US Forces Will Attempt to Seize Illegal Weapons in Haiti

US Forces Will Attempt to Seize Illegal Weapons in Haiti

 

Alex Belida

 

A senior U.S. military commander says the U.S.-led multi-national force in Haiti will attempt to seize illegal weapons from armed groups, in what he calls "a nation of violence," where there are many guns.

 

General James Hill, commander of the U.S. military's Southern Command, is appealing to Haitians with illegal firearms to turn them in. "We strongly encourage all civilians² to lay down their weapons and disarm³ to ensure the safety and security of Haiti."

 

Speaking to Pentagon reporters before returning to his headquarters in Miami, General Hill says the commander of the 1,600 U.S. Marines now in Haiti will seize weapons from any Haitians they meet while on patrol. "As his forces move through Port-au-Prince, and they encounter any armed Haitian, they are to take that weapon from that Haitian."

 

General Hill says exceptions will be made for individuals on legitimate⁴ security jobs, who have a valid⁵ Haitian weapons permit. He also says the Haitian police will take the lead in the disarmament effort.

 

But in addition to weapons encountered on patrols, he says U.S. forces will hunt down illegal weapons stockpiles they may learn about. "As we develop intelligence and can find weapons caches, we are going to go after those."

General Hill says disarmament represents a new mission for the Marines and other members of the multi-national force. He says it is not an expansion of the force's duties but rather a clarification. He also says the force will intervene to halt any violence between Haitians.

 

He says there is no evidence of any organized resistance to the presence of multi-national troops, who moved into Haiti in the wake of political unrest that led the country's president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to flee.

 

In addition to 1,600 U.S. Marines, the force includes over 500 French soldiers, more than 320 Chileans and over 50 Canadians with an additional 400 Canadians expected to arrive shortly. It will eventually turn over peacekeeping responsibilities to a United Nations force.

 

注释：

commander of the U.S. military's Southern Command　 美国南方司令部司令

firearm [5faIErB:m] n. 武器，枪炮

civilian¹ [si5viljEn] n. 平民

Pentagon   五角大楼（美国国防部的办公大楼）

patrol [pE5trEul] n. 巡逻

Port-au-Prince 太子港（海地首都）

encounter [in5kauntE] v. 遭遇，遇到，相遇

stockpile [5stCkpail] n. 积蓄，库存

cache [kAF] n. 隐藏处所

clarification [7klArifi5keiFEn] n. 清楚，明了

intervene [7intE5vi:n] v. 干涉

flee [fli:] vt. 逃避，逃跑，逃走

Chilean [5tFIlIEn] n. 智利人

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

4 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

5 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？