2006年VOA标准英语-Senegal's Repatriated Immigrants Fight for Thei

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar, Senegal
17 October 2006

Senegal and Spain's government say thousands of would-be illegal immigrants have been repatriated¹ in the past month, after trying to get to Europe by boat. After their forced return, many are now demanding help to get jobs in Senegal. Naomi Schwarz has this report from Dakar, with additional reporting by Julie Vandal in Casamance.

-----

 
Pirogues take Senegalese to Europe 
  
El Hadj Malick Ndiaye is one of the thousands of Senegalese who have been repatriated, after crossing to the Canary Islands illegally in small fishing boats in the hopes of reaching Spain.

He was brought back forcibly by plane, but still holds Spain in high esteem², chanting with friends about his experience.

Now back home in southern Senegal, he has been unable to find work, and feels worse off than before he left. But he does not blame the Spanish government for sending him away.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Spanish government, he says, adding, "muchas gracias", thank you in Spanish, for all they have done for us.

Instead, Ndiaye saves his anger for his own government.

They told us there would be work for us when we got back here, but they have forgotten us completely, Ndiaye says. There is no work, there is nothing for us.

Ndiaye is the spokesman³ for a new group called the Citizen's Committee of Senegalese Clandestines. The group consists of more than 900 Senegalese from the southern Casamance region who migrated⁴ illegally to Spain and have been repatriated.

Together with similar groups from other regions of Senegal, they hope to create a national organization to bring their complaints directly to the prime minister's office. With sufficient numbers, they hope their voices will finally be heard.

  
  
At 16-years old, Rama Thioye is the youngest member of the organization. She had to leave school when her parents could no longer afford to pay. She too made the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands in the hopes of eventually earning money that she could send home to help her parents.

We want to work hard, she says. That is all we want.

The returned immigrants say they would have been happy to stay in Senegal. They say they are regular citizens; farmers, merchants, skilled tradesmen, and the like who have tried to earn a living in their chosen profession. Most have tried several different professions, only to continuously struggle.

The West and Central Africa representative for the Geneva-based Organization of International Migration⁵, Armand Rousselot, agrees that illegal migration is a development problem, not a criminal one.

"I think it is important to address the root causes of irregular migration. The main origin of irregular migration is the economic differences between the north and the south, the lack of economic opportunity in the country of origin, such as Senegal.

Senegal's government has signed a cooperation agreement with Spain to try to better monitor the West African coast and curb⁶ illegal migration. Senegal's government has also pleaded⁷ with those who want to go to Europe to use legal channels. It says it is doing what it can to reduce unemployment, estimated by many economists⁸ as above 40 percent.

1 repatriated   

v.把（某人）遣送回国，遣返( repatriate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The refugees were forcibly repatriated. 难民被强制遣送回国。
• Ancient artworks were repatriated from the US to Greece. 古代艺术品从美国遣送回希腊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

3 spokesman   

n.发言人，代言人

参考例句：

• The government spokesman gave a quick briefing to the reporters.政府发言人向记者们作了情况简介。
• They drew lots to decide who should be their spokesman.他们抽签决定谁是他们的发言人。

4 migrated   

v.迁移，移往( migrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Pioneers from New England migrated to all parts of the United States. 来自新英格兰的拓荒者移居到美国各地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Great herds of buffalo migrated across the plains. 大群野牛迁徙过平原。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

6 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

7 pleaded   

恳求，请求( plead的过去式和过去分词 )； 提出…为借口[理由]； （向法庭）陈述案情； （在法庭）申辩，认罪，辩护

参考例句：

• She pleaded with him not to go. 她恳求他不要离开。
• She wept and pleaded until he agreed to do as she wished. 她哭着恳求他，一直到他答应按她的愿望去做。

8 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》