2007年VOA标准英语-Somali Radio Stations Silenced After Ethiopian

By Katy Migiro
Nairobi
06 June 2007

The Somali government has closed down three main FM stations in the capital, Mogadishu.  Katy Migiro reports for VOA that the media clampdown follows a surprise visit by the Ethiopian Prime Minister aimed at shoring up confidence in the Somali government.
 
Shabelle Media Network, Horn Afrik and IQK, a Koranic radio station, were all shut down by a Somali government decree.
 
This is the second time these three radio stations have been targeted in the past six months.  No reason has been given for this latest closure.
 
But announcer Mohamed Kawashito, of Radio Puntland that operates in the semi-autonomous northern region of Somalia, says private radio stations are shut down when they criticize the government.  The stations have in the past been accused of pro-Islamic bias¹.

"Several times the traditional government has banned the Shabelle radio, Horn Afrik radio," he said.  "We do not know the reason, but I think sometimes the local station and local media pointed² to bad things or the bad situation in the central government or traditional government."

Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi (l) is welcomed by Somali PM Ali Mohamed Gedi (r) on his arrival at Mogadishu airport, 05 Jun 2007

Tuesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi paid a surprise visit to Mogadishu.  Mr. Meles' trip was aimed at boosting the morale³ of his troops, which invaded and occupied Somalia in December, as well as that of Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi who survived a fourth assassination⁴ attempt on Sunday.
 
But the secretive nature of the unpublicized Meles trip only underscored how dangerous and violent the Somali capital is.
 
Nairobi-based Somali analyst⁵ Daudi Aweis compares Meles trip to the surprise visits by U.S. President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Iraq, which he fears Somalia is starting to resemble, especially in the increasing numbers of suicide attacks against targets regarded by some as supporting a foreign occupying force. 
 
Aweis says the only solution to Somalia's problems is through negotiations⁶, not violence.

"The best way forward is to have negotiations, because all these problems are well known," he said.  "If they are discussed deeply, a solution can be obtained.  But the military solution will not be the best option to solve these problems.  Because if you try to defeat one side or to exclude one group from the Cabinet or from the government, it means that that group, according to their clan⁷ lines, they are going to regroup.  It takes for them two or three years and they can come back.  So the problem is there again."
 
Aweis believes there is little hope that progress will be made at the national reconciliation⁸ conference, due to open on June 14.
 
The transitional government has said it will not talk with the Islamic Courts, ousted⁹ in December, and the Islamic Courts say they will not come to the negotiating table until Ethiopian troops withdraw.

1 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

2 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

3 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 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。

5 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。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

8 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。

9 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。