【慢速听力 3篇 】Aid for African Migrants in Libya Getting in the...
No.1
AS IT IS
Aid for African Migrants in Libya Getting in the Wrong Hands
January 04, 2020
Rescued migrants are seated next to a coast guard boat in the city of Khoms, around 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Hazem Ahmed)
The European Union (EU) started sending millions of dollars in aid to Libya in 2015 to slow the numbers of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. The money came with promises to improve migrant detention centers. The centers are paid for in part by the EU and enabled by the United Nations.
But, an Associated Press investigation found that the migrant detention centers in Libya have become places of torture and abuse.
Background
Since 2014, migration has been an issue of increasing importance for European citizens, notes the European Council on Foreign Relations, a research group. This is the result of more people fleeing poverty and violence in Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan, and then arriving in Europe.
The issue became especially important in 2015 when more than 1 million migrants arrived there.
In reaction to the crisis, the EU set up a fund meant to reduce migration from Africa. Some of the fund’s money goes to Libya.
Since 2015, the EU says it has spent more than 400 million euros on projects in Libya. Most of the money has been spent through U.N. agencies such as the International Organization for Migration, IOM, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR.
Libya, however, has a problem with corruption and is involved in a civil war between the UN-supported government in Tripoli and militia groups based in the east. The chaos helps people who are trying to make money from migrants’ problems.
The AP found large amounts of EU money have been sent to militiamen, traffickers and coast guard members who exploit migrants. In some cases, the AP said emails suggest that U.N. officials knew militia groups were getting the money.
The militias involved in abuse take money given to feed and help migrants, who then go hungry. For example, millions of euros in U.N. food contracts were under negotiation with a company controlled by a militia leader. At the same time, other U.N. teams raised concerns about starvation at the same detention center.
That information comes from emails received by the AP and discussions with at least a six Libyan officials.
In many cases, money goes to neighboring Tunisia to be laundered, where it then goes back to militias in Libya.
The EU’s records show that its officials knew of the dangers of the migration crisis in Libya. Budget documents from 2017 warned of a medium-to-high risk that Europe’s support would lead to more human rights violations against migrants.
Prudence Aimée’s story
The story of Prudence Aimée and her family shows how migrants are exploited in their journey through Libya.
Aimée left Cameroon in 2015. When her family heard nothing from her for a year, they thought she was dead. She was, however, held in a detention center in Libya.
In nine months at the Abu Salim detention center, she told the AP that she saw “European Union milk” and diapers delivered by U.N. workers. But those goods were taken before they could reach migrant children, including her young son. Aimée said she would spend two days at a time without food or something to drink.
In 2017, a man came looking for her with a photograph of her on his phone.
“They called my family and told them they had found me,” she said. “That’s when my family sent money.” Crying, Aimée said her family paid $670 to get her out of the center.
She was moved to another place and eventually sold to another detention center. Her captors asked for more money — $750 this time — from her family. Her captors finally released the young mother. After her husband paid $850, she got on a boat that got past the coast guard.
A European humanitarian ship rescued Aimée, but her husband remains in Libya.
Aimée was one of more than 50 migrants spoken to by the AP. Reporters also spoke with government officials, aid workers and businessmen in Tripoli.
EU and UN response
Both the EU and the U.N. say they want the detention centers closed.
In a statement to the AP, the EU said that under international law, it is not responsible for what goes on inside the centers. The EU also said more than half of the money in its fund for Africa is used to help and protect migrants, and that it depends on the U.N. to spend the money wisely.
The U.N. said the situation in Libya is highly complex. It has to work with whoever runs the detention centers to keep them open for migrants.
“UNHCR does not choose its counterparts,” said Charlie Yaxley, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency. “Some presumably also have allegiances with local militias.”
After two weeks of being questioned by the AP, UNHCR said it would change its policy of giving food and aid contracts for migrants through other groups.
Yaxley said UNHCR would offer contracts directly for services needed for the centers.
Julien Raickman was, until recently, the Libya chief for the aid group known as Doctors Without Borders. He said he believes the problem started with Europe’s unwillingness to deal with the politics of migration.
I’m Dorothy Gundy.
And I’m Susan Shand.
