VOA标准英语2008年-Journalists, Rights Groups Question Senegal Lea

Journalists in Senegal and free press advocates have criticized President Abdoulaye Wade¹ over his administration's treatment of the press. Brent Latham reports from our West Africa bureau in Dakar, the criticism comes in response to events surrounding Mr. Wade's appearance in front of a group of American reporters in Chicago.

Freedom of the press advocates and Senegalese journalists reacted sharply to statements made by Mr. Wade at a conference in the United States.

In Dakar, members of the local media expressed concern that appearances like this one in Chicago, during which Mr. Wade spoke² about freedom of the press among other issues, divert attention away from a crack down on press freedom in Senegal.

Alassane Samba Diop, News Director for RFM radio in Dakar says while Mr. Wade travels abroad to speak on freedom of the press, his record on the issue in his own country needs improvement.

Diop says there has been a regression in press freedom during Mr. Wade's presidency³, which began in 2000. He says Mr. Wade has set up his own state-run radio and newspaper, content for which is created by state information agencies, and not real journalists.

Mr. Wade spoke in Chicago in an address to the UNITY⁴ '08 Conference, a gathering⁵ bringing together minority journalists. The president's appearance was marred⁶ by an incident in which a man identified as an exiled Senegalese journalist interrupted his address.

Diop says opponents who spoke out against Wade at the conference were attacked by Mr. Wade's supporters, and then carried away by police.

Diop says the president's contempt for the press is evident in that he takes only government employed press along with him on trips.

That may be an indication that Mr. Wade's relations with the press, which were once excellent, have deteriorated⁷, says Africa program coordinator⁸ for New York-based freedom of the press watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists, Tom Rhodes. He says Mr. Wade's record on freedom of the press could be improved.

"He is looked at as a leader in democracy and yet his press freedom record isn't up to snuff according to what you would expect," said Rhodes. "In fact I would say press freedom conditions have deteriorated under his administration."

Rhodes says in the last year five journalists have been physically⁹ assaulted by government police and three have received suspended prison sentences. He says Wade has failed thus far to follow through on promises to decriminalize Senegal's liable laws, which Rhodes calls the greatest obstacle to press freedom in Africa.

In a statement released by Senegal's Ministry¹⁰ of Information, Mr. Wade said he is "a man of the press." He said despite his problems with certain journalists, he has done a great deal during his presidency to help advance the cause of Senegalese media.

Mr. Wade says the press in Senegal is free, as demonstrated by a recent national strike staged by the media. Mr. Wade says since taking power, he has more than quadrupled government aid to the press, and supported programs to develop young journalists into professionals.

 

 

1 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 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。

6 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。

7 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

8 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

9 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。