VOA标准英语2010年-Some Sierra Leoneans Decide to Stay in

After years of living as refugees in neighboring Liberia, some Sierra Leoneans are choosing to integrate into Liberian society and apply for full citizenship¹ instead of going home.

 

Jebbeh Konneh fled to Liberia as a young woman nearly 18 years ago.  She has no intention of going back, even though Sierra Leone is now at peace.  Konneh says there is nothing left for her there because rebels killed her entire family.

"When you go home, you are depending on them.  My mother, father, little brother, middle sister - the entire family was attacked," she said.

Konneh is among several thousand Sierra Leoneans applying for Liberian citizenship as part of a program sponsored by the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Liberian government.  She says it was not an easy decision.

"It was hard for me to say, but I just had to say it because there is no way for me [to go home]," she added.

Liberian Patrick Wilson, a social worker with the aid group ChildFund International, says the program gives people access to housing, land for farming, and help to pay for school fees.

"Assimilation is a process that you go through to try to understand the make-up of the environment," said Wilson.  "What we see happening is a gradual process of adapting themselves to the norms of values of this community.  And the people that we brought to this community are respectful people."

Wilson says there are many reasons why people are deciding to stay in Liberia.  Some speak of the trauma² they experienced during the long civil war.  Others say nothing at all.

Lahai Trawalay left Sierra Leone's Kalahun district and crossed the border in August of 1991.  He now has six children who were born in Liberia.

"I was a refugee, but I have decided³ not to go back home," said Trawalay.  "And I have decided to be integrated into Liberian society."

Trawalay says he does sometimes think about what life is like now in Sierra Leone, but he is confident it is better for his family to stay in Liberia.

"When I think about the past days when I was a young man, sometimes when the feeling comes in me I feel nostalgia⁴ to go back home," he added.  "But for now I cannot.  And I have kids who are quite used to the Liberian society.  I love the place.  That is why I have decided to stay here."

After nearly 20 years, Trawalay says he thinks of himself as a Liberian and hopes to soon make that change official.

"Now, I consider myself to be a Liberian because I have opted⁵ for integration⁶, and the UNHCR and the Liberian government are working towards that for me to become a full-fledged Liberian citizen," he said.

Liberia's state-run Refugee Repatriation⁷ and Resettlement Commission is building houses for more than 3,500 former refugees from Sierra Leone who have chosen local integration since the end of the voluntary U.N. repatriation program last year.

 

1 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

2 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。

5 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。

6 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

7 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网