VOA慢速英语2013 High-Level Delegations Meet for Talks on Mali Crisis

 

High-Level Delegations¹ Meet for Talks on Mali Crisis

From VOA Learning English, this is IN THE NEWS in Special English.

High-level delegations met in Bamako, Mali for talks on the crisis in the country’s north.  Representatives from the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States met with Malian leaders to develop a plan. 

Mali’s temporary president Dioncounda Traore urged representatives to act immediately to deal with the situation. He promised that the government would cooperate and work together with forces assisting in ousting² the Islamic militants³ from the north. 

Mali fell into a crisis in March, twenty-twelve, after the military ousted⁴ President Amadou Toumani Toure.  Shortly after, Islamic militants with ties to al-Qaida seized control of the north. The militants want to enforce a severe version of Islamic law there.  Recent reports from the north have documented human rights abuses by the militants.  They perform public executions, use children as soldiers and force women into sex work.  Women in many towns are forced to cover their faces and are banned from appearing in public with men.  Smoking and music are also prohibited.

The U.N. has been calling on ECOWAS to provide a more detailed⁵ plan for its proposed military action in northern Mali.  Last week, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution clearing the way for deployment⁶ of the ECOWAS force.  It gave African leaders forty-five days to create a military intervention⁷ plan. 

The newly appointed chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said she would deal first with Mali after being sworn in. In Bamako, she said it was her first official trip as a messenger of solidarity⁸ from the African continent to the Malian people.

“I also want to highlight the AU's deep concern about the prevailing⁹ situation and the AU's determination to do everything in our power to help the people of Mali to find a speedy resolution of the overlapping¹⁰ crises in their country." 

The U.N. Security Council will hold a second vote to approve or disapprove¹¹ a military intervention plan once it is created.   However, many people in Mali oppose foreign intervention. 

Hundreds of Malians marched in Bamako this week to protest the idea of ECOWAS’ military deployment. 

The protest was organized by supporters of former army members who ousted the government.   Many Malians say they are concerned that the army is disorganized and poorly equipped to take back the north alone. 

Last week, thousands of Malians marched in support of ECOWAS troops in Mali.  A Malian living in the northern city of Gao says military intervention is necessary. 

He also says the people in the north have suffered enough, and it is time for war in order to clear the path.

There is also concern that military intervention could push Islamic militants and more refugees into neighboring countries.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Kim Varzi.   I'm Steve Ember.

1 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

2 ousting   

驱逐( oust的现在分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• The resulting financial chaos led to the ousting of Bristol-Myers' s boss. 随后引发的财政混乱导致了百时美施贵宝的总裁下台。
• The ousting of the president has drawn widespread criticism across Latin America and the wider world. 洪都拉斯总统被驱逐时间引起拉丁美洲甚至全世界的广泛批评。

3 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。

4 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

5 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

6 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

7 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

8 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

9 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

10 overlapping   

adj./n.交迭（的）

参考例句：

• There is no overlapping question between the two courses. 这两门课程之间不存在重叠的问题。
• A trimetrogon strip is composed of three rows of overlapping. 三镜头摄影航线为三排重迭的象片所组成。

11 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。