2007年VOA标准英语-Gusmao Testifies Before East Timor Truth and Fr

By Chad Bouchard
Jakarta
24 September 2007

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has testified before the Indonesia-East Timor Truth and Friendship Commission. The hearing marks the first day in a week-long session in East Timor's capital, Dili. The commission is gathering¹ testimony² on the deadly violence that marred³ the birth of one of the world's youngest nations. Chad Bouchard reports from Jakarta.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao testified behind closed doors Monday on what he knew about the unrest that accompanied East Timor's vote to separate from Indonesian rule in 1999.

Dozens of witnesses have testified in Jakarta and Bali about the violence, but this week's session, the fifth and final hearing, is the commission's first session in East Timor.

Indonesia and East Timor established the Truth and Friendship commission in 2005 with an eye toward reconciliation⁴, but the panel does not have the power to prosecute⁵ those responsible for crimes.

The United Nations accuses Indonesia of employing militias⁶ that took part in arson⁷ and violence that killed hundreds of people following East Timor's vote for independence.

Associate Professor Damien Kingsbury from the School of International and Political Studies at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia says Mr. Gusmao and President Jose Ramos Horta have long supported building ties with Indonesia.

"And their commitment to the Truth and Friendship Commission, I think, is evidence of that commitment to building a good relationship," he said. "Unfortunately, what that does, though, is that it means that issues of justice, of actual truth around the events in East Timor are not going to get a good airing. And many people in East Timor remain deeply disappointed about this."

Indonesia says only about 100 people were killed in violence surrounding the independence vote. No high-ranking Indonesian officials have been charged in connection with the killings⁸ and other violence.

In July, the U.N. said it would not take part in the Truth and Friendship Commission's hearings unless the panel rejected the possibility of granting amnesty to human rights violators.

Kingsbury says that although the hearings are a sign the two nations can put the past behind them, the commission will not satisfy the international community.

"The fact that the United Nations has said that it doesn't regard the process as credible⁹ means that there will be a long-standing international position that the issues concerning violence in East Timor, perpetration of violence by the Indonesian military, was never adequately resolved, and that this process did not contribute to any sort of resolution," said Kingsbury.

Mr. Ramos Horta had planned to attend the hearing in Dili, but canceled because of a conflicting trip to New York.

Public hearings in Dili are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

3 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

4 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。

5 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

6 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

7 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

8 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

9 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？