2006年VOA标准英语-Press Watchdog Blasts Blocking of French Radio

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
28 November 2006

The international press watchdog Reporters Without Borders Tuesday called on the Rwandan government to reverse its decision to prohibit a French radio station from broadcasting in the country. The blocking of the broadcasting is part of the Rwandan government's move to cut ties with France following arrest warrants a French judge issued against top aides alleged¹ to have assassinated² the former presidents of Rwanda and Burundi. Cathy Majtenyi reports for VOA from Nairobi.

---

Paul Kagame (file photo)

The head of Reporters Without Borders' Africa desk, Leonard Vincent, tells VOA his organization is writing to Rwandan President Paul Kagame to protest Monday's order to stop Radio France International, or RFI, from broadcasting in Rwanda.

"We're going to try to find a good argument to make him understand that he has taken the wrong decision and that his anger is going too far," he explained. "We're not going into the debate on the genocide. Today, it is not political radio - it is great and recognized international radio, and it shouldn't be the victim of the crisis between Rwanda and France."

In addition to the radio station, the Rwandan government also closed French schools and other institutions. The French ambassador left Rwanda on Saturday, while remaining French officials and staff were gone by Monday night.

Rwanda Friday recalled its ambassador to France and cut ties with the European country over arrest issues that French Judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere issued the week before.

In an earlier interview with VOA, Minister of Foreign Affairs Charles Murigande said he thinks France was "deeply involved" in the genocide, and it is guilt³ and a desire for power that is behind the warrants.

"The aim of France is to overthrow⁴ our government and bring back to power those who committed genocide because they were their allies," he said.

The arrest warrants charge nine presidential aides with murder and being an accessory to murder in the April 1994 downing of an airplane carrying then-President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira.

That incident was to spark 100 days of bloodshed in which Hutu extremists killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Rwanda has vehemently⁵ denied the allegations, accusing France of being deeply involved in the genocide and issuing the warrants out of a sense of guilt, desire for power over Rwanda, and jealousy⁶ at Rwanda's progress.

Meanwhile, French Judge Bruguiere maintains that only the Rwandan Patriotic⁷ Front, headed by then General Kagame, had missiles capable of shooting down the airplane to wrest⁸ power from the government in office.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

3 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

4 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

5 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

6 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

7 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

8 wrest   

n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲

参考例句：

• The officer managed to wrest the gun from his grasp.警官最终把枪从他手中夺走了。
• You wrest my words out of their real meaning.你曲解了我话里的真正含义。