VOA常速英语2007-Former Child Soldier Turned Rapper Works for Pea

By Malcolm Brown
Washington
10 October 2007
 
From harrowing experiences as a child soldier to international recognition as a hip-hop artist, Emmanuel Jal's life has followed an extraordinary path. At the age of seven, he was taken away to fight with rebel forces in Sudan's brutal¹ civil war. After his escape, Jal is now working on a new album and documentary about his life. Malcolm Brown caught up with the child-soldier-turned-rapper during a recent visit to Washington, D.C.

Watching Emmanuel Jal perform now, it is hard to imagine his life as a child soldier in the Sudan People's Liberation Army.  "Left home, don't even know the day I will ever return," he says onstage.  "My country is war-torn. The music I used to hear was bombs and fire of guns. So many people die that I don't even cry no more."

Having swapped² an assault rifle for a microphone, he now uses this stage to seek help for his troubled country.

Among those who came to hear Jal perform in Washington, D.C. were activists³ concerned about the Sudanese region of Darfur including Megan Ragany. "When people can see someone like Emmanuel Jal, who's an amazing person, and has gone through all of this, it's just a really powerful way to get the message across," she says.

It is a testament⁴ to Jal's star power that he was introduced at Georgetown University by the U.S. government's special envoy⁵ for Sudan, Andrew Natsios. "To have a Sudanese, who's also a famous person - a legendary⁶ figure in the pop world - to speak about these issues, I think is very important to educate the American people and the rest of the world about what the reality is in Sudan," said Natsios.

Jal does not sugarcoat that reality, talking openly about combat and the horrors of his escape through the bush. "I was sleeping next to a friend of mine, and he died that night," he recalls.  "And I said:  OK, fine, I am going to eat you tomorrow, my friend, because I have nothing to eat."

Jal says he never actually resorted to cannibalism⁷, though others did. He clearly sees reliving the painful past as a duty. "There are a lot of young children who were my age who have gone through (a) tough life, worse than my situation, but they have no chance to be heard, and the only thing I can do is sacrifice my pride and my everything and talk about the story to represent them," he says.

A new documentary by 18th Street Films tells that story, along with a music album. Jal uses his high profile to promote Gua Africa - a charity he founded.  He also campaigns for peace in his native Sudan. "The higher you go, the bigger the responsibility, the more the pressure and the higher the demand for people to expect you to do things," says Jal.

He says he hopes that his music will motivate a young and international audience with the energy and passion to make a difference.

1 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

2 swapped   

交换（工作）( swap的过去式和过去分词 )； 用…替换，把…换成，掉换（过来）

参考例句：

• I liked her coat and she liked mine, so we swapped. 我喜欢她的外套，她喜欢我的外套，于是我们就交换了。
• At half-time the manager swapped some of the players around. 经理在半场时把几名队员换下了场。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

7 cannibalism   

n.同类相食；吃人肉

参考例句：

• The war is just like the cannibalism of animals.战争就如同动物之间的互相残。
• They were forced to practise cannibalism in order to survive.他们被迫人吃人以求活下去。