2006年VOA标准英语-UN Condemns Rebel Attack in Chad

By Peter Heinlein
United Nations
13 April 2006

The U.N. Security Council and Secretary-General Kofi Annan have condemned² the rebel offensive in Chad. Diplomats³ expressed concern about the rebels' links to the neighboring Darfur region of Sudan.

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Wang Guangya   
  

Hours after Chadian forces fought off a rebel assault on the capital, N'Djamena, the U.N. Security Council called on the attackers to end the violence. The Council president, Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya, read a statement linking the attack to worsening conditions along the border between Chad and Sudan.

"The members of the Council express their deep concern regarding the deteriorating⁴ situation in Darfur and the recent attacks by armed groups in Chad," said Wang Guangya. "The members of the Council condemn¹ any attempt to seize power by force, and call on the rebels to put an end to violence and to participate in the democratic process."

The statement made clear that it also referred to recent armed attacks on camps housing many of the 200,000 Sudanese who have fled vicious fighting in Darfur over the past three years.

France, the former colonial power in Chad, says the rebels who attacked Ndjamena Thursday appeared to be isolated⁵ units, and that the main rebel force had been halted outside the capital. 

Jean-Marc de La Sabliere    
  
France's U.N. ambassador, Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, said he had been told that the attacking force consisted of about 800 well-equipped fighters. But he noted⁶ that the Security Council is gravely concerned by reports that the attackers were operating from bases in Darfur.

"Darfur is today on top of the agenda of the Security Council," said Jean-Marc de La Sabliere. "It's a very complex issue, and what is happening now in Chad is complicating⁷ more and more this issue. The links between Darfur and Chad are really worrisome, so we want the African Union totally engaged to try to settle the issue."

De La Sabliere linked the Chadian rebel force to Arab militias⁸ in Darfur known as janjaweed. The pro-Sudanese government militias are accused of carrying out a campaign of ethnic⁹ cleansing¹⁰ against black African villagers in Darfur.

The Khartoum government, however, has denied backing the Chadian rebels.

The United Nations is making preparations to take over a beleaguered¹¹ African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur in the coming months. U.N. officials say the 7,000 strong force has been largely ineffective in efforts to stop what many are calling an ongoing¹² genocide in an area the size of France.

But Sudan's government has expressed strong opposition¹³ to the U.N. takeover, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan's envoy¹⁴ to the region recently told the Security Council that the takeover plan appears to be unraveling in the face of fierce Sudanese pressure.

In a statement Thursday, Secretary-General Annan said he was greatly troubled by the worsening security situation in Chad. In a separate statement, U.N. High Commissioner¹⁵ for Refugees Antonio Guterres appealed to all sides in Chad to respect the civilian¹⁶ character of camps for Darfur refugees along the border with Sudan.

The agency operates 12 facilities in eastern Chad housing as many as 200,000 people, and officials this week reported armed men had entered one camp during a food distribution to 17,000 refugees.

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 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》

4 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。

8 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

9 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。

10 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。

11 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

13 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

14 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。

15 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

16 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。