VOA标准英语2009年-Increased Violence in Senegal Forces 1,000

By Ricci Shryock
Dakar
05 October 2009

Civilians¹ near Senegal's southern border face a dire² situation after fleeing increased violence by rebel forces in the area.

More than 1,000 residents have fled their homes in Southern Senegal after an ambush³ that left six Senegalese soldiers dead last Friday.

Niagha region community leader Yorom Ballo says the situation is very difficult in his area. Residents in the villages closest to the attacks have fled their homes to stay with relatives and friends nearby. With the sudden increase in population in some villages, there is not enough food to feed everyone.

Ballo adds there is also a shortage of beds, and the situation in many homes is one of cramped⁴ quarters. He visited one family where 20 people were staying in one room. He worries that conditions are unsanitary and may lead to illness.

The residents left their homes near the country's border with Guinea-Bissau after recent increases in attacks by Senegalese rebels in the area.

Last Friday, soldiers were returning from patrol when they were ambushed⁵ in an attack thought to have been carried out by rebels from the Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces.

It was one of the deadliest attacks against Senegalese troops in recent years. A day earlier gunmen killed one person and wounded three others in an attack on a taxi in the region.

The Senegalese air force last month bombed rebel bases near Ziguinchor, the regional capital of The Casamance, Senegal's southern district, after suspected MFDC fighters killed a soldier at an army outpost. Two people were killed in an attack on a bus in August. 

The Casamance region is separated geographically⁶ from the rest of the country by Gambia. The rebellion there is one of Africa's longest-running conflicts.

It originally began as a separatist movement of ethnic⁷ Dioula fighting for greater autonomy from the government in Dakar. A 2004 peace accord restored order in Casamance and led to hopes that the region might once again become a valuable tourist destination.

In a nationwide address last month, Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade⁸ deplored⁹ the recent violence and vowed¹⁰ to pursue peace efforts with the MFDC.

 

1 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。

2 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

3 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

4 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

5 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》

6 geographically   

adv.地理学上，在地理上，地理方面

参考例句：

• Geographically, the UK is on the periphery of Europe. 从地理位置上讲，英国处于欧洲边缘。 来自辞典例句
• All these events, however geographically remote, urgently affected Western financial centers. 所有这些事件，无论发生在地理上如何遥远的地方，都对西方金融中心产生紧迫的影响。 来自名作英译部分

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 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。

9 deplored   

v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They deplored the price of motor car, textiles, wheat, and oil. 他们悲叹汽车、纺织品、小麦和石油的价格。 来自辞典例句
• Hawthorne feels that all excess is to be deplored. 霍桑觉得一切过分的举动都是可悲的。 来自辞典例句

10 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。