VOA标准英语2009年-Strike in Guinea Commemorates Recent Killi

By Scott Stearns
Dakar
28 October 2009

 
The bodies of people killed during a rally are seen at the capital's main mosque¹ in Conakry, Guinea (File)
Workers in Guinea are holding a nationwide strike in commemoration of the killing² of at least 157 opposition³ demonstrators one month ago. Guinea's military government says it will cooperate with a U.N. investigation⁴ into the killing.

The main opposition coalition⁵ of political parties, civil society groups, and trade unions organized the strike to remember those killed, beaten, and raped⁶ by members of Guinea's military on September 28.

Protesters at Conakry's main sports stadium were demonstrating against the expected presidential candidacy of military ruler Captain Moussa Camara. Human-rights groups say at least 157 people were killed and hundreds injured when soldiers opened fire on the crowd.

The military government says 57 people died, most in the crush of people fleeing the stadium.

Salimata Keita is a member of the opposition New Democratic Forces party.

Keita says the 28th of September is now more than just a symbolic⁷ day simply marking the anniversary of Guinea's independence. It is also a day of great sadness for the people of Guinea and the women of Guinea who were victims of the violence that day.

Keita says opponents of the military government are calling on and hoping that all the Guinean people, men and women, consider October 28 as a day of mourning. She says people are still living with that mourning, and September 28 should always be a sacred day.

Ramatoulaye Sow is with the National Party of Hope and Development.

Sow says women were raped and brutalized that day by drunk and drugged members of the military. On the one-month anniversary of that violence, Sow says Guineans want to remember that day by inviting⁸ everyone, especially women and young girls to stay at home and pray. It is a day of meditation⁹ for the whole country.

Sow says people must not forget women who were arbitrarily killed just because they do not share the opinion of Guinea's ruling military council. She says we have the same right to disagree as those who have the right to agree with the military. Sow says if Captain Camara did not order soldiers to go to the stadium, they would not have gone.

Captain Camara is denying responsibility for the violence because he was not at the stadium. He is blaming both his political opponents for holding an unauthorized protest and what he calls "uncontrollable elements" of the military.

Captain Camara has promised to cooperate with a U.N. inquiry¹⁰ into the violence and has established his own investigation. But opposition groups are refusing to take part in that domestic inquiry and say they will not join regional mediation¹¹ efforts unless Captain Camara steps down.

Fatoumata Bah of the Union of Guinean Democratic Forces Party says last month's violence against women has shaken the military's ability to control the country.

Bah says Guinea's ruling council should understand that women make up 52 percent of the population. Women were beaten and humiliated¹² during the violence of September 28. And Bah says without the support of women, no one can rule the country.

Bah says women had the right to go to the stadium that day, to demonstrate and give their opinion. And they were beaten, killed, and humiliated because they exercised these rights.

Bah says those who beat and raped women at the stadium that day were their husbands, their sons, and their children - all part of the larger Guinean family. Enough is enough, she says, the women of Guinea are tired of how the country is being ruled.

The European Union has joined the Economic Community of West African states in an arms embargo¹³ against Guinea. The European Union is also restricting travel and freezing the assets of members of the military council.

1 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 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。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 raped   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
• We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致，不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句

7 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

8 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

9 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

10 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

11 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

12 humiliated   

感到羞愧的

参考例句：

• Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
• He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。

13 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。