VOA标准英语2011--Europe Accused of Ignoring Libya Refugee

Europe Accused of Ignoring Libya Refugees

European countries have been accused of a totally inadequate¹ response to the refugee crisis on Libya's borders. Hundreds of thousands of mainly sub-Saharan migrants were forced to flee Libya following the brutal² crackdown on anti-government protests earlier this year.
Refugees take shelter from a sandstorm at the Shousha camp on Tunisia's border with Libya.
The sweeping³ political change in both countries has done little to change the lives of the people stranded⁴ in this desolate⁵ camp.
Human rights group Amnesty International says they are being forgotten by the outside world.
Charlotte Phillips is a refugee activist⁶ for Amnesty.
"Many are from countries such as Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea, countries where we know there are conflicts and people are being persecuted," said Phillips. "These are people who have been displaced not just once, but twice. They've been forced to flee from their homes and they've been forced to flee again from Libya."
Libya under Colonel Moammar Gadhafi attracted hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from across Africa and beyond.
The outbreak of conflict in February forced them to flee.
"They also suffered grave human rights abuses at the hands of both pro- and anti-Gadhafi forces," added Phillips. "Many sub-Saharan Africans were targeted and accused of being mercenaries."
Shishay Tesfay shelters behind a tent along with several of his Eritrean compatriots at the Shousha camp. He was living in Tripoli when anti-government protests began in February.
"We got into a little bit of trouble because of the Libyan people demonstrating," Tesfay recalled. "And we were afraid for our lives; we tried to escape to save our lives. You can see life is a little hard because the climate is like a desert. We live in tents… you can see all the tents here burned out. And if just one tent burns, almost 40 tents will be destroyed."
Amnesty says just eight European countries have offered fewer than 700 asylum⁷ slots between them, and as Europe took part in the NATO bombing of Libya, it has a duty to take action.
"European countries can and must resettle refugees," added Phillips. "These are people who have already been recognized as refugees. Relatively⁸ speaking, we are talking about quite small numbers of people. We're talking about 5,000 refugees, so around 3,800 in Shousha refugee camp [in Tunisia] and 1,000 in Egypt."
Tens of thousands of refugees from Libya have already reached Europe by crossing the Mediterranean⁹ on dangerously overloaded¹⁰ boats.
It's estimated 1,500 people have drowned.
Amnesty International says more and more refugees are resorting to returning to Libya, to try to board boats for the perilous¹¹ journey across the Mediterranean.

1 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

2 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

3 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

4 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

5 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

7 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

9 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

10 overloaded   

a.超载的，超负荷的

参考例句：

• He's overloaded with responsibilities. 他担负的责任过多。
• She has overloaded her schedule with work, study, and family responsibilities. 她的日程表上排满了工作、学习、家务等，使自己负担过重。

11 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。