VOA學習-South Sudan Must Allow Aid

South Sudan Must Allow Aid

The United States is gravelyconcerned by the serious escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Pibor County in South Sudan's Jonglei State. As many as 120,000 civilians have fled  their homes as a result of spikes in the ongoing battle between state and non-state actors and inter-communal clashes. These vulnerable populations are living outside of protected communities and don't have enough food, safe drinking water, shelter, and health care.

This large-scale displacement comes at the onset of the rainy season when these semi-nomadic communities traditionally return to town centers. The military has a responsibility to protect civilians, but there have been disturbing reports of Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA, soldiers harming and intimidating civilians in Jonglei State. The government of the Republic of South Sudan must ensure that its military forces adhere to humanitarian principles and protect all civilians regardless of their background or ethnicity.

Town centers are highly militarized, preventing civilians from freely and safely returning. To help alleviate this rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis, the United States is calling for an immediate relocation of SPLA garrisons out of town centers and the removal of commanding officers with records of civilian endangerment from service in Pibor County. The people of Jonglei must be able to return to key population centers to receive urgent life-saving assistance.

The United States remains committed to doing all it can to reach vulnerable populations wherever they are in South Sudan. The U.S. welcomes the government of the Republic of South Sudan's efforts to help aid agencies begin to reach as many as 25,000 people in remote, demilitarized bush areas for the first time last week. 

All restrictions on humanitarian assistance for those in desprate need must stop. The United States joins its humanitarian partners in calling on all parties to the conflict to ensure unfettered humanitarian access to all parts of Jonglei, and the U.S. is prepared to increase its support if and when additional access is granted.

gravely[greɪvlɪ] adv. 嚴肅地；莊重地；嚴重地；沉重地

communal  adj.公社的；  公民的；  公共的；  公用

escalation [ˌeskə'leɪʃn] 擴大，增加

fled [fled] v. 逃走，逃掉( flee的過去式和過去分詞 )；逃離，逃避

ongoing [ˈɒngəʊɪŋ] adj. 不間斷的，進行的；前進的 n. 前進，發展；行爲，舉止 

clashes [klæʃiz] 打鬥

vulnerable[ˈvʌlnərəbl] adj.（地方）易受攻擊的；易受傷的；易受批評的； [橋牌]已成局的

adhere [ədˈhiə] vi.黏附；附着；堅持；追隨vt.使粘附；遵循，堅持；追隨，依附

ethnicity [eθˈnɪsəti] n.種族地位，種族特點，種族淵源

alleviate [ə'li:vɪeɪt] vt.減輕，緩和

garrisons [ˈɡærisnz] n.守備部隊，衛戍部隊( garrison的名詞複數 )

removal [riˈmu:vəl] n.免職； 除去； 移走； 搬遷

intimidating[ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪtɪŋ]vt.恐嚇，威脅( intimidate的現在分詞)

desperate[ˈdespərit] adj.絕望的； 由絕望而引起的； 鋌而走險的，孤注一擲的； 急切的，極度渴望的