Afghan interpreters win right to new life in Britain 阿富汗口譯員贏得在英國展開新生活的權利
◎陳維真
Up to 600 Afghan interpreters who served with British forces in Afghanistan will be offered the chance of a new life in Britain after a government U-turn, it was revealed on Wednesday.
週三曝光的消息指出，多達600名協助英軍的阿富汗口譯員在政府政策大轉彎後，將獲得在英國展開新生活的機會。
Prime Minister David Cameron had initially decided to discourage the interpreters from settling in Britain for fear of the message it would send out about the stability of Afghanistan as foreign forces pull out.
英國首相卡麥隆一開始反對讓阿富汗口譯員定居英國，擔心此舉會在外國部隊退出時傳達阿富汗情勢不穩的訊息。
Many of the Afghans say their lives are in danger from the Taliban due to their work with British forces in the restive southern Helmand Province.
多名阿富汗口譯員表示，他們因為在不安寧的南部赫曼德省和英軍合作，生命安全受到「神學士」威脅。
Although details of the new plan have yet to be released, interpreters who served on the frontline for at least one year will be allowed to move to Britain with close family members on a five-year visa.
儘管新計畫的細節尚未公佈，但在前線支援一年以上的口譯員可拿到5年簽證，與家屬一同移居英國。
They will reportedly be able to choose between cash payments if they stay in Afghanistan or settle in a country nearby, and the right to move to Britain.
據報他們有權選擇移居英國，或選擇獲得現金報償留在阿富汗，或是到附近國家定居。
Those who wish to remain in Afghanistan will be paid their salary for five years if they train or study, or be paid for 18 months if they do not.
希望留在阿富汗的人，若接受訓練或上課，可拿到5年的薪水，反之則可拿一年半的薪水。
The Downing Street source said Cameron "has been very clear that we should not turn our backs on those who have trod the same path as our soldiers in Helmand, consistently putting their lives at risk to help our troops achieve their mission".
（AFP）
（唐寧街）首相府消息人士表示，卡麥隆「清楚表明我們不該拒絕幫助那些與我們在赫曼德省的士兵同路的人，他們一貫將生命置於險境，來幫助我們的部隊達成任務。」
（法新社）
新聞辭典
discourage：動詞，以表達不贊同或製造困難的方式阻止。例句：The plan is designed to discourage smoking in public places.（這項計畫意在阻止於公共場所吸菸。）
restive：形容詞，不安寧。例句：The crowd had been waiting for hours and many were becoming restive. （群眾已經等了好幾個小時，許多人已開始騷動。）
turn back on：片語，拒絕或拋棄。例句：She turned her back on her career to devote her life to animals. （她放棄事業，將人生奉獻給動物。）
文章出處：<a href="http://iservice.libertytimes.com.tw/Service/english/">自由時報電子報中英對照新聞
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