2006年VOA标准英语-Darfur Rebels Endanger Peace Talks

By Gilbert Da Costa
Abuja
08 March 2006

The Abuja peace talks on Darfur are in danger of being stalled, following another split within the leadership of the main rebel group. 
 

Sudan Liberation Army troops guard outside African Union headquarters in Muhajiria (2005 file photo)  
  
Internal divisions within rebel groups fighting in Sudan's Darfur region often stalled the peace process in Abuja. At least 19 senior officials of a faction¹ of the Sudan Liberation Movement have broken ranks with their leader, Abdel Wahid Nur, and appointed a new leadership for the group.

African Union mediators say the new division could have serious implications for the talks.

"Of course, this kind of split is not helpful for the negotiators," said Noureddine Mezni, the spokesman for the mediators. "We are trying our best to bridge the gap between the different factions². We appeal to them to really put the interest of Darfur cause above any other personal interest and really we are trying very hard this days to overcome this obstacle. Of course, it will definitely complicate³ our negotiations⁴."

The United Nations has called the three-year conflict in Darfur the world's gravest humanitarian⁵ crisis.

The current round of talks is considering issues relating to security arrangements, power and wealth sharing. Progress has been impeded⁶ by escalating⁷ violence back home, as Mr. Mezni explains.

"We're really concerned by the tense security situation in Darfur, characterized by continuous acts of violence and flagrant violations⁸ of the cease-fire," he said. "There is really an urgent need for the Sudanese parties to immediately stop the ceasefire violations and other acts of violence."

Another issue which is being debated is the proposed deployment⁹ of United Nations troops in the region, to replace African peacekeepers. U.N. officials say they will act only if the African Union submits an official request.

Representatives of the two rebel groups in Darfur and the government of Sudan have been meeting in Nigeria, since last November, in what was termed the last lap of a peace process which started in 2004.

1 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。

2 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

3 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

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 impeded   

阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Work on the building was impeded by severe weather. 楼房的施工因天气恶劣而停了下来。
• He was impeded in his work. 他的工作受阻。

7 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

8 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

9 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。