2006年VOA标准英语-Sudan Renews Objection to UN Force in Darfur

By Noel King
Khartoum
15 October 2006

Special Envoy¹ Andrew Natsios met with Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol on 
Lam Akol
Saturday.

A spokesman at the Foreign Ministry² told VOA that Darfur was on the agenda, but said Sudan will not change its mind on the proposed U.N. force.

Relations between the United States and Sudan have frayed³ in recent weeks, following Sudan's refusal to allow a U.N. mission to replace the struggling African Union force currently in Darfur.

Critics charge that the under funded and under manned A.U. force is unable protect millions of civilians⁴ that have been subjected to attacks by government backed militias⁶.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ali Sadiq said Sudan had welcomed Natsios' visit as a chance to improve U.S. - Sudanese relations, but he stressed that Sudan would not change its views on U.N. peacekeepers.

"It is good to exchange views but the position of the Sudan regarding UN Security Council Resolution 1706 remains⁷ unchanged," he said. "As long as there is diplomatic engagement, there are talks and dialogue, there is hope that we will come out with something."

 
Andrew Natsios
Special Envoy Natsios also met on Saturday with former rebel commander Minni Minnawi, now a special advisor⁸ to Sudanese President Omer Al Bashir.

Minnawi's faction⁹ of the Sudan Liberation Army was the only rebel group to sign on to the Darfur Peace Agreement, which has failed to halt the violence in the region.

On Saturday fighting between janjaweed militias and Minnawi's forces erupted in the Darfuri capital city of El Fasher.

Under the terms of the Darfur Peace Agreement, Minnawi's men should not be carrying weapons in Darfur.

But Minnawi spokesman Mohammed Bashir said former rebels were merely attempting to protect civilians after Sudanese Armed Forces failed to intervene.

"The Janjaweed militia⁵, they shot at some people and looted the market. The government there failed to control the situation. We have requested from the government if he fails to protect the people in the city we have to call our forces from outside to the city," said Bashir. "So far no reply."

Officials from the Sudanese Armed Forces were not available for comment.

The Reuters News Agency reported one person had been killed in the fighting and another injured.

Special Envoy Natsios has also requested to meet with Sudanese President Omer Al Bashir, but a U.S. Embassy spokesman told VOA that the meeting had not yet been confirmed.

The weeklong trip is expected to include visits to Darfur and Juba, but according to the U.S. embassy, Natsios has not yet received his travel permit to Darfur.

Sudan is accused of arming Arab militias in Darfur to crush a 2003 rebellion, using a savage¹⁰ campaign of rape¹¹ and murder.

Tens of thousands of people have died and more than two million have been displaced by fighting in what the U.S. calls genocide.

1 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。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 frayed   

adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 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。

5 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。

6 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

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

10 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

11 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。