VOA常速英语2008年-Comoros Government Says Forces Have Seized Rebe

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
25 March 2008

The government of Comoros says its forces have captured most of the rebel-held island of Anjouan, following a pre-dawn invasion. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa Bureau in Johannesburg.

The spokesman for the Comoros government, Education Minister Abdourahim Said Bacar, says Comoran troops backed by African Union forces from Tanzania and Sudan landed before dawn on the rebel-island.

"The troops have moved in early this morning in the island of Anjouan. And they have already taken possession of the three major cities," he said.

He said the army is in control of the island's capital, Mutsamudi, its port as well as the towns of Ouani and Domoni. The spokesman said coalition¹ forces encountered some resistance near the residence of rebel leader Colonel Mohamed Bacar in Barakani. There were no reports on casualties.

Comoran President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi announced the operation Monday on national radio.

The president said he had ordered the incursion in order to liberate² Anjouan from what he called the "rebellion" led by Mohamed Bacar. He praised the Comoran soldiers and thanked the African Union and the countries that supported the operation.

Mohamed Bacar was elected president of Anjouan seven years ago under a union constitution that granted considerable autonomy and a separate president to each of the three islands in the archipelago. He was re-elected last year in elections that he organized, but which were not recognized internationally.

The French trained former policeman said he wanted more autonomy for Anjouan and in recent days offered to hold new elections. But after months of negotiations³ the African Union called the offer another delaying-tactic and said it backed a military solution for the island.

The African Union sent about 1,400 troops from Tanzania and Sudan with logistical support from Libya, France, and the United States.

Spokesman Said Bacar outlined the Comoran government's priorities for Anjouan, once the situation has been stabilized⁴.

"The first step is to establish a transitional government whose mission will be to organize the election in three months at the latest," added Said Bacar.

He says another priority will be to disarm⁵ Mohamed Bacar's militias⁶ and find their leader. The government says if the renegade colonel is captured it will to put him on trial for insubordination, corruption⁷ and human rights abuses.

During its 32 years of independence, Comoros has experienced several attempted secessions and more than a dozen coups⁸ or attempted coups, some of them led by foreign mercenaries.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 liberate   

v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由

参考例句：

• They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。
• This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。

3 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。

4 stabilized   

v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The patient's condition stabilized. 患者的病情稳定下来。
• His blood pressure has stabilized. 他的血压已经稳定下来了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

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 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 coups   

n.意外而成功的行动( coup的名词复数 )；政变；努力办到难办的事

参考例句：

• China has seen many political coups within the ruling class. 中国统治阶级内部发生过很多政变。 来自互联网
• Thailand has had eighteen coups or coup attendance since nineteen thirty-two. 泰国1932年以来有18次政变或参加政变。 来自互联网