VOA标准英语2008年-Concern Growing in Sudan over Attempt to Charge

Demonstrations¹ are expected in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to protest the decision of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor² to bring war crimes charges against President Omar al-Bashir. As Derek Kilner reports from VOA's East Africa bureau in Nairobi, the announcement has been greeted with concern by many in Sudan, including opposition³ party leaders and the former southern rebels sharing power in the national government.
　
Sudanese demonstrate in front of the republican palace in Khartoum, Sudan to support Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, 15 July 2008

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has requested a warrant to arrest President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in the conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

Thousands of people participated in government-organized protests in support of President Omar al-Bashir during the weekend, and further demonstrations are expected in Khartoum.

But many Sudanese groups often hostile to the ruling National Congress Party are also expressing concern about the charges against the president.

"We think that a lot of atrocities⁴ [were] committed in Darfur," said Abdel Nabi Ali Ahmed, secretary-general of the opposition Umma Party. "And those who are responsible for these atrocities must be brought before justice. But then, also, we have to take into consideration that the last announcement most probably will make a havoc⁵ situation in the Sudan, where the system is now very fragile and the possibility of a total collapse⁶ of the state is highly anticipated."

He said Sudan should be given more time to resolve its problems internally, with more participation⁷ from the general public.

"Up to now the international community does not take into consideration the masses of the Sudanese, always talking about the rebels and the government," he added. "And that is why the situation is very complicated, because it is high time that the masses of the Sudanese should address their own problems. So what do we suggest? A national conference with certain agenda which should be attended by all the Sudanese, the parties, the rebels, and others to find the way out."

The Umma and other opposition parties in northern Sudan have long complained that they have been sidelined by peace negotiations⁸ between the government and rebels, whether in the south or in Darfur.

The former southern rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), who have shared power with the National Congress Party in a tense coalition⁹ government since a 2005 peace agreement, have also raised concern with the pursuit of the Bashir indictment¹⁰.

Riek Machar is vice¹¹ president of Sudan's semi-autonomous southern region, which is run by the former rebels.

"This is regrettable that the prosecutor general has requested warrants of indictment of President Bashir," he said. "When the ICC prosecutor general indicted¹² two Sudanese officials, our attitude in the SPLM was to advise the National Congress, which is headed by President Bashir, that they should engage the ICC. And this to avert¹³ what has happened now, but this has happened."

Machar says is optimistic that the implementation¹⁴ of the peace agreement, including national elections scheduled for next year, will go ahead.

Meanwhile, U.N. mission spokesman Brian Kelly says some staff members are leaving Darfur, with fears of retaliation¹⁵ against Western operations in the country

"There is a temporary relocation of non-essential staff, some may be relocated to neighboring countries, and some internally within various sectors¹⁶ in Darfur," he said. "The security situation is monitored and assessed on a regular basis, so there is an ongoing¹⁷ review of the security situation."

He says non-essential staff in Khartoum have been told to stay home, but operations in southern Sudan have not been affected¹⁸.

Security fears in Darfur were already high after gunmen ambushed¹⁹ a U.N.-African Union patrol in Darfur last week, killing²⁰ seven peacekeepers. The United Nations says its peacekeeping operations are continuing as normal.

　

 

1 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

2 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

6 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 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。

9 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。

10 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

11 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

12 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

13 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

14 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

15 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

18 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

19 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 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。