Maggie Michael, Lori Hinnant, and Renata Brito reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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Words in This Story
enable – v. to make (something) possible, practical, or easy
fund – n. an amount of money that is used for a special purpose
chaos – n. complete confusion and disorder : a state in which behavior and events are not controlled by anything
trafficker – n. a person who buys and sells something that is illegal
exploit – v. to use (someone or something) in a way that helps you unfairly
launder – v. to put (money that you got by doing something illegal) into a business or bank account in order to hide where it really came from
diaper – n. a piece of cloth or other material that is placed between a baby's legs and fastened around the waist to hold body waste
presumably – adv. very likely — used to say what you think is likely to happen or be true even though you are not sure
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No.2
AS IT IS
Trend in Brazil’s Cocoa Industry: GI Labels
January 04, 2020
Brazilian cocoa growers are learning lessons from French wine makers.
Like producers of wine from France’s Champagne area, Brazil’s chocolate industry is using geographical indication, or GI labels with good results. These labels show where the cocoa comes from and its quality. The special labels can lead to higher prices on the market.
Henrique Almeida is the 63-year-old owner of a farm in Coaraci, in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. He is pleased with the "South Bahia" geographical indication for his cocoa.
"The production of fine cocoa and the creation of the geographical indication label make it possible to have a profitable business and pull our region upwards," Almeida said.
For many years, farmers in Bahia had produced common cocoa, used widely in the chocolate industry.
But in 1989, an outbreak of "witches' broom" disease sharply reduced the productivity of Bahia's cocoa trees. These trees make up to 86 percent of Brazil’s national crop.
At the time, Almeida, like other producers in southern Bahia, chose to improve the quality of his crop in order to be able to continue growing.
"When I bought the farm, standard cocoa prices were low, and cocoa farmers were unmotivated, while the chocolate market was doing well," he told the French news agency AFP. "I started growing fine cocoa to make my own chocolate and add value to my product."
The label is the result of 10 years of work by Almeida and other cocoa producers, as well as cooperatives and researchers. Together, they created the South Bahia Cocoa Association to define production rules. The National Institute of Industrial Property registered the GI in 2018 to make the label official.
The “South Bahia” label is the second GI given to Brazilian cocoa. The Linhares region in the state of Espirito Santo was the first GI to be registered in 2012. Tome-Acu in the northeastern state of Pará became the third in 2019.
I'm John Russell.
Agence France-Presse reported on this story. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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Words in This Story
indication – n. something (such as a sign or signal) that points out or shows something
label - n. a name shown on a product that gives information about the company, or person who sold, produced, or designed it
region – n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way
productivity -- n. the rate at which goods are produced or work is completed
standard – adj. regularly and widely used, seen, or accepted : not unusual or special
unmotivated -- adj. having no desire to do or succeed at something, not motivated
register -- v. to record information about (something) in a book or system of public records
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No.3
AS IT IS
Sudanese-American Player Promotes Wheelchair Basketball
January 04, 2020
Wheelchair basketball is becoming more popular in South Sudan. The sport offers hope for athletes with disabilities. Some lost their legs from unexploded bombs left from decades of conflict.
U.S. professional wheelchair basketball players recently helped 80 South Sudanese players in a week-long training program and competition. Among them was Malat Wei, a Sudanese-American wheelchair athlete.
Wei was three years old and living in South Sudan when he lost the use of his legs to the polio disease.
Wei lived in a refugee camp for several years. When he was 12, his family moved to the United States. He later played wheelchair basketball at the University of Arizona.
In December, he returned to South Sudan as a role model for other disabled athletes.
"I went through the same situation that these athletes are going through. So as for me coming back, it's a hope for them saying that there is someone that actually cares about us.”
Wei helped train 80 South Sudanese wheelchair basketball players for a two-day competition in Juba. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the South Sudan Wheelchair Basketball Association organized the training.
Wei says that in two years, the number of wheelchair basketball players in the country has more than doubled. In 2019, 15 women were included for the first time.
Anna Doki Gabriel had never played basketball before. She told VOA, "For me as a person in a wheelchair, basketball has really made me feel that we can do something just like able-bodied people."
South Sudan has more than 1.2 million people with disabilities.
Jess Markt is the disability and inclusion adviser for the ICRC. He has trained wheelchair teams in Afghanistan, the Middle East and South America. He says the training helps to change harmful opinions people may have about those with disabilities.
“Once they start to have that confidence in themselves and they start to realize that maybe what they've always been told about what their place in society should be is not what their place in society should be; they should expect more from themselves and from the society around them.”
Wei says inclusion and acceptance is not the only thing the athletes learn.
“These athletes, they're all from different tribes, from different backgrounds. But when they come to the basketball court, the sport just brings this joy of all the South Sudanese uniting together and to collaborate and to work together as one country."
I’m Jonathan Evans.
Sheila Ponnie reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words in This Story
athlete – n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength
role model – n. someone who another person admires and tries to be like
collaborate – v. to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something