2007年VOA标准英语-Rights Groups Call for Investigation of Guinea

By Kari Barber
Dakar
24 April 2007

Human-rights groups are calling for an investigation¹ into the Guinea government's use of force that left more than 100 dead following nationwide, union-led strikes and protests in January and February.  Kari Barber reports from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

demonstration2, part of a general strike in Conakry, 22 Jan 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070601/1052000.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Protesters march during a demonstration, part of a general strike in Conakry, 22 Jan 2007

As the new Guinean government, headed by President Lansana Conte and consensus³ Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate, begins to take form, human-rights groups are calling for an independent investigation.  They say violence committed by security forces earlier this year should not be brushed aside.

Guinean rights activist⁴ Gadiri Diallo has been looking into the government's use of force, which he says was excessive.  He says armed security forces shot unarmed civilians⁵ at protests.

Diallo says, in the past, government investigations⁶ into alleged⁷ human-rights abuses by security forces have been incomplete and have not held anyone accountable.

Diallo says he hopes that, this time, an independent investigation will quickly produce results.

Dustin Sharp, with the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, says this is a chance for the nation to move forward and reconcile.

"I think putting together an independent inquiry⁸, prosecuting⁹ those responsible for the abuses, and thereby¹⁰ really striking a blow to the impunity¹¹ that just gangrenes the Guinean judicial¹² system would be a really important step in building the rule of law and a stable, more prosperous future," he said.

Sharp says Guinea's former minister of justice has taken steps to create an independent investigative body.

"There is a political will to try to improve on what has happened in the past," he added.  "Guinea is going to need a lot of help, they have no experience doing an investigation on this scale, on this magnitude."

Guinea is in a period of relative peace following a deal between strike leaders and President Conte that led to the naming of new members of government and the appointment of Mr. Kouyate to the post of prime minister.  Despite this calm, Sharp says it is important to continue examining what went wrong.

"There is still a great anger in the Guinean population that can boil over at any point," he explained.  "I think to stabilize¹³ the situation, to prevent further repression¹⁴, it is critical those responsible for the human rights abuses perpetuated¹⁵ during the strike be brought to account."

The strike, in which many protesters called for President Conte's resignation, began in January as a reaction to inflation and perceived government corruption¹⁶.

1 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。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 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。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

7 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

8 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

9 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

10 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

11 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

12 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

13 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

14 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

15 perpetuated   

vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• This system perpetuated itself for several centuries. 这一制度维持了几个世纪。
• I never before saw smile caught like that, and perpetuated. 我从来没有看见过谁的笑容陷入这样的窘况，而且持续不变。 来自辞典例句

16 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。