2007年VOA标准英语-Envoys to Darfur Still Optimistic Despite Lates

By Noel King
Khartoum
15 February 2007

Amid growing concern over continued violence in Sudan's Darfur region, top United Nations and African Union envoys² to the region said Thursday they remain optimistic that a political solution to the crisis can be found. Noel King has this VOA report from Khartoum.

 

envoy1 Jan Elisasson (L) with AU envoy  Salim Ahmed Salim (file photo)" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070521/1408240.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

UN envoy Jan Elisasson (L) with AU envoy Salim Ahmed Salim (file photo)

United Nations special envoy to Darfur Jan Eliasson and African Union special envoy Salim Ahmed Salim said their meetings this week with Sudan government officials and non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement gave cause for optimism.

 

But observers say, despite promises made by both the government of Sudan and rebel factions⁴, little evidence has been seen on the ground that either side is committed to a re-energized peace process.

 

The African Union reported just this week that Sudan government planes bombed two villages in north Darfur, in direct violation⁵ of two ceasefire agreements.

 

Sudan called the bombardment a defensive⁶ maneuver⁷.

 

AU special envoy Salim stressed the need for a renewed political process in the region.

"There cannot be a military solution to the crisis in Darfur. I think that should be clear to everyone. The result is only suffering, death and destruction for the ordinary people," he said.

 

The peace process in Darfur has floundered since the signing of a peace accord between the government of Sudan and one faction³ of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement in May 2006.

 

Two other rebel factions refused to sign on to the deal, charging that it did not meet their demands of wealth and power-sharing.

 

The rebel movements later fragmented, and shifting alliances between rebel groups have resulted in chaos⁸.

 

Attacks on humanitarian⁹ workers in Darfur peaked late last year, but the culprits remain largely unidentified, due to growing confusion over which groups are politically motivated rebels and which are mere¹⁰ bandits.

 

Critics charge that both Sudan and the rebels are now simply trying to deflect¹¹ criticism from the international community.

 

AU envoy Salim called on the parties to back up their words with action.

"Consultation¹² is essential, but consultation is not an endless process. And, we are going to operate with a sense of urgency. Because, if you say we will continue to consult and consult and consult, the more you take time, the more people die," he said.

 

Sudan has indicated that it may make changes to the Darfur Peace Agreement.

 

In particular, rebels charge that the government's offer of $30 million to some three million victims of the conflict is too low.

 

But neither the U.N. nor the AU envoy in their talks this week secured any firm commitment from government officials.

Predominantly African rebels in the region attacked government positions complaining that remote Darfur remained undeveloped due to neglect by Khartoum's powerful Islamist regime.

 

Sudan is charged with arming Arab militias¹³ known as janjaweed to conduct a savage¹⁴ campaign of rape¹⁵ and murder, targeting African villages.

 

Experts estimate some 200,000 people have died and more than 2.5 million have been made homeless in what the U.S. calls genocide.

1 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。

2 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

3 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。

4 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

5 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

6 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

7 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

8 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

9 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。

10 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

11 deflect   

v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向

参考例句：

• Never let a little problem deflect you.决不要因一点小问题就半途而废。
• They decided to deflect from the original plan.他们决定改变原计划。

12 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

13 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

14 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

15 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。