2006年VOA标准英语-East Timor PM: Violence Part of Coup Attempt

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Dili, East Timor
27 May 2006
 
East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has said the violence engulfing¹ the capital, Dili, is part of a coup² plot to unseat him.

 
Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri 
  
As ethnic³ fighting raged across Dili Saturday, the prime minister of East Timor, Mari Alkatiri, told reporters that a coup attempt was under way.

"What is in motion is an attempt to stage a coup d'etat," he said.

Moments before the prime minister spoke⁴, Australian peacekeepers disarmed⁵ dozens of youths with machetes, who were threatening to storm the hotel where the press conference was being held.

Although Mr. Alkatiri did not say who he believed was behind the alleged⁶ coup plot, he alluded⁷ to the widely rumored⁸ split between himself and the popular president and independence leader, Xanana Gusmao.

"I am confident that the President of the Republic will not cease to respect the constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, which he swore to comply with," he added.

Frightened East Timorese run past a burning car in Villa⁹ Verde neighborhood of Dili, May 27, 2006   
  
Fighting raged across the capital Saturday, as foreign peacekeepers struggled to control the situation and failed.

The violence was triggered last month when 600 dismissed soldiers rioted, complaining of discrimination.

Mr. Alkatiri claims Dili's descent into anarchy¹⁰ is no longer a result of clashes between the armed forces and rebel soldiers. He says it is now caused by armed gangs taking advantage of the situation, possibly to settle old scores.

"It is, rather, violence stemming from the planned and opportunistic action of gangs, who have been looting and burning houses and goods, and threatening our martyrized people," he explained.

An Australian soldier takes up a defensive¹¹ position along Dili's main street Friday, May 26, 2006 in Dili  
  
The gangs have been rampaging through Dili, neighborhood by neighborhood, some torching houses of people they claim were loyal to the Indonesian military before independence.

Tiny East Timor is one of Asia's poorest countries, with a population of just one million.  Nearly half the work force is unemployed¹².

The conflict has forced the government to appeal for international help, and hundreds of Australian troops have already arrived, along with a contingent¹³ from Malaysia.  New Zealand and Portugal are also sending peacekeepers.

1 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句

2 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 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。

5 disarmed   

v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。
• The swordsman disarmed his opponent and ran him through. 剑客缴了对手的械，并对其乱刺一气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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

7 alluded   

提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。
• She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

8 rumored   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• It is rumored that he cheats on his wife. 据传他对他老婆不忠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was rumored that the white officer had been a Swede. 传说那个白人军官是个瑞典人。 来自辞典例句

9 villa   

n.别墅，城郊小屋

参考例句：

• We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
• We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

10 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

11 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

12 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

13 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。