VOA常速英语2007年-Niger Rebels Attack Convoy, Refuse to Negotiate

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
05 December 2007

Ethnic¹ Tuareg rebels in Niger say they will not negotiate with the current government because the government will never meet their demands. The statements follow an attack this week on a government convoy² that was to restock goods in a town surrounded by rebel forces. Naomi Schwarz has more from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

Vice³ president for the rebel Nigerien Movement for Justice, the MNJ, Acharif Mohammed, says the group has made its latest move. Now, he says, it is up to the government to respond.

"Now we are waiting to know what is the real strategy of [the] army if they want to attack back or something like that and then we can plan other operations," he said.

The rebels say they used rockets to destroy nine vehicles in a military convoy and killed all the soldiers inside. The vehicles held food and supplies for the town of Iferouane, a military stronghold in Niger's northern mountains, which is surrounded by rebel-held territory.

The government disputes the rebels' description of what took place. It says some soldiers were injured and some were killed when their vehicles drove over landmines⁴.

Witnesses say there were casualties on both sides.

More than 40 government troops have been killed since Tuareg rebels launched their most recent uprising in February. They are demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of the region's uranium wealth.

The government has refused to negotiate with them. Niger President Mamadou Tandja has attributed the violence in his country's deserted⁵, desert north to drug traffickers and bandits. He says the government has met the terms of a 1995 peace deal that ended an earlier conflict between the government and Tuareg rebels.

MNJ leader Mohammed says the rebels will not negotiate with President Tandja's government.

" Our vindications cannot be made, I mean, applicated, by this government. So we think that it is better for us, for a definitive⁶ peace, to wait for a stable government," he said.

Niger, perennially⁷ near the bottom of the United Nations Human Development index, has suffered a series of coups⁸ and assassinations⁹ since the first democratic elections were held there in 1993. Mr. Tandja, serving his second term after re-election in 2004, was the first president to have served a complete term in office.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。

5 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

6 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

7 perennially   

adv.经常出现地；长期地；持久地；永久地

参考例句：

• He perennially does business abroad. 他常年在国外做生意。 来自辞典例句
• We want to know what is perennially new about the world. 我们想知道世上什么东西永远是新的。 来自互联网

8 coups   

n.意外而成功的行动( coup的名词复数 )；政变；努力办到难办的事

参考例句：

• China has seen many political coups within the ruling class. 中国统治阶级内部发生过很多政变。 来自互联网
• Thailand has had eighteen coups or coup attendance since nineteen thirty-two. 泰国1932年以来有18次政变或参加政变。 来自互联网

9 assassinations   

n.暗杀( assassination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Most anarchist assassinations were bungled because of haste or spontaneity, in his view. 在他看来，无政府主义者搞的许多刺杀都没成功就是因为匆忙和自发行动。 来自辞典例句
• Assassinations by Israelis of alleged terrorists habitually kill nearby women and children. 在以色列，自称恐怖分子的炸弹自杀者杀害靠近自己的以色列妇女和儿童。 来自互联网