2006年VOA标准英语-Violence in Darfur Threatens to Spread Beyond S

By Noel King
Khartoum
19 December 2006

Sudan hosted summits by both the African Union and Arab League during the past year, and it has one of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world. But the country's Darfur region remains¹ wracked by a deadly conflict that will soon enter its fourth year. Sudan has repeatedly turned away United Nations peacekeeping efforts, despite the threat of a wider conflict engulfing² neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic. Noel King in Khartoum looks at the Darfur crisis in this VOA yearend report.

 
Map of Darfur region of Sudan
2007 is shaping up to be a critical year for Sudan, as international protests against the continuing violence in Darfur gather steam.

The U.N. Security Council voted in August to send more than 20,000 troops to Darfur to bolster³ a struggling African Union force, which critics charge has failed to protect civilians⁵.

Sudan has refused entry to U.N. peacekeepers, likening them to colonial forces in the past. But at year-end, the international community is increasing efforts to get troops into war-torn Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have died in nearly four years of fighting.

Western nations are threatening sanctions, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair has endorsed⁶ imposing⁷ a no-fly zone over Darfur. In addition, the International Criminal Court says it has enough evidence to name suspected war criminals.

The violence in Darfur continues at an astounding⁸ rate, however. Observers say government-backed militias⁹ known as janjaweed kill, rape¹⁰ and loot with impunity¹¹. And Sudanese government forces' campaign against holdout rebels has devastated¹² civilian⁴ villages.

 
Jan Egeland, in Khartoum, said crisis in Darfur could become 'infinitely¹³ worse,' 18 Nov 2006
The outgoing United Nations undersecretary for humanitarian¹⁴ affairs, Jan Egeland, gave a bleak¹⁵ assessment¹⁶ of the situation after his final visit to Darfur, in November.

He said, "Never would I have thought that on my fourth and final visit, the number of people in need of assistance would have gone from one to four million. This is now 1,000 days and 1,000 nights where defenseless civilians have been living in fear."

"There seems [to be] a deliberate attempt to inflict¹⁷ suffering on the civilian population. This is terror. There is no other word for it. It is defined as terror," he continued.

The rising tide of violence has cast doubt on the strength of the May 5 Darfur peace accord. An agreement between the Khartoum government and a faction¹⁸ of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army was hailed as a major breakthrough toward ending the conflict, but the deal began showing signs of wear less than a month after it was signed in Abuja, Nigeria.

Only a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Minni Minnawi signed the accord. Other rebels say the deal did not meet their basic demands for wealth and power-sharing. In particular, they say a $30-million offer of compensation to three million Darfuri victims is not enough.

With attacks continuing in volatile¹⁹ northern and western Darfur, even Minnawi has indicated he might return to war if violence against civilians continues.

The rebel leader, now an adviser²⁰ to Sudanese President Omer Al Bashir, spoke²¹ to VOA by telephone this week, charging that Sudan has failed to live up to an agreement to disarm²² the janjaweed militias.

"What is going on now in Darfur is a very big violation," he said. "We requested that the government has to disarm the janjaweed immediately before they take any steps to implement²³ the agreement. As for power-sharing and wealth-sharing, we believe that the government is not serious to implement the agreement."

The conflict is no longer confined to Darfur.

Fighting has spread to neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic, raising fears that the entire region might become embroiled²⁴ in the conflict.

The violence has hindered the world's largest humanitarian operation, serving some four million people. And clashes this month forced the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to evacuate²⁵ 250 staff across the region.

Sudan also is charged with restricting aid workers' movements.

 
Pekka Haavisto 
The European Union's special envoy²⁶ to Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, told reporters in Khartoum last week that aid access must improve.

He said, "This has been one of our key concerns. The Norwegian Refugee Council had to leave Darfur because the government denied their visa. We are very concerned if the government is dealing²⁷ in this kind of way with those organizations that are helping²⁸ the humanitarian situation on the ground."

"And a second issue is that the access [to] humanitarian aid has been limited throughout this autumn because of fighting and military movements," he added.

 
Young refugees from Sudan's Darfur ethnic²⁹ conflict who have fled to Chad are seen in Djabal Refugee Camp in eastern town of Goz Beida, Chad (File)
Darfur is not Sudan's only conflict zone. In 2005 a peace agreement ended 21 years of civil war between north and south Sudan. The prolonged war, fought over religion and resources, took two million lives and displaced more than four million people.

Recently [early in December] over 100 people were killed during clashes between former rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and Sudan Armed Forces in the southern town of Malakal.

The violence has cast doubt on Sudan's other key peace accord.

The acting³⁰ deputy secretary-general of the former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement, Yassir Arman, tells VOA the Malakal clashes pose a serious threat to the future of the peace agreement.

He said, "The most significant thing about the peace agreement is that it has stopped the war; it has stopped the loss of life. And when now again in Malakal and Juba there are people being killed again, this is a serious issue. Losing life, killing³¹ people is a serious thing, and it is worrying because it may derail the whole peace agreement into a real war."

Southern Sudanese say they look forward to a referendum in 2011, in which they will decide whether to secede³² and form their own nation or remain united with northern Sudan.

In Darfur, another year has passed, with few gains seen. The international community is expected to push hard for U.N. entry into the region in 2007.

Meantime, the future hangs in the balance for two and one half million displaced Darfuris who are waiting to return home.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句

3 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 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。

5 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。

6 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

8 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

10 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

11 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

12 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

13 infinitely   

adv.无限地，无穷地

参考例句：

• There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。
• The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

14 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。

15 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

16 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

17 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

18 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

19 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

20 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

21 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

22 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

23 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

24 embroiled   

adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的

参考例句：

• He became embroiled in a dispute with his neighbours. 他与邻居们发生了争执。
• John and Peter were quarrelling, but Mary refused to get embroiled. 约翰和彼得在争吵，但玛丽不愿卷入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 evacuate   

v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便

参考例句：

• We must evacuate those soldiers at once!我们必须立即撤出这些士兵！
• They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country.他们正计划转移仍滞留在该国的70名美国官员。

26 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

27 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

28 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

29 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。

30 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

31 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。

32 secede   

v.退出，脱离

参考例句：

• They plotted to make the whole Mississippi Valley secede from the United States.他们阴谋策划使整个密西西比流域脱离美国。
• We won't allow Tibet to secede from China and become an independent nation.我们决不允许西藏脱离中国独立。