VOA常速英语2016--八方致力战后排雷行动

八方致力战后排雷行动

For people living in former conflict zones, war may not end for years after the last shot has been fired and the peace agreement is signed. Land mines and unexploded munitions 1, remnants of the war between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the Colombian government, stand in the way of post-accord stabilization 2 and reconstruction 3, and inhibit 4 long-term development.

对于居住在前身为冲突区域的人来说，只有最后一枪真正的打响，并且和平协议签订后，战争才算彻底结束，而这一切需要数年才能实现。而哥伦比亚革命军及哥伦比亚政府之战所残留的地雷、未燃爆的军需品、战争遗留物却阻碍着签订和平协议后的安全稳定、重新建设、长期发展。

They render millions of hectares of land unusable, preventing farmers from tending their fields and herders from pasturing their cattle. In many regions of Colombia, ordinary travel is dangerous because roads are lined with minefields and a misstep could cost a passerby 5 his or her life. Even everyday activities like gathering 6 wood or forest fruits, hauling produce to the market, or even taking a short-cut through the fields are fraught 7 with danger. Too many children have lost their lives and limbs chasing a stray soccer ball into a mine field.

此外，上百万公顷的土地因此而无法开垦，农民不能耕种土地，牧民无法游放牧羊。哥伦比亚的很多地区都是常规旅行的危险地，因为很多马路遍布地雷，一个失足就可能酿出打酱油的千古恨。即便是日常作业，比如采集木材和水果、赶集，甚至在田地里抄个近路，都非常危险。很多孩子在追逐不小心滚到雷区的足球时，就不幸丧命或断臂。

The United States and Norway have long worked together to remove and destroy landmines 8 and unexploded ordnance 9. This partnership 10 has saved thousands of lives and helped rebuild post-conflict communities around the world.

在排雷方面，美国和挪威一直精诚合作。他们的伙伴关系挽救了成千上万的生命，并帮助在全球重建冲突后的社区家园。

In February, the two countries founded the Global Demining Initiative for Colombia, a program to help Colombia rid itself of explosive remnants of war left over from more than five decades of conflict, which has ended with a peace agreement announced August 24. Since then, 22 countries plus the European Union have committed to the Initiative. And in late July, the two partner countries created the U.S.-Norwegian Demining Initiative, which will support mine clearance 11 in Syrian and Iraqi areas that have been liberated 12 from ISIL.

今年二月，两国为哥伦比亚成立了全球排雷行动，该行动致力于帮助哥伦比亚排除从战争打响到8月24日才以和平协议告终的战争的遗留爆炸物。从那之后，22个国家与欧盟一道致力于此项行动。7月下旬，美国和挪威又成立了美国-挪威排雷行动，该行动致力于支持从伊斯兰国手中解放的叙利亚和伊拉克地区的排雷行动。

While more government-to-government cooperation is important, we need all the help we can get to address the challenges of landmines and unexploded ordnance, wrote Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security in a recent blog post.

罗斯是负责美国军控与国际安全的副国务卿，她在最近的一个博客中写道，“虽然更多的政府间合作很重要，但应对排雷的挑战，我们需要八方支持”。

The Colombia initiative has shown the importance of engaging many partners, including governments, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector 13 in the demining effort. Regional public-private partnerships 14 can generate fresh ideas, find new ways to help safely clear unexploded ordnance in post-conflict countries.

哥伦比亚的排雷行动展现了凝聚各方合作伙伴的重要性，包括政府、非政府组织、民间团体、私企。地区内政府和非政府力量的合作可以激发全新的想法，为战后地区的安全排雷寻找新途径。

International support, not only from governments, is essential to saving lives and preventing injuries in the aftermath of war, wrote Under Secretary Gottemoeller. “Nations and civil society, including businesses, can work together to ensure that all people are able to walk the earth in safety.”

罗斯还表示，“来自八方的国际支持对于减少伤亡很有必要。包括商业在内的国家和民间社会可以一道合作，确保所有人都能安全活动。”。