VOA标准英语2009-UN: Kenya Agrees to Plan for Maritime Pirate Pol

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Kenya has agreed to help launch a new strategy for combatting piracy¹ off the coast of Somalia. The proposal calls for police from the Horn of Africa to deploy² on international warships³ to arrest Somali pirates at sea and bring them ashore⁴ for trial.
　
Kenyan police escort Somali pirates during court appearance in Mombassa (Mar 2009 file photo)

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime is seeking U.S. congressional support for a new plan to prosecute⁵ Somali pirates who frequently hijack⁶ commercial ships off the Horn of Africa.

The agency's executive director, Antonio Maria Costa, says international warships ideally should send pirates to their home country for trial. But, in testimony⁷ to a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee Thursday, he said Somalia's lack of a legal system rules that out.

"We are left with basically two options: bringing pirates to the court system of the country that seized them," Costa said. "Since the waters are being patrolled by European vessels⁸, Chinese vessels, obviously United States vessels and so forth⁹, we are talking about distances of tens of thousands of kilometers. The only option left is to bring pirates immediately to courts in countries on the shores of the Indian Ocean."

'Ship riders' would deliver pirates to Kenya for trial
　
UN Office on Drugs and Crime Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa, 15 May 2009

During a recess¹⁰ at the hearing, Costa told VOA Kenya has agreed to a proposal he made in December to deploy police on international warships to arrest captured pirates. The police, or "ship riders," would then deliver the pirates to Kenya for trial.

The U.N. official said other Horn of Africa countries may join the effort, including Tanzania, Djibouti, Eritrea and Yemen. But, he said the plan will not work without international support.

"The African countries in the region from where the ship riders would come are interested in economic assistance and development help, so as to strengthen the judicial¹¹ system," Costa said. "Obviously, a ship rider mechanism¹² works only if there is an adequate judicial system on shore to deal with the pirate suspects."

UN anti-crime agency working with Kenya to train lawyers

At the hearing, Costa said the U.N. anti-crime agency is working with Kenya to train lawyers and improve prison conditions for about 100 pirates awaiting trial. He urged the lawmakers to provide more funds to his agency to help it expand the program to other countries.
　
U.S Representative Bill Delahunt, 15 May 2009

U.S Representative Bill Delahunt, a Democrat¹³, said he supports boosting legal aid to Kenya to help it arrest and prosecute pirates. But, he said in the long-term, such cases should be handled by an international court.

"What I am looking for is a body of jurisprudence with a particular venue¹⁴ that would obviate¹⁵, or eliminate, the differences between nation states. And I think it is important to move quickly and firmly," he said.

In recent weeks, Portuguese¹⁶, Greek and Canadian warships have released pirates captured off Somalia because of uncertainties¹⁷ about where to send them. The Obama administration says pirates should be brought to justice and that freeing them sends a bad signal.

The United States and European Union have agreements with Kenya to send pirates captured by their forces to Kenyan courts for trial. France transferred 11 Somali suspects to Kenya earlier this month, and Spain said this week it plans to do the same with 13 other Somalis.

1 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

2 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

3 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

4 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

5 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

6 hijack   

v.劫持，劫机，拦路抢劫

参考例句：

• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。
• The hijack take place just after the plane take off.劫持是飞机刚起飞后发生的。

7 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

8 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

10 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

11 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

12 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

13 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

14 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

15 obviate   

v.除去，排除，避免，预防

参考例句：

• Improved public transportation would obviate the need tor everyone to have their own car.公共交通的改善消除了每人都要有车的必要性。
• This deferral would obviate pressure on the rouble exchange rate.这一延期将消除卢布汇率面临的压力。

16 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

17 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告