VOA标准英语2008年-Mauritanian Coup Leaders Assume Presidential Po

Coup¹ leaders in Mauritania have given themselves new powers, despite international condemnation² of the August 6 takeover. The military leaders also say they are in a better position to fight off possible terrorist threats than the civilian³ government they deposed⁴. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar.

The military junta⁵ released what it called a constitutional ordinance⁶, defining its new powers.

It said the overall aim was to assume transitional authority until new presidential elections can be held, but no date for elections was set.
　
Mauritania's junta leader Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz waves to the crowdsin Nouakchott before addressing his first speech, 07 Aug 2008

It said the head of the military council, former presidential guard commander, General Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, had the power to name a new prime minister.

It also says the junta can perform duties of the parliament if the assembly is inhibited⁷ in any way. It saluted⁸ military officials for not fighting each other during the bloodless coup.

General Abdelaziz has told foreign reporters he would not rule out running in elections.

London-based Global Insight analyst⁹ Kissy Agyeman says the situation is very different from 2005, when then coup-leader Ely Ould Mohamed Vall promised not to run in post-coup elections.

"In 2005, the situation was completely different. He (Ould Vall) was at the helm of a coup that brought a 21-year dictatorship to an end and that received the tacit support of the international community. But now you have a situation where the coup plotters have overthrown¹⁰ a legitimate¹¹ government," Agyeman said.

On Monday, coup leaders released the deposed prime minister and several other high-ranking officials, but not President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.
　
Thousands of supporters of ousted¹² elected president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi listen to freed ousted prime minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waghf (C) in a stadium in the capital city Nouakchott, on 11 August 2008

The prime minister, who immediately took part in an anti-coup protest in the capital Nouakchott, said Mr. Abdallahi was in good health, and patiently waiting to return to power.

But the Middle East and North Africa editor for the Jane's Country Risk publication, David Hartwell, says Mr. Abdallahi overplayed his hand by firing the country's top security officials on the eve of the coup, especially since he was becoming unpopular, amid high prices, suspicion of government corruption¹³, and an apparent rise of Islamic radicalism¹⁴.

"He may well have thought that he could have gotten away with it. He may well have thought the military had been out of power for 18 months but he may have overestimated¹⁵ how much support he had, he certainly overestimated how much support he had within his own party, many of whom are very close to the military," Hartwell said.

The African Union has said Mauritania will be suspended at least until a constitutional government is restored.

Outside Africa, France followed the United States in halting all non-humanitarian aid, while an EU spokesman said the group is considering cutting off development aid.

Mauritania, which straddles black and Arab Africa, also benefits from U.S. help to combat possible terrorist activity within its borders. In wide ranging comments he has made to foreign reporters this week, the coup leader said the military junta would take a harder line against suspected al-Qaida militants¹⁶.

He said in the past, the military fought against this threat with positive results, by arresting and bringing to justice suspected militants.

Since taking power following democratic elections last year, President Abdallahi had released some well-known Islamic radicals¹⁷ from jail, but dozens remain behind bars.

 

1 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

2 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 junta   

n.团体；政务审议会

参考例句：

• The junta reacted violently to the perceived threat to its authority.军政府感到自身权力受威胁而进行了激烈反击。
• A military junta took control of the country.一个军政权控制了国家。

6 ordinance   

n.法令；条令；条例

参考例句：

• The Ordinance of 1785 provided the first land grants for educational purposes.1785年法案为教育目的提供了第一批土地。
• The city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9.00 PM.该市通过一条法令强令晚上九点关闭一切室外照明。

7 inhibited   

a.拘谨的，拘束的

参考例句：

• Boys are often more inhibited than girls about discussing their problems. 男孩子往往不如女孩子敢于谈论自己的问题。
• Having been laughed at for his lameness,the boy became shy and inhibited. 那男孩因跛脚被人讥笑，变得羞怯而压抑。

8 saluted   

v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。
• He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 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。

11 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

12 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

13 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。

14 radicalism   

n. 急进主义, 根本的改革主义

参考例句：

• His radicalism and refusal to compromise isolated him. 他的激进主义与拒绝妥协使他受到孤立。
• Education produced intellectual ferment and the temptations of radicalism. 教育带来知识界的骚动，促使激进主义具有了吸引力。

15 overestimated   

对（数量）估计过高，对…作过高的评价( overestimate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They overestimated his ability when they promoted him. 他们提拔他的时候高估了他的能力。
• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。

16 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。

17 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句