2007年VOA标准英语-Chad's Rebels and Government Continue Peace Dia

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
07 August 2007

For the past six weeks, representatives of Chad's main rebel groups have been in negotiations¹ with Chad government officials to end a conflict that has recently shifted from the northern to the eastern part of the country.  From VOA's bureau in Dakar, Phuong Tran has more on the negotiations, which are being held in Libya.

Unidentified officials from the Chadian government and rebel leaders hostile to President Idriss Deby meet in Tripoli, Libya, 21 June 2007

Amine Ben Barka was once a director of Chad's central bank.  Now he is leader of one of the rebel groups that is negotiating with officials of the Chad government.  Barka says a lack of unity² among rebel groups has hurt the rebels' ability to negotiate with the government.  

Barka himself has changed alliances twice within the past year, but he says the rebel leaders realize they must work together if they want political change.

The rebel negotiator says the rebels and government officials exchanged drafts of their positions and demands.  He says so far government officials have refused the rebel demand to name a rebel military leader to the post of prime minister.

Barka says Libyan mediators have suggested the rebels compromise and accept a deputy prime minister position. He says his side is consulting its members before they respond.

Political analyst³ Alex Vines, with London-based Chatham House, says the outcome of these negotiations is just as important to securing peace in West Africa as pending⁴ talks between rebels and government officials in neighboring Sudan.

"The Chadian crisis has been exacerbated⁵ by the dynamics⁶ of the Darfur conflict, [but] it is important to de-link these now and address each conflict individually," he explained.

Chad shares a border with Sudan and in recent years violence from Sudan's ethnic⁷ war has spread into eastern Chad.

The fighting in Darfur has also forced many Sudanese from their homes across the border into Chad.  Hundreds of thousands of them remain in camps in eastern Chad.

But Vines says the conflict in Sudan is not responsible for all the difficutlties in Chad.

"Chad has its own problems, independent of Sudan. There are linkages⁸ across the border, but there is a whole dynamic inside Chad itself related to the politics there," he added.

Chad's rebel leaders are strongly critical of President Idriss Deby's government, calling it corrupt⁹ and abusive. Chad officials defend their human rights record.

Rebel negotiator Barka says as soon as both sides can agree on a peace accord, the rebel leaders are ready to instruct their members to stop fighting.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

5 exacerbated   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The symptoms may be exacerbated by certain drugs. 这些症状可能会因为某些药物而加重。
• The drugs they gave her only exacerbated the pain. 他们给她吃的药只是加重了她的痛楚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 linkages   

n.连接( linkage的名词复数 )；结合；联系；联动装置

参考例句：

• Only the thermosetting resins provide a strong cohesive forces; this is due to molecular cross linkages. 只有热固性树脂具有巨大的凝聚力，这是由于分子交错链所造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The linkages between the stable units must be as near as possible of equal stability. 稳定链节之间的键必须有尽可能接近的稳定性。 来自辞典例句

9 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。