VOA常速英语2008年-Former Chadian President to Face Trial in Seneg

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
11 April 2008

U.N. Human Rights Chief, Louise Arbour, says she is pleased former Chadian president Hissene Habre will finally face justice for human rights violations¹ committed during his eight-year rule. She says the latest change to Senegal's constitution now makes it possible for courts in the country to try Habre. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from the Office of the High Commissioner² in Geneva.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, calls this a very positive development in the struggle to strengthen accountability. She says putting Chad's former president on trial for crimes he committed while in office marks an important step forward in the never-ending fight against impunity³.

Arbour's spokesman, Rupert Colville, says the High Commissioner acknowledges how rare it is for one state to make it possible to prosecute⁴ a former leader of another country. He says she commends Senegal for taking this step.

"I think it certainly sets a precedent⁵ and that is what is rather exciting about it. It is, I believe, the first time a case of this type has happened in Africa and also it is extremely rare anywhere else in the world," he said. "So, I think, not just from the African point of view, but from a global point of view it is a very, very good precedent."

Hissene Habre ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990. When he was overthrown⁶, he went into exile in Senegal. During his time as president, thousands of Chadians were allegedly tortured, and unlawful killings⁷ and other serious human rights violations took place.

In February 2000, Habre was charged by a lower court in the Senagalese capital Dakar. This ruling was overturned by an appeals court that said Senegal did not have the legal competence⁸ to try such cases if the crimes were committed in another country.

Two years ago, Colville says the African Union took the unprecedented⁹ step of urging Senegal to try the case on, what it called, behalf of Africa.

"Since then, the country has adopted a number of legal amendments¹¹ to its Constitution to....allow its legal system to deal with such a case. The latest amendment¹⁰ was adopted by the National Assembly on the 8th of April," he said. "Mrs. Arbour hopes that, with this latest amendment, the final obstacles preventing this case coming to court have now been cleared away."

The trial is expected to be very costly¹². And, High Commissioner Arbour is urging the international community to continue its support to Senegal to ensure that Hissene Habre will finally go on trial in the near future.

1 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

2 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

4 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？

5 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

6 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

7 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。

8 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。

9 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

10 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

11 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

12 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。