VOA标准英语2009年-Ugandan Rebel Group Motives Unclear as Ter

The Ugandan rebel group Lord's Resistance Army is increasingly venturing out from its new base in the Democratic Republic of Congo into neighboring South Sudan and the Central African Republic, expanding what was already a transnational conflict. While humanitarian¹ groups call attention to the plight² of the locals terrorized by the LRA, analysts⁴ struggle to explain what strategy - if any - is driving the rebel group's movements.
　
Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (file photo)

The guerrilla group led by international fugitive⁵ Joseph Kony is perhaps best known for its tactic⁶ of abducting⁷ children to replenish⁸ its ranks and for its leader's mysterious claims to being a prophet of God.

The LRA began intensifying⁹ civilian¹⁰ attacks in the DRC a year ago, but the group is now regularly crossing the border into neighboring Central African Republic and the Western Equatorial region of southern Sudan.

David Nthengwe, a spokesman for the United Nations agency UNHCR based in eastern Congo, says that approximately 400,000 have been displaced in the region by the LRA in the past year.

He says the brutal¹¹ attacks are usually carried out by small bands of LRA guerillas who loot the towns and leave little in their wake.

"The attacks have been systematic¹² attacks where the LRA targets the civilians¹³ in the villages, attacking these villages and then burning these villages, kidnapping the woman and children - the adults also in some cases - and also raping¹⁴ women and killing¹⁵ the civilians," said Nthengwe.

According to U.N. officials, the attacks on civilians have been increasing and pouring over into surrounding areas.

A UNHCR official based in South Sudan confirmed to VOA that it had started receiving a steady flow of refugees from the Central African Republic, adding to the large number of Congolese refugees who were displaced by the group.
　
A column of Lord's Resistance Army fighters (file photo)

But one of the agency's three refugee camps in the Western Equatorial region recently had to be re-located after its town was attacked by a group of LRA during a food distribution exercise. All U.N. personnel have now been barred from the entering the town.

Local authorities in southern Sudan say that since the start of the year 186, people have been killed by the LRA and 133 abducted¹⁶, mostly young girls. The U.N. says that violence has displaced 165,000 in South Sudan alone.

The erratic¹⁷ movements of Kony's men are rapidly expanding the number of outside players into the conflict. His followers¹⁸ are now targets of the Ugandan, south Sudanese, CAR, and the U.N.-backed Congolese forces, leading many to question what objective his latest moves could possibly be designed to reach.
　
David Matsanga (file photo)

David Matsanga, the former chief negotiator for Kony in peace negotiations¹⁹ with the Ugandan government, expressed exasperation²⁰ at trying to comprehend the motives²¹ behind the expanding attacks. Kony has failed to show up to sign the peace agreement Matsanga helped negotiate.

"That's why I've quit," said Matsanga. "Where Kony is fighting from is different from where I went to negotiate this agreement. I negotiated this agreement for the people of Uganda. If he is fighting, he is fighting for something that I don't understand."

Kony reportedly wants the International Criminal Court to drop its arrest warrant against him before he signs any deal. Some have speculated that Kony hopes his new destructive rampage will raise international pressure for renewed negotiations.

But Louise Khabure, an analyst³ on the LRA for International Crisis Group, thinks this analysis is unlikely.

"I like to look at things logically," he said. "What are your chances of negotiating peace when now we have over 1000 civilians dead? I think it reduces your chances and your ability to be able to talk peace and to talk amnesty."

Khabure said that her best sense of the situation is that the LRA's original objectives were long ago hijacked²² by the numerous outside groups who benefited from the region's instability and began supporting Kony's rebels.

She says the list of alleged²³ former supporters of the LRA include northern Ugandan leaders, opposition²⁴ leaders in the Ugandan diaspora, elements in south Sudan, and Khartoum. Although she couldn't name who might now be sponsoring the group, she thinks it's unlikely the LRA has been able to sustain its campaign this long without outside help.

Unfortunately for the civilians who must live under the group's ravaged²⁵ domain²⁶, Khabure says that the military campaigns against the group are clearly not working.

"What is clear to me is that they don't seem cornered," he said. "The [Ugandan] operation Lightning Thunder was launched, and to date we have no inkling from Kony or the LRA that they are willing to talk, or that they are cornered, or that they are under pressure."

Uganda was given permission by Congolese authorities to carry out attacks against the rebel group late last year. Uganda claims that it has since withdrawn²⁷ its troops, but it is reported that Ugandan forces remain.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

3 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。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

6 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

7 abducting   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的现在分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• She was charged with abducting a six-month-old child. 她被控诱拐一个6个月大的孩子。
• At the same time, the rate of abducting foreigners is going down. 同时，发生在外国人身上的绑架案正在下降。

8 replenish   

vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满

参考例句：

• I always replenish my food supply before it is depleted.我总是在我的食物吃完之前加以补充。
• We have to import an extra 4 million tons of wheat to replenish our reserves.我们不得不额外进口四百万吨小麦以补充我们的储备。

9 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

10 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。

11 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。

12 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

13 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。

14 raping   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的现在分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• In response, Charles VI sent a punitive expedition to Brittany, raping and killing the populace. 作为报复，查理六世派军讨伐布列塔尼，奸淫杀戮平民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The conquerors marched on, burning, killing, raping and plundering as they went. 征服者所到之处烧杀奸掠，无所不做。 来自互联网

15 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。

16 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

17 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。

18 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

19 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

20 exasperation   

n.愤慨

参考例句：

• He snorted with exasperation.他愤怒地哼了一声。
• She rolled her eyes in sheer exasperation.她气急败坏地转动着眼珠。

21 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

22 hijacked   

劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）

参考例句：

• The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
• The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。

23 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

24 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。

25 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

26 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

27 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。