2006年VOA标准英语-E. Timor PM Agrees to International Invest

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
07 June 2006

East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has agreed to an international investigation¹ into the violence that has gripped his tiny country since last month. He says, however, he will not step down as rebel soldiers demand.

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Mari Alkatiri  
  

With pressure mounting for his resignation, East Timor's embattled Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has refused to step aside, saying he was democratically elected.

After a meeting Wednesday with rebel soldiers holed up in the hills near Dili, the United Nation's representative in East Timor, Sukehiro Hasegawa, says Alkatiri has agreed to a transparent² investigation.

"He's agreeable to the investigation to be carried out with the participation³ of the international investigators⁴ and the prosecutors," he said.

East Timor was plunged⁵ into violence after Alkatiri fired 600 of the army's 1,400 soldiers after they deserted⁶ over alleged⁷ discrimination and poor working conditions.

The move led to a wave of violence that has gripped the capital Dili, with armed gangs from the east and west of the country roaming the streets, fighting, looting, and setting buildings on fire.

People from the west of the country are seen as having supported Indonesia during its 24-year rule of East Timor, while those from the east are seen as having fought for independence.

Many blame Alkatiri's handling of the crisis for the country's current turmoil⁸.

The violence brought a peacekeeping force of 2,500 troops from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Portugal to Dili at the government's request. Their presence has brought some relief to the streets during the past week.

The U.N. secretary-general's special envoy⁹ to East Timor, Ian Martin, left Dili Wednesday, saying he will recommend that the Security Council approve a U.N. mandated¹⁰ police force for the country.

"Just about everybody I've talked to believes that there will now be a larger role for the U.N. than in the immediate¹¹ past and certainly than was envisaged¹² in the Security Council discussions before the crisis emerged," he said. "I think also that there is a consensus¹³ that policing is crucial but also that is a role that the United Nations would be asked to take on."

After East Timor was devastated¹⁴ by pro-Indonesian militias¹⁵ before and after the territory voted for independence.  The United Nations later stepped in and helped run the territory. In 2002, it was declared fully¹⁶ independent, and the U.N. sharply reduced its operations there.

Around 2,000 protesters demanded Alkatiri resign on Tuesday and new elections be held.

East Timor is not scheduled to hold elections until May 2007.

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 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。

3 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

4 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

6 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

7 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

8 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

9 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

10 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。

13 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

14 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

15 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

16 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。