VOA标准英语2008年-Mauritanian Coup Leader Vows Harder Line

The coup¹ leader in Mauritania has vowed² a harder line on drug trafficking, terrorist activity and illegal immigration in his first public speech since overthrowing³ an elected president earlier this month. He also promised elections, but gave no date. Many members of the president's party are backing the coup, but some are still organizing almost daily protests. Ricci Shryock has more from our regional bureau in Dakar.
　
Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz waves to crowds in Nouakchott before his first speech, 07 Aug 2008

After his first public speech on Sunday, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz received more backing from influential⁴ politicians.

Twenty-six members of parliament resigned from ousted⁵ President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdellahi's party in support of the coup.

Local journalist Seyid Ould Seyid says General Aziz's speech has drawn⁶ political support, but he still did not set a date for new elections.

"People are trying to get any promises from him to specify⁷ a date for the election or to set up the transitional period," he said.

Seyid adds the tone of the speech makes some feel the general could remain in power for a long time.

"He has promised the Mauritanians that he will solve all their economic and political and economical crises. And even educational as well," he said. "It seems that he is planning a whole program. For observers, it seems that he is likely to stay in power for a long time."

But not all politicians support the coup.

The former prime minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waqef has been leading almost daily protests to reinstate President Abdellahi, who hours before the coup had fired top military officials, including General Aziz.

The President of the Club of Mauritanian Intellectuals for Democracy and Development, Mohamed Lemine Ould el Ketab, says he thinks the coup was inevitable⁸.

"People wanted a change. And that change - only the military could have introduced it. It is unfortunate," he said. "Our political class is not mature enough and is not experienced enough. This is why they will change their hearts at any shake. We do not have any clear-cut political families. They are there without any experience."

Ketab, who is also a former Mauritanian ambassador to Nigeria, adds the military took advantage of crisis of confidence within the government.

The international community has denounced the coup. The United States has already suspended some non-humanitarian aid, and last week U.S. officials said that was just the beginning if Mauritanian powers did not reinstate overthrown⁹ President Abdallahi.

Mauritania's army has been receiving U.S. aid as part of what the U.S. government says is the war on terror. Mauritania, which straddles black and Arab Africa, has large parts of the country which are unpoliced.

 

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 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

3 overthrowing   

v.打倒，推翻( overthrow的现在分词 )；使终止

参考例句：

• They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship. 他们成功推翻了法西斯独裁统治。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I always delight in overthrowing those kinds of schemes. 我一向喜欢戳穿人家的诡计。 来自辞典例句

4 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

5 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。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

8 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

9 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。