2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Rebel Group Threatens Retaliation Over

By Gilbert Da Costa
Abuja
04 July 2006
 
 
Militants² patrol the creeks³ of the Niger Delta⁴ area of Nigeria (File photo - Feb. 24, 2006)
  
Ethnic⁵ militants fighting for local control over Nigeria's oil wealth have threatened to attack the police in Rivers state, located in the Niger Delta.  The threat followed the killing⁶ last week of three militants by the police.

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Security has been stepped up in Nigeria's main oil city, Port Harcourt, as the city braces⁷ itself for fresh attacks by the Movement for the Emancipation⁸ of the Niger Delta, known as MEND.

The group has staged a series of attacks this year that have killed an unknown number of security forces. MEND, a loose coalition⁹ of militant¹ groups, has vowed¹⁰ swift revenge for what it alleged¹¹ were the summary executions of three of its so-called freedom fighters.

The police confirmed three people had been killed, but denied they were executed. The police said they were armed robbers who were killed in an ambush¹².

Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state, has suffered attacks from militants groups in recent weeks. Kelvin Ebiri, a Port Harcourt resident, says there is now a pervasive¹³ sense of insecurity in the southern oil city.

"The fear of insecurity in Port Harcourt is very real," he said. "There is a sense of insecurity here, no doubt about it. Port Harcourt night life used to be a thriving one but now because of the insecurity, you hardly find people out. Like in my office area, once it is 6; 6.30; 7 p.m you hardly find taxis along the road."

The police, however,are playing down on the threat of further violence and the prevailing¹⁴ tension. State police chief, Samuel Agbetuyi, says security forces are battle-ready for the insurgents¹⁵.

"If a section of Nigeria is threatening they will kill the others, then we will wait now, for them. But we are not fighting each other. Nobody is fighting any other person,"said Agbetuyi.

MEND has waged a series of attacks and kidnappings since January against oil industry targets in the region, leading to an estimated 20 percent drop in Nigeria's oil production. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer and the world's sixth exporter.

Analysts¹⁶ say the current wave of violence could seriously hurt the oil-and-gas industry.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 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。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 braces   

n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。
• You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。

8 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

11 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

12 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

13 pervasive   

adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的

参考例句：

• It is the most pervasive compound on earth.它是地球上最普遍的化合物。
• The adverse health effects of car exhaust are pervasive and difficult to measure.汽车尾气对人类健康所构成的有害影响是普遍的，并且难以估算。

14 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

15 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

16 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。