2006年VOA标准英语-Sri Lanka Battle Rages Despite Cease-Fire

By Patricia Nunan
New Delhi
02 August 2006

A civilian¹ wounded in shelling by Tamil Tiger rebels receives treatment in a hospital in Trincomalee, about 230 kilometers (144 miles) northeast of Colombo   
  
In Eastern Sri Lanka, government forces are exchanging artillery² fire with guerrillas from the Tamil Tiger separatist group, in the eighth day of fighting that began as a dispute over an irrigation channel. Despite violence that has claimed nearly 100 lives in recent days, the government says the fighting does not signal a return to all-out war.

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The Tamil Tigers say they overran four military outposts in the eastern district of Trincomalee in heavy fighting. Sri Lankan military officials confirm exchanges of artillery and mortar³ fire around those bases, but they say the rebels have made no territorial⁴ gains.

 
Villagers look at paddy fields that dried up after Tamil Tiger rebels cut off water, in Trincomalee, Tuesday 
  
It is the eighth straight day of fighting in Eastern Sri Lanka, which some observers say amounts to a return to low-intensity civil war. The military announced that more than 40 rebels were killed in Wednesday's fighting.

Analysts⁵ say the fighting threatens to destroy what little remains⁶ of a tattered⁷ cease-fire signed by the government and the rebels in 2002.

Palitha Kohona, the secretary-general of the government's Peace Secretariat, disagrees.

"I would not say that this is war," he said. "The situation is tense. But we all hope that the two sides will return to the negotiating table and comply with the cease-fire agreement."

The government began launching air strikes on the eastern region last week, when officials say local rebel commanders refused to reopen a waterway that provides irrigation for government-held land.

Kohona says the government had to act for humanitarian⁸ reasons.

"The current tensions arose when the eastern [rebel] leaders took steps to cut off the water supply to 30,000 acres of paddy land," he said. "These 30,000 acres also support a community of 50,000 people. As you very well know, without water, rice paddies die."

At least 850 people have died this year in sporadic⁹ clashes, as a cease-fire meant to bring an end to two decades of fighting has steadily¹⁰ unraveled. The rebels are fighting for a separate homeland for the minority Tamils, who, they say, are oppressed by the Sinhalese majority.

A senior envoy¹¹ from Norway, which mediated¹² the cease-fire agreement, is expected in Sri Lanka later this week to try to reopen the peace talks.

1 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。

2 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

3 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

4 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 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。

7 tattered   

adj.破旧的，衣衫破的

参考例句：

• Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。
• Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。

8 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。

9 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

10 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

11 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。

12 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。