VOA常速英语201116--也门内战升级

也门内战升级

Eighteen months ago, a conflict between Yemen's elected Sunni government and the Houthi opposition 1, allied 2 with elements loyal to the country's former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, escalated 3 into a civil war. Subsequently, at the request of the elected Yemeni government, a coalition 4 led by Saudi Arabia launched military air strikes against the Houthi rebels.

18个月前，也门当选的逊尼派当局与集合了效忠前总统盟友的反对党什叶派之间冲突再起，升级为也门内战。随后，应逊尼派当局的要求，沙特阿拉伯领导的一支盟军对什叶派发起了空袭。

And, as is usual in armed conflict, it is the civilian 5 population that suffers the most. Since the conflict broke out in March of last year, some 6500 people have been killed, about half of them civilians 6. At the same time, more than 3.1 million Yemenis have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the country—or 21 million people—are in need of humanitarian 7 assistance.

无异于任何空袭行动，深受其害的依然是平民百姓。自去年3月冲突首次暴发以来，近6500人惨遭丧命，其中近半数为平民百姓。此外，还有310万也门人民流离失所，也门80%的人口——近2100万人，亟需人道主义援助。

The numbers don't begin to capture the true depth of the tragedy, but they are nevertheless staggering, said Secretary of State John Kerry at a recent press conference. “Food shortages have driven prices up 60 percent since last March, and they have brought the country to the brink 8 of famine.”

对此，美国国务卿约翰在一次新闻发布会上如是说道，“这些数字虽不能完全反映也门悲剧的真实情况，数量之大，却已十分惊人。自去年三月以来，由于食物紧缺，物价已上涨60%，致使也门全国迫近饥荒状态”。

The Yemeni people need help and they need it now. But unfortunately, donations are slow in coming, said Secretary of State Kerry. “To date, the international response to this crisis has fallen short of filling the gap between the supplies that are available and those that are required.”

约翰还表示，“也门人民需要帮助，就是现在、此时、此刻。但不幸的是，捐助来得很慢。目前为止，国际社会对也门此次饥荒危机的回应远远不能弥补也门目前供不应求的状况”。

To help fill that gap, the United States, already the largest donor 9 of aid to Yemen, will contribute another $189 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The new funding will go toward additional food and nutrition assistance, emergency health care, hygiene 10 kits 11 and psychosocial support. It will also help improve access to drinking water and sanitation 12. Some of the money will also go toward providing food and shelter for Yemeni refugees in the Horn of Africa.

为了弥合供求差距，已然身为也门最大捐献国的美观，将再次捐献1.89亿美元作为亟需的人道主义援助。这笔新援助资金将用于额外的食物营养补给、紧急治疗、医药箱、心理支持。同时也将用于为也门人民提供水源和卫生环境。还有一部分资金将用于为非洲之角的也门难民提供食物和避难所。

We strongly urge other countries in and outside the region to expand their contributions as well, said Secretary of State Kerry. “Every party has an obligation to allow the unfettered flow of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in all parts of the country. That is necessary to save lives, and it is also mandated 13 under international law, and it is the right thing to do.”

约翰说道，“我们强烈敦促其他国家和地区也向也门伸出援助之手。任何一方政党都有义务为人道主义援助开路，送往也门各地。这对挽救生命很重要，也是法律规定的正确之事”。