2006年VOA标准英语-Nigeria to Crackdown on Delta 'Terrorists'

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
16 August 2006 
 

		President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo

Nigeria's president is ordering a crackdown on those behind a wave of kidnappings and violence in the country's oil-rich Niger Delta¹. Security patrols are being increased in the region to ease security fears.

President Olusegun Obasanjo branded those behind the current wave of kidnappings in the delta as terrorists.

The Nigerian leader told security chiefs, oil companies executives and governors from the delta that the administration will no longer tolerate acts of violence now threatening the oil industry. He said the government will place sanctions on any government or oil industry body that pays ransoms².

Previous crackdowns on militants³ in the delta led to an escalation⁴ in violence. Emma Amanze, a journalist with a long experience covering the delta, says the use of force by the government is not the most plausible⁵ solution.

"The kidnappings we are seeing now are isolated⁶ ones," said Amanze. "They are not like the organized ones. It is just some few people in one or two communities doing that on their own. It is not like the very first ones. In all, what should still be done is consultation⁷, dialogue. There is no way taking the fight to them is going to solve it. So far, the government has not been able to match them force for force. If they still want to continue, the militants are well armed."

Thousands of troops have been deployed⁸ in the region, but they have failed to counter the growing violence.

The sheer number of oil installations and pipelines¹⁰ makes protection of oil infrastructure¹¹ and personnel difficult. Shell, which is the largest foreign oil company in Nigeria, has more than 1,000 oil wells, and these wells are linked to a 6,000-kilometer pipeline⁹ network.

About 16 foreign oil workers have been kidnapped in the past two weeks. Nine have been released unharmed.

Local press reports suggest some international oil companies in Nigeria have demanded an urgent improvement in the security situation

The kidnappings and attacks in the past seven months have forced a production shutdown of 500,000 barrels per day of oil in Nigeria. The country is Africa's leading oil producer, and derives¹² about 95 percent of export earnings¹³ and 40 percent of its gross domestic product from oil sales.

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 ransoms   

付赎金救人，赎金( ransom的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The kidnappers exacted ransoms for their hostages. 绑匪勒索人质的赎金。
• Hotel:Wealthy captives sleep at the hotel for an increase in their ransoms. 酒店：富有的俘虏们要住在酒店等待足够的赎金以回家。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

5 plausible   

adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的

参考例句：

• His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。
• Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

6 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。

7 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

8 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

9 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

10 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 derives   

v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• English derives in the main from the common Germanic stock. 英语主要源于日耳曼语系。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derives his income from freelance work. 他以自由职业获取收入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。