VOA英语2010年-International Pressure on Ivory Coast Is Inc

The international community is increasing pressure on incumbent¹ Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo to cede² power after the U.N. Security Council voted Monday to extend the mandate³ of its 10,000-member peacekeeping force, despite Gbagbo's demand that they leave.

An increasingly defiant⁴ Gbagbo refuses to move aside for Alassane Ouattara, who was recognized by the United Nations and most of the international community as the winner of the Nov 28 presidential run-off.

Since then, the country has been stuck in a tense political gridlock, characterized by street violence that has killed dozens, an attack on U.N. peacekeepers, and what the United Nations says are hundreds of reports of killings⁵ and kidnappings.

U.N. Security Council president and U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, warned Ivorian stakeholders they will be held accountable for attacks against civilians⁶ and peacekeepers.

"The members of the Security Council urge all Ivorians to exercise maximum restraint, remain calm, resist provocative⁷ actions, refrain from violence, and work together to restore sustainable peace," said Rice.

The U.N. Human Rights office has pointed⁸ to evidence of "massive violations⁹ of human rights" and says it is investigating reports of the discovery of a mass grave in Abidjan.

ECOWAS and the African Union have suspended Ivory Coast, after recognizing Ouattara as the election winner. The European Union has banned Gbagbo and 17 of his allies.

The United States says it is ready to sanction Gbagbo and his collaborators. White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday it is "time for Gbagbo to go."

Gbagbo and his supporters accuse foreigners of threatening Ivory Coast's sovereignty and the U.N. force of supporting Ouattara.

Interior Minister Emile Guieroulou said Monday the Gbagbo government is unfazed by sanctions.

Guieroulou said if the United Nations wants to maintain its force on their territory, against their will, they will not cooperate with them. He said if that force decides to cooperate with an interlocutor other than Gbagbo's government, which he said is the country's legal government, it will be placing itself with the rebellion and will be dealt with as such.

U.N. peacekeepers and former rebel fighters are protecting the Abidjan hotel serving as Ouattara's headquarters.

Representative for the U.N. mission in Ivory Coast, Young Jin Choi, said Monday armed men have been threatening U.N. staff in their homes, though Gbabgo's camp has denied involvement.

Choi said the U.N. mission will continue its work and its patrols, despite roadblocks and other efforts block them. He said the United Nations has a strong enough military and police presence at the Golf Hotel to repel¹⁰ any attempts to disrupt or attack the hotel.

The United Nations says it is investigating reports Gbagbo has brought in Liberian, and perhaps Angolan, mercenaries, a charge Gbabgo denies.

The U.N. High Commission on Refugees said fears of a return to civil war have prompted more than 6,000 Ivorians to flee to neighboring Liberia and Guinea. The U.N. agency said it has beefed up supplies in the two countries and is now prepared to cope with as many as 30,000 refugees.

1 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

2 cede   

v.割让，放弃

参考例句：

• The debater refused to cede the point to her opponent.辩论者拒绝向她的对手放弃其主张。
• Not because I'm proud.In fact,in front of you I cede all my pride.这不是因为骄傲，事实上我在你面前毫无骄傲可言。

3 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

4 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

5 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

6 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。

7 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 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。

10 repel   

v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥

参考例句：

• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。
• Particles with similar electric charges repel each other.电荷同性的分子互相排斥。