2006年VOA标准英语-Darfur Violence Increases as Peace Deadline Nea

By Noel King
Khartoum
30 May 2006 

African Union troops listen to the concerns of villagers in the village of Brikatouly in South Darfur, Sudan  
  
Tensions are running high in Darfur, one day before a deadline expires for two holdout rebel groups to sign a peace agreement. The African Union says it has witnessed increased violence against its troops in the region since May 5, when the Darfur Peace Agreement was completed.

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An A.U. spokesman says peacekeepers have been targeted by groups who seek to undermine the Darfur Peace Agreement, citing increased attacks in recent days.

A Nigerian peacekeeper was killed in an ambush¹ on Friday, and six others wounded. The same patrol was attacked again a day later.

A.U. spokesman Nourredine Mezni told VOA from Khartoum that misinformation about the peace agreement has led to violent reprisals² against A.U. troops, although the African Union is uncertain who the attackers are.

"There are some inciters from outside, from some parties, who are opposed to this peace agreement," said Mezni. "That is why we have these attacks against our troops in Darfur, because the population look at the troops as a symbol of the Darfur Peace Agreement. The attacks against humanitarian³ workers, attacks against AMIS [African Mission in Sudan] troops, demonstrations⁴, because there is misinformation on this agreement."

Mezni says the African Union is launching a media campaign to urge Darfuris to support the peace deal.

The underfunded African Union force has only about seven-thousand troops patrolling a remote area the size of France.

The international community has called for A.U. troops to be replaced by U.N. peacekeepers with increased numbers, a larger budget, and a stronger mandate⁵.

Meanwhile, a deadline for two holdout rebel groups to sign on to the agreement expires May 31.

One faction⁶ of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur and the politically savvy⁷ Justice and Equality Movement, have been threatened with sanctions if they refuse to sign on.

Menzi said the A.U. Peace and Security Council is considering what actions to take if the two groups do not sign the agreement.

Ambassdors from the U.N. Security Council, which put heavy pressure on Khartoum to allow a U.N. force into the region, are to arrive next week in Sudan to assess the situation.

The three-year Darfur conflict began when rebels attacked government positions complaining that the remote region remained undeveloped due to neglect. The Sudan government is charged with arming local Arab militias⁸ to conduct a campaign of rape⁹ and murder, a charge it denies.

Tens of thousands have died and about two million people have been displaced in what the United States calls genocide.

1 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

2 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

6 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。

7 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

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 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。