病，沙特阿拉伯因此暂时禁止进口索马里兰的牲畜。

Ali Mahamud Gulled is an expert on animal health.He says the Berbera quarantine holds over a million animals at the height of the Hajj.He says Somaliland takes the health of its livestock seriously.

阿里·马阿穆德是研究动物健康的专家。他认为，朝觐节高峰期，柏培拉检疫期间会容纳100多万头牲畜。他表示，索马里兰很重视牲畜的健康问题。

“So we make sure that each and every animal leaving here is free of diseases.”

因此我们必须确保所有出口的牲畜都是健康的。”

After the restrictions are lifted, sheep and goats are loaded onto ships, often at night when the air is cooler.A single ship can hold between 20,000 and 120,000 animals.

一旦通过检疫，绵羊和山羊将在夜晚凉爽的时候装载入船。一艘船可承载2万到12万头牲畜。

Somaliland now faces competition from Sudan, Australia, and other countries that also export livestock to Saudi Arabia.

目前，索马里兰正面临苏丹、澳洲和其它国家的竞争，这些国家也向沙特阿拉伯出口牲畜。

Abdi Osman Haji is a researcher with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.He says Somaliland must modernize its industry to stay ahead.

阿卜迪·奥斯曼·哈吉是联合国粮食农业组织的研究员。他表示，索马里兰必须实现产业现代化，以保证其领先地位。

He adds that Somaliland needs to treat its animals better, too.

他补充道，索马里兰还需更好地对待牲畜。

“Animal welfare is not on the agenda here, and that has to be introduced.Also, animals, when they are being exported via ships and also trucks, they are not according to international standards.”

“这里的动物福利尚未提上日程，动物福利必须引进。此外，这里的动物在经船只和卡车运送出口的时候，不符合国际标准。”

Even so, the export of animals from Somaliland to Saudi Arabia remains important for both countries.

尽管如此，由索马里兰出口至沙特阿拉伯的牲畜对两国来说依旧至关重要。

Words in This Story

offering – n. something that is given to God or a god as a part of religious worship

livestock – n. farm animals (such as cows, horses, and pigs) that are kept, raised, and used by people

quarantine – n. the situation of being kept away from others to prevent a disease from spreading