VOA常速英语2007年-Tamil Tiger Political Leader Killed in Air Forc

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
02 November 2007

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels say the leader of their political wing has been killed in a bombing raid by the country's air force. VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, known as the LTTE or Tamil Tigers, say political leader died during the early morning air raid. The rebels say five other leaders were also killed.

National Peace Council executive director Jehan Perera says it is unusual for the air force to make such a direct hit on a vital target.

"The Sri Lankan air force is not known for its pinpoint¹ accuracy of its bombings," he said. "But it is quite possible that the government was targeting senior level LTTE leaders and got him."

Perera says the successful attack will do little to alter the long ethnic² war.

"The fact that the government was able to kill Mr. Thamilselvan, an LTTE leader, would be politically advantageous³ to take its message to the people that its war is proceeding⁴ successfully," he said. "But in terms of actual military impact I doubt whether this is very significant."

But the death of such a senior leader is not likely to be taken lightly by the Tigers.

"He was a very benign⁵ looking, smiling person who was the public face of the LTTE," said Perera. "So it's a very big blow to them. And I would assume the LTTE would wish to retaliate⁶ in the same mode."

The Tigers have a long pattern of political assassination⁷, and are responsible for the deaths of dozens of Sri Lankan officials, including a president of the country and former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Tamil rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority group for more than 25 years. The conflict has taken an estimated 70,000 lives in the past 25 years, and human rights groups accuse both sides of committing abuses against civilians⁸.

Since last year there have been near-daily clashes on land and at sea resulting in the deaths of an estimated 5,000 people.

1 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 advantageous   

adj.有利的；有帮助的

参考例句：

• Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。
• You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。

4 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

5 benign   

adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的

参考例句：

• The benign weather brought North America a bumper crop.温和的气候给北美带来大丰收。
• Martha is a benign old lady.玛莎是个仁慈的老妇人。

6 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

7 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

8 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。