VOA常速英语2018--纪念伊拉克哈拉比亚大屠杀一周年（在线收听）

Thirty years ago, on March 16, 1988, and just before the start of the al-Anfal operation, the regime of then-President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, committed one of the worst atrocities of the modern era: the murder by poison gas of thousands of civilians in the Kurdish-Iraqi town of Halabja.

30年前的1988年3月16日，就在安法勒行动开始之前，时任伊拉克总统萨达姆 侯赛因(Saddam Hussein)犯下了现代史上最恶劣的暴行：用毒气谋害了库尔德-伊拉克小镇哈拉比亚的无数平民。

As part of a genocidal campaign against the Kurds and other ethnic groups in Northern Iraq, government forces spent two days shelling the city of Halabja with rockets and Napalm, an incendiary gel that sticks to skin and causes terrible burns. On the second day, March 16th, they suddenly changed tactics: attacking aircraft began to pepper the civilian parts of the city with canisters of chemical weapons including mustard gas and the nerve agents sarin, tabun, and VX.

为了对伊拉克北部的库尔德等族群进行灭绝行动，政府军历时2天用火箭弹和凝固汽油弹轰炸该城。凝固汽油弹就是一种可燃烧的凝胶，会粘到皮肤上，引起严重的烧伤。第二天，也就是3月16日，萨达姆政府突然改变了策略：负责袭击地面的飞机开始在全城的平民区散布化学武器罐，里面的成分有芥子气，还有神经毒剂，比如沙林、塔崩、维克斯等。

That day, some 3,500 to 5,000 people died within minutes. Another 7,000 to 10,000 were injured, crippled, or suffered long-term health problems.

那一天，近3500-5000人在几分钟内死亡。另外还有7000-10000万人受伤、残废或者遭受长期的健康问题。

Although there is some evidence that Saddam Hussein's forces had used chemical agents before March 16, 1988, the attack on Halabja is thought to be the first documented assault by Saddam Hussein's forces using chemical weapons. But it would not be the last.

虽然已有证据显示萨达姆的军队在1988年3月16日之前就使用过化学毒剂，但哈拉比亚袭击事件却是萨达姆军队第一次有记载的使用化学武器。但这绝不是最后一次。

Early in 1987, Saddam Hussein authorized the use of chemical weapons in attacks on as many as 24 Kurdish villages. For his role in these heinous attacks, the dictator's cousin and the campaign's commander, Ali Hassan al-Majid, earned the nickname Chemical Ali.

1987年初，萨达姆授权对24个库尔德村庄进行化学武器攻击。独裁者萨达姆的表兄弟、这次行动的指挥官阿里(Ali Hassan al-Majid)因其在这次罪恶攻击事件中的角色而获得了化学阿里的绰号。

The Al-Anfal campaign was a series of horrific crimes perpetrated by Iraqi leaders against their own civilian population. The gassing of the citizens of Halabja was one of the worst atrocities perpetuated by Saddam Hussein against his own people.

安法勒行动是伊拉克多位领导人对其子民进行的一系列惨绝人寰的罪行。对哈拉比亚平民实施的毒气攻击就是萨达姆对其子民犯下的最为恶劣的暴行。

For his part in it, and for other crimes, Chemical Ali was executed by hanging. The Iraqi Special Tribunal dropped charges against Saddam Hussein himself only because he was executed after being convicted in a separate case.

由于阿里在这次毒气攻击行动中的行为以及他所犯下的其他罪行，他被处以绞刑。伊拉克特别法庭取消了萨达姆本人的罪名，只是因为萨达姆在另外一个案子里被定罪后受到了处决。

The head of government has a responsibility to the country, and to its people, to act in their best interest. Ultimately, few dictators die in bed, or exit the scene of their crimes gracefully. The fate of those who instigated the al-Anfal and killed thousands of innocents in Halabja, should serve as a warning to others who follow in their murderous footsteps.

政府首脑不只要对国家负责，也要对其子民负责，有责任将子民的利益最大化。但最后，没有几个独裁者安然无恙的结束这一生，他们也无法优雅地逃脱因罪行而要受到的处罚。教唆安法勒行动发生并杀害无数哈拉比亚无辜平民的人都要面对自己的命运。他们的结果应该给其他步其杀人成性后尘的人以警告。