2007年VOA标准英语-Media Watchdogs Express Alarm Over Somaliland J

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
07 March 2007

Press-freedom watchdogs are alarmed over the recent prison sentences of four journalists in the self-declared Somaliland republic. Cathy Majtenyi reports for VOA from Nairobi.

Publisher Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, of Somaliland's leading independent daily newspaper, Haatuf, was handed a two-year prison sentence Sunday.

His colleagues, editor Ali Abdi Dini, investigative reporter Muhammad-Rashid Farah, and correspondent Muhammad Omar Sheekh, were each given terms of two years and five months by a regional court north of the capital Hargeysa.

Dahir Rayale Kahin (2005 file photo)

Dini and Farah faced three criminal charges including defaming Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin.

The newspaper's publication license¹ was also indefinitely revoked², and the Haatuf Media Network was fined about $800.

The head of Reporters Without Borders' Africa desk, Leonard Vincent, describes to VOA the newspaper's coverage³ that led to the charges.

"Haatuf is known to be a controversial newspaper," he said. "It has been very critical of the government and especially of the president and his family."

"The specific articles that are targeted by this procedure were about alleged⁴ corruption⁵ and use of public goods by the family of the president and especially vehicles belonging to the government for personal purposes by the wife of the president," he countinued.

Vincent says such hostility⁶ is unusual for the Somaliland government. He called for President Kahin to pardon the journalists as he had earlier promised.

Somaliland analyst⁷ Iqbal Jhazbhay says Somaliland will need time to iron out press freedom and other issues, as, he says, it is a new democracy.

Jhazbhay says he is confident that the president and other authorities will step in and grant the journalists pardon.

"I also can foresee the scenario⁸ where the elders, as they have done in the past when they have been deadlocked⁹ and stalemated on key political questions and the shaping of a new democracy, that they will intervene," he said.

Somaliland, in northern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 and has held several elections judged by international observers to be free and fair.

It is often showcased as an African success story because of the democratic functioning of its government and its peace relative to the rest of Somalia.

1 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

2 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

5 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。

6 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

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 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

9 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。