2006年VOA标准英语-Efforts to Disarm in Southern Sudan Proves Diff

By Noel King
Akobo, Southern Sudan
22 August 2006

Disarming small militias² is an ongoing³ problem in southern Sudan. Following a proliferation of arms during Sudan's 21-year civil war, rival villages in the region armed themselves, leading to violent inter-tribal fighting. With the north/south war now over, southern leaders this year attempted to force villagers to give up their weapons, igniting even more violence.

Villagers in the southern Sudanese town of Akobo are celebrating today. In two weeks residents of Akobo have voluntarily relinquished⁵ to authorities some 1,300 weapons out of 1,500 believed to be in the county.

Akobo is the first village in southern Sudan to participate in a voluntary disarmament program.

The hand-over of the weapons comes in stark⁶ contrast to a forced disarmament earlier this spring. The Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA), which came to power in the south after the signing of a peace deal that ended Sudan's civil war, was given the task of collecting weapons in the south, but faced violent reprisals⁷ from southerners who did not want to give up their arms.

Southerners said they needed the weapons to protect themselves from neighboring rivals. Small villages often compete violently for resources like cattle and water.

Hundreds of SPLA soldiers and villagers died in clashes that shook parts of southern Sudan when the SPLA attempted to forcibly collect weapons.

In the aftermath of the violence, local leaders, like Doyak Shoal, the commissioner⁸ of Akobo county, began to think that a voluntary program might have more success than forced disarmament.

Shoal was proven correct, as the vast majority of weapons in Akobo were turned in to authorities in late July and early August.

"This day is a meaningful day to Akobo County because we have carried out peaceful disarmament without casualties," Shoal said. "We thought to not wait for the SPLA to come and make disarmament. Akoba has been a place of a lot of problems. Even humanitarian⁹ organizations are not willing to come because of these problems. Today we are declaring to non-governmental organizations that Akoba is a peaceful county."

The commissioner told VOA he hopes that an end to localized violence will allow the war-torn region to develop the infrastructure¹⁰ it desperately¹¹ needs.

At the moment Akobo lacks schools and though it has a hospital, the county has no doctors.

The inter-tribal clashes, mainly over resources like cattle and water, have gone on for decades. But the presence of weapons made those clashes far more deadly.

Following the disarmament there will still be challenges.

Those who have handed in their weapons are members of the Lou Nuer tribe. The Lou Nuer have had a deadly relationship with the neighboring Murle tribe who often conduct attacks on their neighbors, stealing cattle and burning homes.

It was a leap of faith for young men and boys in Akobo to relinquish⁴ their guns, while the Murle still have their weapons.

Commissioner Shoal says another attack by the Murle is preying¹² on the minds of people here.

"Our people are worried because the Murle is not disarmed¹³. Our people are very panicked. It is very important that the Murle must be disarmed," Shoal said.

Attacks on the Lou by the Murle continued this spring, with some 150 Lou reported to have been killed in raids on their villages.

David Lochead of the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Unit, worked closely with local authorities to aid the disarmament.

Lochead says there were serious doubts that voluntary disarmament would be successful.

"There was actually an increase in violence before the disarmament in anticipation¹⁴ of it because people were carrying out blood feuds¹⁵ and revenge attacks for other killings¹⁷ that had taken place in the past," Shoal said. "So they knew they were going to be disarmed one way or another so the violence escalated¹⁸ immediately before. But now the violence has completely stopped. There hasn't been any killing¹⁶ since the disarmament took place.

It is now critical for Akobo to build its police force to prevent attacks by those militias that have refused to disarm¹.

Lochead told VOA that local police have had little, if any, training. That and a lack of basic supplies like uniforms often makes it appear as if the police are simply civilians¹⁹ with guns.

Despite the difficulties that lie ahead, those in Akobo hope that their example will persuade other southerners to lay down their weapons, too.

1 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

2 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

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 relinquish   

v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手

参考例句：

• He was forced to relinquish control of the company.他被迫放弃公司的掌控权。
• They will never voluntarily relinquish their independence.他们绝对不会自动放弃独立。

5 relinquished   

交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
• The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。

6 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

7 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

9 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

12 preying   

v.掠食( prey的现在分词 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生

参考例句：

• This problem has been preying on my mind all day. 这个问题让我伤了整整一天脑筋。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• For a while he let his eyes idly follow the preying bird. 他自己的眼睛随着寻食的鸟毫无目的地看了一会儿。 来自辞典例句

13 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》

14 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

15 feuds   

n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Quarrels and feuds between tribes became incessant. 部落间的争吵、反目成仇的事件接连不断。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• There were feuds in the palace, no one can deny. 宫里也有斗争，这是无可否认的。 来自辞典例句

16 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。

17 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

18 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

19 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。