2006年VOA标准英语-Journalist Paul Salopek Returns to the United S

By Noel King
Khartoum, Sudan
10 September 2006

American journalist Paul Salopek is on his way back to the United States following his release from jail by the Sudanese government Saturday. Salopek was arrested and charged with spying in early August after entering Sudan's Darfur region without a visa.

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American journalist Paul Salopek leaves a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan

A weary-looking Salopek told reporters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum that he had been treated humanely¹ during his 35 days in captivity² in Darfur.

Salopek was released from a prison in the western city of El Fasher following negotiations³ between U.S. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Sudanese President Omer Al Bashir.

Salopek is a resident of New Mexico.

Richardson successfully negotiated Salopek's release on Friday, traveling to Khartoum with a delegation⁴ that included Salopek's wife and editors from the Chicago Tribune and National Geographic⁵ Magazine.

Salopek's wife, Linda Lynch, said she was pleased to have her husband back. "I would just like to say this is an extremely joyful⁶ day for me and for the rest of Paul's family. We remain deeply grateful to every single individual who helped us in this situation, and again our deep gratitude⁷ to President Bashir and the people of Sudan for their kindness in this matter," she said.

Salopek, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning foreign correspondent with the Tribune, was arrested while on assignment for National Geographic.

He entered Darfur from neighboring Chad without a visa along with a Chadian driver and interpreter, who were also released on Saturday.

Despite his ordeal⁸, Salopk told reporters in Khartoum that he would return to Darfur again if he were granted a visa. "The Darfur story continues to be important and one that deserves continuing coverage⁹. The decision to come across from Chad was a mistake on my part. I apologized to the judge in El Fasher for it. However, I hope it is not taken as a symbol or an example that we should not cover the story. I think the story is getting more important," he said.

Tensions have run high between the United Sstate and Sudan in recent weeks, as Washington has pushed for a United Nations peace-keeping force to enter the war-torn Darfur region.

Sudan has refused to allow the U.N into Darfur, where an estimated 200,000 people have died during a three-year conflict between rebels and the Sudan government.

Sudan has been charged with arming militias¹⁰ to crush a 2003 rebellion in Darfur, using a savage¹¹ campaign of rape¹² and murder.

Governor Richardson said his talks with President Al Bashir touched on the subject of the United Nations, but he described his visit as a humanitarian¹³ mission rather than a political one. "There were no deals. It was a humanitarian gesture on the part of President Bashir. I made the case that Paul Salopek and the two Chadian members of our delegation were legitimate¹⁴ journalists, were respected journalists, they were doing their job, they were not spies. It was

a humanitarian gesture on the part of President Bashir and I appreciate that," he said.

Salopek's release comes at a time of increased restrictions¹⁵ on the press in Sudan. A Sudanese editor [Mohamed Taha of Al Wifaq newspaper] was found beheaded this week after being abducted¹⁶ outside of his home in Khartoum.

No one has claimed responsibility for the murder.

Local and international journalists have reported a wave of arrests, detentions¹⁷ and beatings recently in and around the capital Khartoum.

1 humanely   

adv.仁慈地；人道地；富人情地；慈悲地

参考例句：

• Is the primary persona being treated humanely by the product? 该产品对待首要人物角色时是否有人情味？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In any event, China's interest in treating criminals more humanely has limits. 无论如何，中国对更人道地对待罪犯的兴趣有限。 来自互联网

2 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

7 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

8 ordeal   

n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验

参考例句：

• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
• Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

9 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

10 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

11 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

12 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。

13 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。

14 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

15 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

16 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

17 detentions   

拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校

参考例句：

• Teachers may assign detention tasks as they wish and some detentions have been actually dangerous. 老师可能随心所欲指派关禁闭的形式，有些禁闭事实上很危险。
• Intimidation, beatings and administrative detentions are often enough to prevent them from trying again. 恐吓，拷打和行政拘留足以阻止请愿者二次进京的脚步。