2007年VOA标准英语-Human Rights Groups Say DRC Needs Dialogue, Not

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
27 March 2007

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, human-rights organizations say they are not reassured² by President Joseph Kabila's statement that the military action that left dozens dead last week was necessary to maintain peace. They say the way to national reconciliation³ is open dialogue and space for a strong opposition⁴. Naomi Schwarz has this story from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

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Joseph Kabila holds press conference in Kinshasa, 26 Mar 2007

In a press conference Monday, Congolese president Joseph Kabila said the situation that led to two days of violent battles was military, not political.

Mr. Kabila said it was necessary at all costs to re-establish order as quickly as possible. If you do not have peace, he said, you have nothing.

At the press conference, Mr. Kabila accused opposition leader and former Vice⁵ President Jean-Pierre Bemba of attempting to seize control of part of the capital, Kinshasa. The state has issued a warrant for Bemba's arrest, under charges of high treason and says his actions constituted a rebellion.

But some observers say the events leading to the fatal clashes are murky⁶.

Rostin Manketa, an investigator⁷ for the Kinshasa-based human rights organization Voice for the Voiceless, said, "We are launching an independent investigation⁸ in order to clear the matter, to clear everything, on what happened, to know exactly who started, who opened fire first."

He says, whatever the investigation turns up, he is not convinced by Mr. Kabila's assertion that the problem required an immediate⁹ military response.

"There is a long standing¹⁰ misunderstanding and conflict between the president and former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba," he said. "So we think both of them were still keeping a misunderstanding. It was a political crisis between both leaders."

"That is why for the sake of peace, the sake of national reconciliation, I do not think that the head of state was right to resort to arms just to settle the matter," Manketa explained.

In November, Bemba came in second place in elections that were widely hailed as a crucial step toward democracy after more than four decades of civil war since independence.

Manketa says for the young democracy to move forward, the DRC's leaders need to allow opposition voices to be heard. But he says he fears Mr. Kabila is trying to consolidate¹¹ his power by quashing his rivals.

Local journalist Eddy¹² Isango says this is a fear others share.

Isango says many worry Mr. Kabila's violent reaction last week will intimidate¹³ other members of the opposition.

Bemba has said he fears for his safety. Prior to last week's incidents, he had refused to integrate his guard into the national military for this reason. He remains¹⁴ in the South African Embassy where he took refuge last Thursday, and says he may go into exile if he cannot be assured of his safety.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 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。

6 murky   

adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗

参考例句：

• She threw it into the river's murky depths.她把它扔进了混浊的河水深处。
• She had a decidedly murky past.她的历史背景令人捉摸不透。

7 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

12 eddy   

n.漩涡，涡流

参考例句：

• The motor car disappeared in eddy of dust.汽车在一片扬尘的涡流中不见了。
• In Taylor's picture,the eddy is the basic element of turbulence.在泰勒的描述里，旋涡是湍流的基本要素。

13 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

14 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。