VOA常速英语2008年-Pakistani Military Battling Swat Insurgency Pin

By Barry Newhouse
Uchrai Sar
26 February 2008

Last year much of Pakistan's scenic¹ Swat valley had been taken over by a band of Islamic militants². Fighters loyal to radical³ cleric Maulana Fazlullah seized control of police stations and set-up crude courts based on Sharia [Islamic law] throughout the once popular tourist destination. After sending in more than 10,000 troops who spent several months battling militants in the territory's rugged⁴ mountains, Pakistan's army says it has regained⁵ control of more than 90 percent of the region. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Swat that army commanders now say the region's newly elected leaders must address the issues that allowed the insurgency⁶ to gain support there in the first place.

Standing⁷ on a windswept ridge⁸ in Swat with a commanding view of valleys on either side, Major Azmat Abbas Hussein points to a nearby cellular⁹ tower that until recently relayed more than just phone calls. 

"This was, in fact, used by Maulana Fazlullah.  He was misleading and misguiding the civil population in this area.  He used to run his FM radio from this place," he said.

Maulana Fazlullah is the local cleric who commanded a band of about six-thousand fighters that until recently controlled much of this valley.  His illegal mobile FM radio stations, known as Radio Maulana, broadcast sermons advocating Sharia law, that made him famous throughout the region.

Army spokesman general Athar Abbas says that while Fazlullah attracted support from some fighters outside Swat, including from Pakistan's tribal¹⁰ areas, most of his supporters were locals.

"The source of the problem, the roots, they lay here. And this is a very old phenomenon here which was taken over by Maulana Fazlullah of late, but it was much before him," he explained.

Officials say Swat Valley's slow judicial¹¹ system and weak police force allowed Fazlullah to gain popular support for his armed insurgency.

Major General Nasser Janjua commands the military operations in Swat.  He says that as Fazlullah's influence grew, many locals welcomed what they thought would improve the poor law and order situation in the region.

"Affluent¹², well-read and moderate segments of society appealed for army operations," he explained.  "However, a large percentage of the population comprising middle, lower middle and lower class still displayed their urge to have Sharia in place."

As Fazlullah's fighters overran government offices and police stations, they turned much of the once popular tourist retreat into a "no-go zone" in the words of army commanders.  Locals say militants held impromptu¹³ courts in village bazaars¹⁴ and beheaded people accused of being spies.

General Abbas says the harsh actions undermined Fazlullah's promises of a more efficient judicial system and soured his sympathizers.

"They were sympathizers because they had no choice, because of the breakdown¹⁵ in law and order in this area, there was no alternative with the people," he noted¹⁶.

As concern over the spreading insurgency mounted, the military increased operations against the militants in late November. Soldiers pursued rebels up the valley's mountainsides to strategic bunkers dug into nearby peaks, killing¹⁷ some 230 fighters and arresting some 160 others. The army now controls nearly all of the high ground and this week flew journalists to three captured mountain outposts. 

Other militants fled Swat or are in one of the four "pockets" of local resistance where Pakistani soldiers do not patrol.

Swat is still plagued by sporadic¹⁸ attacks such as last week's roadside blast that killed 13 people in a wedding party. General Nasser says a curfew remains¹⁹ in local villages from 8PM until 6AM in the morning.

"Because if we do not do that, there will be a lot of targeted killings," he said.  "These militants will come and kill the pro-government people."

Military officials say the key to improving security is improving the local judicial system and in turn gaining the trust of local residents. Voters recently rejected the Islamist parties that dominated the last elections in 2002, instead electing secular²⁰, nationalist ANP candidates to six of Swat's seven seats in the provincial²¹ assembly.

"The civil government has undertaken this task and they are introducing whatever is the desire of most of the people here and not necessarily what the Fazlullah group is advocating or enforcing here," said General Abbas.

What Maulana Fazlullah is advocating these days is not known. His radio stations have been shut down and the military has been jamming illegal broadcasts in the valley.  Military officials say he remains at large, along with most of the 6,000 fighters he once commanded.

1 scenic   

adj.自然景色的，景色优美的

参考例句：

• The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。
• The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

4 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

5 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

6 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

9 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

10 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

11 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。

12 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

13 impromptu   

adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地)

参考例句：

• The announcement was made in an impromptu press conference at the airport.这一宣布是在机场举行的临时新闻发布会上作出的。
• The children put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.孩子们为来访者即兴献上了一场音乐会。

14 bazaars   

（东方国家的）市场( bazaar的名词复数 )； 义卖； 义卖市场； （出售花哨商品等的）小商品市场

参考例句：

• When the sky chooses, glory can rain into the Chandrapore bazaars. 如果天公有意，昌德拉卜的集市也会大放光彩。
• He visited the shops and bazaars. 他视察起各色铺子和市场来。

15 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

18 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

19 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

20 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

21 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

22 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

23 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。