2007年VOA标准英语-Many Lebanese Welcome UN Hariri Tribunal

By Margaret Besheer
Beirut
30 May 2007

The U.N. Security Council resolution establishing an international court to try suspects in the 2005 assassination¹ of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was welcomed by supporters of the former prime minister. From the Lebanese capital, VOA's Margaret Besheer reports.

It has been 836 days since the popular former prime minister was assassinated² in a massive truck bombing along Beirut's seaside that also killed 22 others.

The assassination, blamed on neighboring Syria, set off a wave of events that led to Damascus withdrawing its troops from Lebanon after a nearly 30-year presence. It also triggered a series of murders of several prominent anti-Syrian journalists and politicians in Lebanon.

Prime Minister Hariri's son and political heir, Saad, welcomed Resolution 1757, which narrowly passed with 10 votes in favor and five abstentions.

Hariri's tomb is covered in white flowers with a Lebanese flag overhead

In a televised address late Wednesday, Saad Hariri said the world community has given Lebanon an important victory.

Hariri became emotional, invoking⁴ his father and saying he was loved by all Lebanese and was a friend to all Arabs. He said he feels his father's presence with him always and certainly at this moment when the international tribunal has been declared.

Separately, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora addressed the Lebanese people urging unity³.

He says the Security Council's decision should not be considered a victory for any one party or specific group in Lebanon. Rather, he says, it is a victory for all Lebanese everywhere.

Mr. Siniora had tried to get the Lebanese government to approve the establishment of the tribunal, but pro-Syrian factions⁵ stalled the effort, causing a political crisis that has effectively paralyzed the government.

Following their late night television appearances, both men went separately to the grave of Mr. Hariri in central Beirut to pray. Many supporters had gathered there earlier in the day ahead of the U.N. vote to pray, leave flowers and light candles.

Chawkee Farhat was among the visitors.

"Tonight is a special night, it is an important night and it is an important event in the history of our country, and hopefully it is a turning point," said Chawkee Farhat.

Ziad, a law student at Beirut Arab University, says he came to show his support for the international tribunal.

"We are here to say we never forgive anyone who did this assassination - this inhuman⁶ assassination - because this person [Hariri] did nothing to anyone," said Ziad. "He did not harm anyone. All he wanted was peace and Lebanon to flourish."

Supporters pray at the tomb hours before the UN vote

Mr. Hariri's tomb lies in the shadow of a grand mosque⁷ he built and in an area of the capital that he rebuilt after Lebanon's bloody⁸ 15-year civil war ended in the early 1990s.

Nader Nakib, president of the Youth Association of Hariri's Future Movement, says Hariri's supporters have waited two years for this moment.

"You cannot get him back, definitely, but at least we can give him peace," said Nader Nakib. "He can rest in peace because he would know that the assassins would be tried, for once at least, in the Middle East."

Security was tightened⁹ across the Lebanese capital Wednesday evening. Fireworks, the firing of guns and the use of motorbikes were all banned overnight to preserve public safety. But despite the ban, celebratory fireworks could be heard in the city.

1 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

2 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

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 invoking   

v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求

参考例句：

• You can customise the behavior of the Asynchronous Server and hence re-brand it by defining your own command set for invoking services. 通过定义自己调用服务的命令集，您可以定制自定义异步服务器的行为，通过为调用服务定义自己的命令集从而对它重新标记。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• You can customize the behavior of the Asynchronous Server and hence re-brand it by defining your own command set for invoking services. 通过定义自己调用服务的命令集，您可以定制自定义异步服务器的行为，通过为调用服务定义自己的命令集从而对它重新标记。 来自辞典例句

5 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

6 inhuman   

adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的

参考例句：

• We must unite the workers in fighting against inhuman conditions.我们必须使工人们团结起来反对那些难以忍受的工作条件。
• It was inhuman to refuse him permission to see his wife.不容许他去看自己的妻子是太不近人情了。

7 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

8 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

9 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。