马达加斯加工人洗劫中国糖厂
The Chinese Embassy in Madagascar expressed shock Sunday at a deadly riot involving local workers at a Chinese-run sugar plant and criticized the island nation's government for failing to protect Chinese interests.
中国驻马达加斯加使馆周日发表声明，就当地一家中国制糖厂发生的致死骚乱，批评马国政府保护中方利益不力。The statement came three days after local workers clashed with Madagascar security forces, leaving two people dead, before they looted the sugar plant in Morondava.
该声明发表的三天前，当地的工人和军警发生了冲突，至少两人死亡，工人们之后洗劫了穆龙达瓦的一家制糖厂。
The embassy said the Chinese staff evacuated the factory because of fears for their safety.
使馆在声明中说，中方雇员出于自身安全的担忧已经从工厂撤出。
"We hope the Madagascar government will take necessary measures to properly handle the attack at the Morondava sugar plant and to erase the ill impact this incident has brought to the country's international image and its ability to attract foreign investments so as to create a good environment for Madagascar to cooperate with China and other countries," the statement said.
“我们希望马国政府采取必要措施，妥善处理穆伦达瓦糖厂遭袭事件，消除事件对马国际形象和吸引外资造成的恶劣影响，为马达加斯加与中国和世界各国的合作创造良好环境，”声明说道。Madagascar Prime Minister Roger Kolo and the country's industry minister, Jules Etienne Rolland, have pledged to try to resolve the situation.
马达加斯加总理罗杰·库卢(Roger Kolo)和工业部长朱尔斯·艾蒂安·罗兰德(Jules Etienne Rolland)已经表示要妥善处置骚乱。The labor protest started when the plant's seasonal workers demanded contracts that offer better pay and better conditions, according to reports.
据报道，当地工人抗议活动爆发起因在于一些季节性短工要求中方提供更好的合同，以得到更好的收入及其他条件的改善。The Chinese Embassy said the requests were unreasonable, and that the workers began in early November to block the factory, cutting off utilities, harassing employees and sabotaging equipment.
中国使馆称这些要求是无理的，工人们从11月初开始就封堵厂区道路，切断工厂水电，驱逐上班员工，破坏工厂设备。Confrontation escalated after Madagascar security forces arrested two strike leaders.
在马达加斯加军警逮捕两名罢工领袖后，冲突扩大。On Wednesday, about 500 workers rushed to a base of the security forces to demand the release of their colleagues, and police fired tear gas and live ammunition, the Madagascar Tribune reported. Two people died. Police said they were acting in self-defense because some workers had guns and machetes.
据《马达加斯加先驱报》报道，周三，约500名工人冲到当地安全部队的一处基地，要求释放他们的同事，警察发射了催泪瓦斯和实弹。两人在冲突中死亡。警方称自己的行动是出于自卫，因为一些工人持有枪支和砍刀。The official China News Service said the workers were armed with axes, slingshots and rocks.
官方媒体中国新闻社称，工人们持有斧子、弹弓和石块。Rioters then converged on the factory, looted its sugar supply and set fire to a building. Some looters carried bags of sugar on their backs or in carts and wheelbarrows, and some of it was quickly sold on the illegal market, according to reports.
据报道，骚乱者们之后聚集到了工厂，洗劫了糖品供给并放火烧了大楼。一些掠夺者或用背扛、或用小推车运着成包的白糖，其中很多很快就被卖到了黑市上。China is Africa's largest trading partner, but closer ties have resulted in sometimes violent labor disputes.
中国目前是非洲最大的贸易伙伴，但这种亲密关系有时也导致了劳工纠纷。
