VOA慢速英语2014 中非共和国面临失去下一代

 

AS IT IS 2014-11-26 Central African Republic Losing the Next Generation 中非共和国面临失去下一代

The Central African Republic has been unsettled since 2013. First, the Seleka rebel group ousted¹ the government. The Seleka fighters were mostly Muslim. Christian² militias⁴ answered with rebel attacks. Thousands of people have been killed in the fighting. Millions have been forced from their homes.            

Among the victims are children whose parents died or have gone missing. For these boys and girls, joining an armed group is one of the only ways to find protection.

A boy named Jerome said he joined a militia³ when an opposing group attacked his village. Some people were burned in their homes. Others were shot when they sought to run away.

“I’ll never forget that day,” he says. “The Seleka killed my uncle. That pushed me to join the anti-balaka militia.”

The anti-balaka is a coalition⁵ of armed groups opposed to the Seleka rebels. Another boy, Serge, joined the anti-balaka just before it attacked the capital in December 2013. 

He says, “I was a good fighter. Fearless. The commander liked me.”

Serge says he is 17 years old. But he has a boy’s face and a thin body. He looks much younger.                                                   

Most children in the armed groups are teenagers. Some are younger than 10.                                                                

Serge says children’s ages and sizes help to determine their positions in the armed groups. Strong boys such as Serge might become fighters. Younger children clean up.             

Judith Léveillée is a deputy representative of UNICEF, the United Nations’ Children’s Fund. She said the number of children who are part of armed groups has risen over the past few months. She says that up to 10,000 children have ties to the armed groups. Some have been part of the militias for two years.

“In some cases, they’ve gone so far in the level of atrocities⁶ that it’s very difficult for them to return to where they are from. If we don’t accelerate and respond to the needs, there is a risk there will be a lost generation in this country.”

UNICEF has negotiated with the groups to release about 1,400 of the children, including Jerome and Serge. One fifth of the children being released are girls. Ms. Léveillée says they were used as cooks, cleaners or were given to commanders to marry.

“They do all the camp chores, but also act as sex slaves or they get under the protection of one of the commanders. Sometimes they get pregnant. Some are really young, 10, 12, 14 years old. When they are released from the armed groups we really have to pay attention to their needs and to make sure to provide them with support so that they can earn a living or go back to school and care for their child.”

Ms. Léveillée says the children need a chance to re-join their families. But for some, like Jerome, returning to his mother and father is not possible.

Serge is not in contact with his family either, and he does not know what is happening in his hometown. He said when he was with the anti-balaka group, he wore a rebel uniform that made people respect him. He felt like a man.

If the battle continues, he said, and the group needs him, he will join the anti-balaka again.

Words in this Story

rebel – adj. acting⁷ against a government or power, often with force

militias – n. armies of citizens instead of professional soldiers; private armies

village – n. a very small town            

1 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

4 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 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》

7 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。