2007年VOA标准英语-Right Group Warns of Instability During Congo A

By Franz Wild
Kinshasa
25 January 2007

Human rights group Amnesty International warned Thursday the Democratic Republic of Congo's army reform threatens its stability. Franz Wild has the details from Kinshasa.

Congolese army soldiers use a bicycle to transport a wounded soldier after battles with a local warlord (file photo - 28 Nov 2006)

Amnesty says Congo's transition to peace and democracy could be undone¹, if the process of reforming the army and integrating rebel groups is not drastically changed.

In a report, it says what it calls the "failed scheme" risks leading to new political and military crises, with increased violence and more human rights violations³.

Rebel commanders have received high-ranking positions in the national army, despite allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The human rights group identifies corruption⁴ as a central problem with the army. It says commanders inflate⁵ troop numbers to receive more pay, but little of this trickles⁶ through to the soldiers at the bottom.

It says the army resorts to armed robbery and violation² of human rights to extort⁷ money from civilians⁸. The United Nations considers the national army Congo's worst human rights abuser.

Congo started reforming its army in 2003, after rebel groups signed up to end five years of war, which left nearly four million people dead.

President Joseph Kabila, who was confirmed in office in last year's first elections in four decades, has pledged to improve the security situation in Congo, especially in its turbulent east.

He has the support of the U.N.'s biggest peacekeeping mission, with nearly 18,000 military personnel.

1 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。

2 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

3 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 inflate   

vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价）

参考例句：

• The buyers bid against each other and often inflate the prices they pay.买主们竞相投标，往往人为地提高价钱。
• Stuart jumped into the sea and inflated the liferaft.斯图尔特跳到海里给救生艇充气。

6 trickles   

n.细流( trickle的名词复数 )；稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Trickles of sweat rained down my head and neck. 我颈上头上的汗珠，更同盛雨似的，一颗一颗的钻出来了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
• Water trickles through an underground grotto. 水沿着地下岩洞流淌。 来自辞典例句

7 extort   

v.勒索，敲诈，强要

参考例句：

• The blackmailer tried to extort a large sum of money from him.勒索者企图向他勒索一大笔钱。
• They absolutely must not harm the people or extort money from them.严格禁止坑害勒索群众。

8 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。