2007年VOA标准英语-Chad Rebels Face Attacks, Warn of Wider War

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
24 January 2007

Rebels in Chad say their positions near the border with Sudan are being bombarded, and the attacks could derail talks aimed at ending the low-level conflict which threatens to engulf¹ Central Africa in a wider war. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar.

United Front for Change (FUC) fighters patrol in Guereda, 13 Jan 2007

A Chadian rebel spokesman says positions near the towns of Ade and Adre have been bombed in recent days, causing heavy casualties.

Makaila Nguebla says these attacks show the government's bad faith in talks that were recently begun outside Chad to end the low-level conflict.

The government did not immediately comment on their new offensive. It follows new rebel activity in a region bordering both Sudan and Libya.

The rebel spokesman adds the international community should make sure Chadians can resolve their differences internally.

He warns current conflicts could spread from Sudan's Darfur region, through the Central African Republic and Chad, and farther south to the two Congos.

U.N. officials are studying a possible peacekeeping mission in region's bordering Sudan's warring Darfur region.

British-based Global Insight analyst² Adrien Feniou says the government's tactic³ has been to try to crush the rebels before engaging in serious dialogue.

He said, "I do not think the Chadian government is going to be willing to discuss with rebels in a position of weakness, hence the whole point of the counter-offensives."

Another British-based analyst, Alex Vines, with the Royal Institute of International Affairs, says the rebels are trying to weaken Chad's army, with persistent⁴ and repeated attacks, including possible movement toward the capital.

 

"I think it is to try to speed the government of Chad's response so as to kind of weaken it," he said. "I would imagine that they will at some point make another attempt so they may try another launch close to N'Djamena at some point. This is all part of a longer term strategy to get regime change in Chad."

Vines says even though there is new rebel activity near Libya, he does not believe Libya's government is becoming involved in Chad's conflict.

"I would be surprised given Libya's current policy of rapprochement with the West that it might want to be involved with the rebels. There is clearly more evidence about Sudanese support for them, but it is a worried situation in Chad," said Vines.

Both Sudan's government and the Chadian rebels deny there is any link between them.

Chad's President Idriss Deby came to power in a coup⁵ in 1990. He changed the constitution to lift a limit on presidential terms and recently won elections, widely viewed as rigged. Human-rights activists⁶ have complained of his repression⁷ of freedom of speech and misuse⁸ of oil wealth.

Mr. Deby has said he is preventing Islamic extremists from pushing further into Africa. He has received help from French military to attack Chadian rebels.

1 engulf   

vt.吞没，吞食

参考例句：

• Floodwaters engulf a housing project in the Bajo Yuna community in central Dominican Republic.洪水吞没了多米尼加中部巴杰优那社区的一处在建的住房工程项目。
• If we are not strong enough to cover all the minds up,then they will engulf us,and we are in danger.如果我们不够坚强来抵挡大众的意念，就会有被他们吞没的危险。

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

4 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

5 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

8 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。