VOA常速英语2007年-UN Refugee Chief Calls For Political Solution i

By Selah Hennessy
Goma
15 December 2007

The United Nations High Commissioner¹ for Refugees Antonio Guterres has visited a displacement² camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.  He told reporters the conflict situation in Congo needs a political rather than a humanitarian³ response. But until civilians⁴ can return home in safety, he said, humanitarian organizations must do their best to provide aid. Selah Hennessy reports for VOA from Goma.

Almost 200,000 civilians in North Kivu province have been displaced since fighting erupted in late August between the army and renegade troops.

Displaced women and children sang and danced on Friday, welcoming the arrival of U.N. refugee chief Antonio Guterres.

He was visiting camps at Buhimba, just outside the regional capital Goma, where thousands of civilians have arrived in the last week following clashes between the army and rebel fighters.

In one camp, in a large hut, with rain pouring down outside, Guterres told a group of displaced people that he feels a deep sorrow for their suffering.
 
Speaking to reporters, he said he knows not enough can be done to improve their plight⁵.

"Different international organizations are working together, trying to give the best possible assistance," he said.  "But let's be honest, that assistance is far from reaching the levels to which these people should be entitled to have."

He says it is important that the international community is aware of the conflict in eastern Congo and is proactive in trying to help the many people who have been affected⁶ by it.

"Remember the tsunami⁷. When we had that tsunami, there was plenty of money, plenty of interest everywhere in the world," he added.  "But the number of people that die in DRC for different reasons, but that should not die, corresponds to one tsunami each six months."

But he said, ultimately, the answer to the problem in North Kivu province is political and must be solved by political rather than humanitarian means. "My appeal is for peace to be quickly re-established and based on that peace for these people to be able to go back home," he added.  "In between we will do our best to assist them here but even the whole of the organizations that are working here together in the humanitarian field we are powerless."

Renegade troops loyal to former general Laurent Nkunda say they are fighting to protect local ethnic⁸ Tutsis from Rwandan ethnic Hutus.

The government launched a renewed attack against Nkunda and his men at the beginning of December. But after early victories the army has suffered a series of losses.

Nkunda's highly disciplined guerrilla fighters have now taken back all the positions they held before the fighting began.

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

8 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。