2007年VOA标准英语-Renewed Violence in Chad, Sudan Force New Rebel

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
10 April 2007

In Chad, dozens of people have been reported killed or wounded in fighting that began Monday between government forces and rebels in the eastern part of the country near the border with Sudan.  Chad's government says its forces entered Sudan in pursuit of the rebels, but the rebel groups deny they entered Chad.  Phuong Tran spoke¹ with a rebel leader on the border of Chad and has this report for VOA. 

Chad's President Idriss Deby (R) shakes hands with rebel leader of the United Front for Change (FUC) Mahamat Nour Abdulkerim (L) in Libya, 24 Dec 2006

Amine Ben Barka, who until recently was second in command of one of the main rebel groups, the National Chadian Concord², says the fighters did not cross into Sudan. He says government forces were looking for an excuse to carry out attacks in Sudan.

Barka says he split off from the Chadian Concord, because of disagreements to form his own rebel alliance, the Concord of Progress and Recourse. 

Barka, who was once a director of Chad's central bank, says the lack of unity³ among rebel groups can cripple their movement.

Members of the main rebel groups, including the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development, have called for a meeting of all the opposition⁴ groups to create a common agenda. 

Barka blames the government of President Idriss Deby for scores of civilian⁵ deaths in recent fighting and says rebels must unite to confront the government.

Barka accuses Chad's army of giving arms to civilians⁶ along the Sudanese border, increasing inter-ethnic violence and civilian fighting. 

But the Chadian government says it is Sudanese militia⁷, also known as Janjaweed fighters, who have killed and displaced thousands in cross-border raids.

The UN refugees agency says Janjaweed militiamen killed as many as 400 people in Chad's southeastern villages of Marena and Tiero in cross-border fighting 10 days ago.

Leaders from different countries, including China and South Africa, are supporting U.N. efforts to convince Chad and Sudan's leaders to accept more international peacekeepers in the unstable⁸ region.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 concord   

n.和谐；协调

参考例句：

• These states had lived in concord for centuries.这些国家几个世纪以来一直和睦相处。
• His speech did nothing for racial concord.他的讲话对种族和谐没有作用。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

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 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

8 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。