2006年VOA标准英语-Nigeria Pursues 'Political Solution' to Ho

By Gilbert Da Costa
Abuja
21 January 2006

 
An unidentified Shell contract worker stands outside the Warri airport after being evacuated¹ from Benisede oil platform in Warri, Nigeria
  
Ethnic² Ijaw leaders Saturday appealed to militants⁴ holding four foreign oil workers in Nigeria's delta⁶ region on Saturday to release them.  Federal authorities appear to have ruled out the use of force to free the hostages.

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Nigeria's information minister, Frank Nweke, says the government will pursue what he referred to as a "political solution" to the hostage crisis in the Niger Delta. He also rejected reports that one of the hostages, an American, is seriously ill.

"I want to state for the records and very clearly that the federal government of Nigeria is very much on top of the situation there," said Mr. Nweke.  "I can confirm for example, that security authorities in Nigeria are in close contact with those that are being held and I can confirm that contrary to speculations⁷ regarding the ill-health of one of them, all the people are alive and well. A few days ago, Mr. President met with some governors from the Niger Delta and also some security chiefs to discuss what appears to be a rising violence in the area. And at the end of extensive deliberations, a small committee was set up under the chairmanship of the governor of Bayelsa state to procure⁸ a political solution to the situation there."

The militants had warned that one of their captives was ill.

American and British diplomats⁹ in Nigeria have cautioned local authorities against employing force to secure the release of the hostages. The Nigerian official acknowledged that the government has come under pressure to secure the quick release of the hostages through peaceful means.

"There is no responsible government that will not on its own, take the initiative to tackle the kind of situation we have there," he added.  "So even without the pressures coming, the government of Nigeria desirous of ensuring that law and order and peace and security reign⁵ in every part of Nigeria.  Of course in the Niger Delta is very strategic to Nigeria's economy. Government will do whatever is necessary to ensure that law and order is restored finally in that area and more importantly, that the people who operate in that area, the oil workers and all of that, are allowed to carry on their work in an atmosphere of peace and security and of course free of any molestation¹⁰."
 
The Nigerian union representing senior oil workers (PENGASSAN) has threatened to withdraw its members from the Niger Delta unless the government resolves the hostage crisis and improves the security situation.

Oil production has suffered a 10 percent cut in the last 10 days since militants stormed oil facilities and seized four oil workers from the U.S., Britain, Honduras and Bulgaria.

Nigerian troops have been deployed¹¹ in the area prompting fears that a military operation to free the hostages is being contemplated¹². Though a number of incidents involving hostage taking have been reported in the delta, they often ended without harm to the hostages.

The militant³ group is demanding the release of two Ijaw leaders, compensation for pollution and more local control over the delta's oil wealth.

1 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

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 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

6 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

7 speculations   

n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断

参考例句：

• Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》

8 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

9 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》

10 molestation   

n.骚扰，干扰，调戏；折磨

参考例句：

• Michael Jackson is arrested by police on charges of child molestation. 2003年的今天，迈克尔·杰克逊因被警方指控有儿童性骚扰行为而被捕。 来自互联网
• Jackson pleads not guilty on the molestation charges. 2004年：杰克逊认罪不认罪的性骚扰指控。 来自互联网

11 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

12 contemplated   

adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
• The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。