VOA常速英语2007-Senegal Demands Probe into Attack on AU Troops i

By Kari Barber
Dakar
01 October 2007

The government of Senegal is warning it will consider pulling its troops out of the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur if steps are not taken to guarantee the safety of their contingent¹. At least 10 African Union peacekeepers from Nigeria, Mali and Senegal were killed in a rebel attack on an AU base late Saturday. Kari Barber has more from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Senegal government officials have issued a statement demanding a probe into Saturday's attack and urging a fast deployment² of a joint³ African Union and United Nations force expected to begin patrols by the year's end.

Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade⁴ said if it is found the troops killed were not equipped to defend themselves, Senegal would consider a pull out.

Five Senegalese troops were also killed in April in an attack in Darfur.

Among those killed in the attack late Saturday were seven soldiers from Nigeria, a Senegalese police officer and military observers from Mali and Botswana. Many more are missing.

Senegal military spokesman Ousmane Sar says the future of the nation's military involvement in Darfur is up to the government. The troops, he says, remain resolute⁵, despite the heightened risks, in their commitment to defend Darfur or any area they are deployed⁶ to.

"It is a problem because when you have a soldier killed it is a problem," said Sar. "With the military, part of its job is danger everywhere, but we are facing it and we are taking care of it."

The expansive Darfur region is patrolled by about seven-thousand African troops. The combination AU and U.N. force is expected to total about 26,000.

Africa analyst⁷ Festus Aboagye with Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies says it is difficult for often poor African nations to come up with and sustain an adequate force for a conflict such as Darfur.

"You are talking about a continent where democracies are fragile and there are other serious law and order issues and serious crimes and then, of course, natural disasters and such," he said. "I am arguing that Africa is being expected to punch above its weight."

Aboagye says the African Union has put forth⁸ its best efforts to use African troops to solve African problems, but the funds and manpower are just not there.

"I think we need to commend the African Union for the political will it has been able to demonstrate. Beyond political will we must now deal with the substance, and the substance is what I think is worrisome," he said.

Saturday's attack is being called the worst aggression⁹ on African Union troops since their deployment to Darfur in 2004.

1 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

2 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

5 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

6 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。