克里:阻止腐败的关键是打击极端主义

AS IT IS 2016-08-30 Kerry: Stopping Corruption¹ Key to Fighting Extremism 克里:阻止腐败的关键是打击极端主义

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the best way for governments to stop extremist groups is to fight corruption and reduce poverty.

Kerry was speaking during a visit last week to Nigeria. He met with the country’s top Muslim leader, Sa’adu Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, in northern Nigeria. Kerry said it is up to governments to give people reasons not to join extremist movements.

“To win the struggle for the future, nations need to do more than just denounce bankrupt dead-end ideologies² that the terrorists support. They also have to offer their citizens an alternative that is better.”

Kerry added that people who believe the government system is failing them may eventually become demoralized.

Boko Haram

The Secretary of State condemned³ the Nigerian-based Islamic extremist group Boko Haram. The group has been fighting for seven years to establish an Islamic government in northern Nigeria. It has so far killed more than 20,000 people and displaced up to 2.7 million.

“Boko Haram boasts no agenda other than to murder teachers, burn books, kidnap students, rape⁴ women and girls, and slaughter⁵ innocent people, most of whom are Muslims.”

Nigeria’s military has made progress against Boko Haram in recent years. But the fighting has put millions at risk of starvation.

As Secretary Kerry arrived, the military claimed it had killed senior Boko Haram fighters in an attack in the northeast. A military statement said the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, was also believed to have been “fatally wounded.”

The secretary linked the fight against groups like Boko Haram to rampant⁶ government corruption in Nigeria. Analysts⁷ say one reason that so many of the country’s 170 million people are living in poverty is corruption.

Anti-corruption campaign

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was elected after promising⁸ to fight corruption. He says he has made the issue a priority. He spoke⁹ about his efforts after meeting Kerry in the capital Abuja.

“We will retrain our staff,” Buhari said. “And those who run afoul of these rules will be prosecuted¹⁰, no matter who is involved.”

Some observers say Buhari has broken campaign promises by putting too few reforms in place to crack down on looters. But Kerry said the U.S. supports Buhari’s anti-corruption policies.

“Already, President Buhari is working with civil society to encourage official transparency and accountability. It is so important to restoring trust among the people.”

Kerry also issued an indirect warning to Nigeria’s military, which has been accused of carrying out atrocities¹¹.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have issued reports on the military’s activities. Both reported cases of soldiers torturing Boko Haram suspects and killing¹² members of another separatist group and a Shi’ite Muslim sect¹³.

“It is understandable that in the wake of terrorist activity, some people are tempted¹⁴ to crack down on everyone and anyone who could theoretically pose some sort of a threat. Extremism cannot be defeated through repression¹⁵ or just creating fear.”

Words in This Story

bankrupt – adj. when a business runs out of money and cannot continue

demoralized – adj. losing confidence and hope

slaughter – v. the violent killing of a group of people

rampant – adj. growing quickly in a way that is hard to control

priority – n. something important that is put ahead of other things

run afoul – adj. some into conflict with something

looter – n. person who takes money or belongings¹⁶, especially in emergencies or riots

transparency – n. the state of being transparent¹⁷, clear

sect – n. a group of people who share a particular set of beliefs, often extreme

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 ideologies   

n.思想（体系）( ideology的名词复数 )；思想意识；意识形态；观念形态

参考例句：

• There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态，都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比，才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

5 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

6 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

11 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

13 sect   

n.派别，宗教，学派，派系

参考例句：

• When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
• Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。

14 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

15 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

16 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

17 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。