Kofi Annan Urges Security Council to Act Quickly in Darfur

 

By Peter Heinlein

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is urging the Security Council to act quickly to protect civilians¹ in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. The United States is preparing to introduce a Council resolution on Darfur this week, but sanctions against the Khartoum government are unlikely.

With U.N. observers in Darfur reporting fresh attacks by Arab militias³ on civilians, Secretary General Annan urged Sudan Tuesday to accept a larger international protection force.

The Security Council earlier ordered the Khartoum government to rein⁴ in the militias - known as Janjaweed. But Mr. Annan says the African Union (AU) force sent to ensure compliance⁵ was far too small.

"I think in the study we did with the African Union, we indicated the number of troops or observers they will require, because the original number was woefully inadequate⁶, so for them to be effective, and they agree with us, they need to get in higher numbers, and logistical and financial support they need," he said.

U.N. diplomats⁷ say that any Security Council resolution on Darfur is unlikely to include the threat of sanctions against Sudan. The Secretary General's envoy⁸ to Sudan, Jan Pronk, last week called for the international presence in Sudan to be increased by several thousand, but he downplayed the need for sanctions. The African Union has about 80 military observers in Darfur, protected by just about 300 soldiers, monitoring a largely ignored cease fire.

Separately, Secretary of State Colin Powell is scheduled to speak out on the atrocities⁹ in Darfur later this week. The Bush administration is considering whether to label the activities of the Janjaweed as genocide.

Washington's U.N. Ambassador, John Danforth, last week accused Sudan of using attack helicopters against Darfur villagers. He criticized U.N. officials, saying they were wrong to suggest that Sudan's government should have a say in deciding whether to increase the size of the international force in Darfur.

Ambassador Danforth said the people of Darfur have no confidence that the Khartoum government would protect them.

Janjaweed militia² attacks have left much of the Darfur region in ruins. Tens of thousands of residents of the remote region have died in the past 18 months, and another 1.2 million people have fled their homes in what U.N. officials have described as the world's worst humanitarian¹⁰ disaster.

Peter Heinlein for VOA News, the United Nations.

注释：
Khartoum 喀土木，苏丹首都
rein 控制，约束
woefully 悲惨的
sanction 制裁
envoy 外交使节
downplay 不予重视
atrocity 暴行
genocide 种族屠杀
helicopter 直升机
in ruins 成为废墟地

 

1 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。

2 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

3 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

4 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

5 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

6 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

7 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 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。