VOA标准英语2015--南苏丹冲突导致人道主义危机

South Sudan Conflict Fuels Humanitarian¹ Crisis 南苏丹冲突导致人道主义危机

People of South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, appear to be hostage to the conflict between rival ethnic² groups of President Salva Kiir and his former right-hand man, Riek Machar. Violence has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly 2 million. Many have had to leave their farms and stop producing food. Tribal³ frictions⁴ and adverse⁵ weather have affected⁶ farming communities outside the war zones. With rival leaders failing to restore peace, the oil-rich country is facing a serious humanitarian crisis.

Cattle farms in South Sudan's Lakes State look serene⁷ in the early morning hours. But villagers say anything can trigger a conflict with neighbors from a hostile tribe. Fighting to avenge⁸ a wrong, real or perceived, is part of the culture.

“If you just keep quiet, and you don't run after your cow and get it back, it's as if your manhood is being questioned. You are not strong, you are not a strong man. Who are you? In any community discussion you will be referred to as a coward," said Santo Domic Chol, deputy governor of Lakes State.

South Sudanese fought an intermittent⁹ civil war with Sudan until a peace agreement was reached in 2005, leading to South Sudan's independence in 2011. But two chief leaders of the south have become archenemies. Their personal conflict has flamed into a full-fledged civil war between the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups for the past 14 months. The latest peace talks have failed.

“In this pastoralist community, cattle raids have always been there, but to me they have not been so destructive as our time today. And I may attribute this, too, to possession of illegal arms. In the past they were using spears, and spears are not so destructive like guns," said Henry Gidudu, peace and justice coordinator¹⁰ of the Catholic Diocese in Rumbek.

Since tradition demands revenge for losing a family member, more and more villagers are getting killed.

“It has become much worse. Because your brother was killed, you go and kill another one who hasn't killed your brother, and there is another one who will just go and kill. So it's a cycle, it's increasing," said Sebastian Mabor, a nurse in Rumbek.

The northern village of Nyal is somewhat isolated¹¹ from the war zone and is housing some people displaced by violence. After her eldest¹² child was killed in the civil war, Angelina Nyalony Gai, a Nuer woman, fled to Nyal with her remaining son.

"I suffered a lot, and the hunger nearly killed me. My legs were cut up because I’d fall down, start walking again, and then fall down again. Fall down, then walk," she said.

But after recent floods devastated¹³ Nyal's crops, its isolation¹⁴ is not so advantageous¹⁵. The community largely depends on air drops of food aid.

"We don’t have food. We just go to the water and dig up the lily roots to feed the children," said Martha Nyabora, another displaced Nuer woman.

But for those who have come to Nyal for protection, the choice is simple: hunger rather than war.

The African Union countries are pushing for creation of a transitional government in South Sudan to help restore peace.

1 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。

2 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。

3 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

4 frictions   

n.摩擦( friction的名词复数 )；摩擦力；冲突；不和

参考例句：

• Family frictions can interfere with a child's schoolwork. 家庭中的争吵会影响孩子的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As far as we are concerned, these frictions are not of our own making [have been imposed on us]. 就我们来说，这种摩擦是被动式的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

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 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

8 avenge   

v.为...复仇，为...报仇

参考例句：

• He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。
• He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。

9 intermittent   

adj.间歇的，断断续续的

参考例句：

• Did you hear the intermittent sound outside?你听见外面时断时续的声音了吗？
• In the daytime intermittent rains freshened all the earth.白天里，时断时续地下着雨，使整个大地都生气勃勃了。

10 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

11 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

12 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

13 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

14 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

15 advantageous   

adj.有利的；有帮助的

参考例句：

• Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。
• You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。