Meeting Somalia's al-Shabab

Southern Somalia is a dangerously unpredictable place.

We flew into the region, unsure what reception we could expect from the commanders of al-Shabab, the radical¹ Islamist insurgent² group, viewed by some as al-Qaeda's proxy³ in the Horn of Africa.

Our plan was to stay overnight in a town called Wajid - until we learned that al-Shabab had just publicly beheaded three men in the area and shot dead a community leader.

We changed our schedule fast.

We were travelling with the United Nation's World Food Programme, which, despite operating in one of the world's most dangerous environments, is managing to feed some 3.5 million Somalis.

"It is very, very difficult," said WFP's deputy country director Denise Brown.

'Pakistan militants⁴'

Four of their staff have been killed since August last year.


But she acknowledged "a level of pragmatism" in al-Shabab and "a recognition that humanitarian⁵ help is needed. We don't negotiate [with them]. We discuss".

We flew into Buale region, on the banks of the wide, green Juba river.

A senior al-Shabab commander agreed to talk to us on condition of anonymity⁶.

Bearded and apparently⁷ jovial⁸, he confirmed an influx⁹ of foreign jihadists to the region - many thought to be from Pakistan - and welcomed their presence.

"We're all fighting for the same religion," he said. "We know we are hated by the international community, but al-Shabab has its own structure and strict rules.

"We apply Sharia law to everyone. We don't oppress people and [that's why] it's peaceful here now."

'Sold out'

He bitterly condemned¹⁰ the head of Somalia's transitional government, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who is clinging to power in Mogadishu, protected by more than 4,300 African Union troops.

"He is far from Islam," he said. "He's sold out his own religion."

In Buale, no-one we spoke¹¹ to was ready to criticise¹², or even discuss, al-Shabab, and its strict interpretation¹³ of Sharia law.



Moderate Islamic group Ahlu Sunnah is bitterly opposed to al-Shabab


Local elders said there had been no amputations or stonings in the area, but politely told us it was best not to talk about politics.

Recent rains have eased some concerns about food shortages in Buale.

But further north, the United Nations is warning of yet another humanitarian emergency.

We flew to the central Somali region of Galgadud, and the drought-stricken town of Dusamareb, its population swelled¹⁴ by civilians¹⁵ fleeing the latest fighting in the capital, Mogadishu.


Rage at grave desecration¹⁶
Sitting with his family beside their makeshift tent in the dry plains outside town, Abdi Nasir said he had escaped from Mogadishu with no possessions and was now scraping a living by collecting and selling firewood.

"I'm waiting for change," he said. "If there's a proper government in Mogadishu, then I'll go back, but right now I think things are just getting worse."

Dusamareb is the headquarters of a moderate Sufi Islamic movement, Ahlu Sunnah, which is bitterly opposed to al-Shabab.

Significantly, Ahlu Sunnah has just signed a formal agreement to co-operate militarily with the embattled government in Mogadishu.

'Somalia, wake up!'

Guarded by several dozen young fighters, Ahlu Sunnah's chairman Sheikh Omar Sharif Muhammad said he hoped the alliance could defeat al-Shabab.

But it badly needed international help, he added.



Hundreds of thousands of Somalis have fled their country
Sheikh Omar denied receiving any support from neighbouring Ethiopia, which recently temporarily sent a small number of troops back across the border.

"Al-Shabab are not even humans," said Sheikh Omar. "They're desecrating¹⁷ our culture, and destroying our sovereignty and our religion.

"They're very dangerous and must be driven out. They recruit young, innocent children to become suicide bombers¹⁸. Islam does not allow that."

Although Ahlu Sunnah's "thousands" of fighters have had some success in blocking al-Shabab advances, the most likely scenario¹⁹ in the short term is probably a military stalemate.

Outside Sheikh Omar's headquarters, a small crowd gathered to mark Somalia's independence day.

Children, women and heavily-armed fighters all stood together under a dazzling blue sky.

"Somalia, wake up! Lean against each other," they sang - some wistfully, others with cheerful determination. (本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 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。

6 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 jovial   

adj.快乐的，好交际的

参考例句：

• He seemed jovial,but his eyes avoided ours.他显得很高兴，但他的眼光却避开了我们的眼光。
• Grandma was plump and jovial.祖母身材圆胖，整天乐呵呵的。

9 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 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。

12 criticise   

v.批评，评论；非难

参考例句：

• Right and left have much cause to criticise government.左翼和右翼有很多理由批评政府。
• It is not your place to criticise or suggest improvements!提出批评或给予改进建议并不是你的责任！

13 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

14 swelled   

增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
• After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

15 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。

16 desecration   

n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱

参考例句：

• Desecration, and so forth, and lectured you on dignity and sanctity. 比如亵渎神圣等。想用尊严和神圣不可侵犯之类的话来打动你们。
• Desecration: will no longer break stealth. 亵渎：不再消除潜行。

17 desecrating   

毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• You'll go back to desecrating these people's land, blowing up palm trees? 你要过去玷污这些人的土地，炸掉他们的棕榈树？
• Such actions have the effect desecrating the Olympics and humiliating and insulting the people of China. 这种行为产生的效力是侮辱奥运会和屈辱和侮辱中国人民的。

18 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。