2006年VOA标准英语-US House Approves Sudan Sanctions Bill

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
05 April 2006
 
The House of Representatives has approved (416 to 3) legislation that would place sanctions on Sudanese government and military officials considered responsible for atrocities¹ by Arab militias² in Darfur.

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The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, a version of which has also been approved by the Senate, seeks to hold specific individuals in Khartoum responsible for what the United States calls genocide in Darfur.

It would block assets of, and deny visas to, those responsible for war crimes or crimes against humanity, and take other steps such as restricting visas of Sudanese officials, and denying entry at U.S. ports to certain Sudan-registered cargo³ ships or oil tankers⁴.

 
Chris Smith 
  
Republican Congressman⁵ Chris Smith heads the House Africa Subcommittee:

"This is a strong bill, it is an important bill, it is an urgent bill," said Chris Smith. "The people of Darfur cannot afford to wait while we continue discussions on how best to confront Khartoum."

The Darfur legislation would block assets of Khartoum officials and family members, military officials, and any individuals implicated⁶ in atrocities.

It also contains provisions to increase U.S. assistance to, and support expansion of, the 7,000-member Africa Union peacekeeping mission, while urging the Bush administration to seek formation of a NATO force to assist African troops.

There was widespread bipartisan support for the legislation in the House and Senate, which approved its version last November.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi was among a group of lawmakers who recently visited Sudan, holding talks with Khartoum government officials and assessing the situation in Darfur:

"The janjaweed is an extension of the Sudanese military and they are engaged in state-sponsored violence," said Nancy Pelosi. "This must end."

The House bill extends existing U.S. restrictions⁷ on Sudan until Congress is satisfied Khartoum is moving to disarm⁸ and demobilize janjaweed and all government-allied militias.

The bill also directs that the janjaweed be designated as a foreign terrorist organization, and demands Khartoum cooperate with efforts to disarm and demobilize elements in Sudan of the northern Uganda-based Lord's Resistance Army.

President Bush is given authority to wave sections of the legislation in the interest of U.S. national security.

The legislation also steps up pressure on the National Congress Party in Khartoum to abide⁹ by all commitments in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005. The party and the former southern rebels' Sudan People's Liberation Movement form the new Government of National Unity¹⁰.

A separate Darfur-related resolution approved by the Senate last month, is pending¹¹ in the House.

Among other things, that measure urges Khartoum to immediately withdraw military aircraft from Darfur, urges the United Nations to approve a peacekeeping force, and directs President Bush to work for establishment of a NATO interim¹² civilian¹³ protection force.

1 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》

2 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

3 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

4 tankers   

运送大量液体或气体的轮船[卡车]( tanker的名词复数 )； 油轮； 罐车； 油槽车

参考例句：

• They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
• The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

6 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

9 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

10 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

11 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

12 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

13 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。