2007年VOA标准英语-Sectarian Violence in Indonesia Reaches Critica

By Chad Bouchard
Jakarta
24 January 2007

 

Experts say a Southeast Asian terrorism network has expanded its influence in Central Sulawesi amid escalating¹ violence during the past month.

A new report from the International Crisis Group says terrorist cells are behind attacks against Christians³ in central Sulawesi during the past three years.

Those attacks were previously⁴ thought to be an extension of local sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians that has plagued the area since 2001. But research by the Brussels-based policy institute shows that the attacks were engineered by the regional terror network, Jemaah Islamiah, as part of its agenda to escalate⁵ religious conflict.

Jemaah Islamiah is connected to bombings in Indonesia, including blasts in Bali in 2002 that killed 202 people.

squad6 take part in a raid on an Islamic militant7 stronghold in Poso, 22 Jan 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070517/1529450.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Members of an Indonesian anti-terror squad take part in a raid on an Islamic militant stronghold in Poso, 22 Jan 2007

The report warns the Sulawesi violence could spread. Anger at police raids this month could radicalize militants⁸ who have previously opposed attacks on Western targets, boosting Indonesia's weakened militant movement, says Sidney Jones, director of the Crisis Group's Jakarta office.

"The problem now is, and it is a real serious danger, is that the jihad in the Poso area that has up till now been primarily focused on revenge against local Christians will in fact turn into a jihad against the police, and that is what needs to be avoided at all costs," said Jones.

A January 11 raid on militant hideouts in Central Sulawesi province caused an influx⁹ of mujahedin fighters to help defend remaining members of Jemaah Islamiah. Fifteen people were killed in a three-hour shootout on Monday in Poso, the provincial¹⁰ capital.

The raids were aimed at capturing 20 key militant leaders placed on a most wanted list in May 2006.

In the report, Sidney Jones calls for the Indonesian government to move quickly to calm rising tensions. She questions whether police used excessive force in the raid on Monday.

"Well I think the government has to move extremely quickly to both explain why these individuals were wanted, exactly what they had done, but then I also think it is important that they investigate the way the operations were conducted so that the anger against the police is at least addressed and people can see through an independent investigation¹¹ whether additional measures could have been taken to prevent these casualties or not," said Jones.

Central Sulawesi remains¹² scarred by sectarian conflicts between Muslims and Christians that have killed more than 1,000 people since 2001.

Most Indonesians are Muslim, but about half of the population in Poso is Christian².

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

6 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

7 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。

8 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。

9 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

10 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

11 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。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。