VOA标准英语2009年-US Condemns Violence Against Guinea Protes

By David Gollust
State Department
30 September 2009

The United States has condemned² the Guinean military's brazen³ and inappropriate use of force against demonstrators in Conakry Monday. News reports say at least 157 people were killed and more than 1,200 others wounded in a confrontation⁴ in the capital of the west African state.

The United States has joined the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations and others in condemning⁵ the attack by troops on civilians⁷ in Conakry Monday, one of the most severe incidents of violence in the region in many years.

Troops of the presidential guard of the country's military leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, are reported to have opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators who had gathered in Conakry to protest his plans to run in presidential elections in January.

 
Junta⁸ leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, speaks at meeting at Camp Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp in Conakry, 27 Dec 2008

 
When he took power in a coup⁹ last December, Captain Camara - who has ruled the country in an erratic¹⁰ fashion - had said no one on his ruling junta would run for public office.

A written statement by State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said the United States condemns¹¹ the Guinean military's brazen and inappropriate use of force against civilians, and also took note of reports that military personnel carried out brutal¹² rapes¹³ and sexual assaults on women protestors and bystanders.

Kelly called for the immediate¹⁴ release of opposition¹⁵ leaders and a return to civilian⁶ rule in Guinea as soon as possible and said the United States insists that junta members respect their commitments not to contest the upcoming elections.

Earlier Tuesday, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley said the casualty reports from Conakry were a matter of great concern to the Obama administration.

 
P.J. Crowley, US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (file)
"We are deeply concerned about the general breakdown¹⁶ of security in Conakry," said P.J. Crowley. "We encourage the Guinean government to exercise restraint and insure the safety and security of all Guineans and foreign nationals. We are very concerned about violations¹⁷ of basic human rights and we call upon the regime to release all political prisoners.

The State Department said it would continue to monitor extralegal actions by the Guinean military and government, and work with partners in the international contact group on Guinea to support a peaceful transition there.

The contact group, which also includes the United Nations, European Union, the African Union and the west African grouping ECOWAS, urged Guinean leader Camara earlier this month to resist the temptation of running in the planned January 31 election.

It said the junta leader's credibility depended on his neutrality and that his role should be to unite rather than divide Guineans.

The State Department comments on Guinea Tuesday followed an appeal by a Washington-based lobbying group Africa Action for the United States to condemn¹ the violence.

A spokesman for the group said Guinea, one of Africa's richest countries in terms of mineral wealth, must not be allowed to join the ranks of failed states.

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 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。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 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。

9 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。

10 erratic   

adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
• The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

11 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

13 rapes   

n.芸苔( rape的名词复数 )；强奸罪；强奸案；肆意损坏v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的第三人称单数 )；强奸

参考例句：

• The man who had committed several rapes was arrested. 那个犯了多起强奸案的男人被抓起来了。 来自辞典例句
• The incidence of reported rapes rose 0.8 percent. 美国联邦调查局还发布了两份特别报告。 来自互联网

14 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

15 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。

16 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

17 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。