2006年VOA标准英语-Indonesian Peacekeeping Troops Depart for Leban

--By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
08 November 2006

125 Indonesian troops have left for Lebanon to join a United Nations peacekeeping force. About 800 more Indonesian troops are expected to arrive in Beirut by the end of the month.

Indonesian peacekeeping troops line up prior to their departure to Lebanon at Sukarno-Hatta airport, Indonesia, Nov. 8, 2006

The Indonesian troops flew to Lebanon Wednesday to join peacekeepers from some 20 countries in the U.N.'s Interim¹ Force in Lebanon.

Indonesia, a secular² nation with the world's largest Muslim population, offered to send troops to Lebanon shortly after a ceasefire agreement was signed between Lebanon and Israel in August. That ended a month-long war between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah.

But the deployment³ of Indonesian troops was delayed numerous times due to logistical reasons.

Major Irawadi, the spokesman for the Indonesian troop contingent⁴ destined⁵ for Lebanon, says his soldiers are happy to go after the long wait.

"All of our personnel, of course, they are happy," he said. "From last month they are still waiting because there are three cancellations from the U.N., but finally, from today, and on the 24th, all of the members of the Indonesian contingent will go - hopefully on time."

Around 200 pieces of military equipment, including armored personnel carriers, ambulances and trucks, left Indonesia Saturday by ship bound for Lebanon.

The vessel⁶, the S.S. Wilson, is an American-owned ship hired for the U.N. mission by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command.

Indonesian military spokesman Major Irawadi says now that the military equipment has left for Lebanon, and the first wave of troops has been sent, the rest of the more than 800 Indonesian soldiers should be in Lebanon by the end of November.

"The main body will depart on 24th, maybe on 25th all of Indonesian contingent will be in Beirut," he said.

Among the soldiers being sent to Lebanon Wednesday is First Lieutenant⁷ Agus Harimurti, the eldest⁸ son of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

1 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

2 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

3 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

4 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

5 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

6 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

7 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

8 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。