2007年VOA标准英语-Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Leaders Meet

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
20 February 2007

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf attends opening session of ECOWAS summit, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 19 Jan 2007

The leaders of Liberia and Sierra Leone met in Guinea with embattled President Lansana Conte, amid concerns his forces have been trying to recruit former rebels in Liberia. The West African regional group ECOWAS is also trying to help defuse tensions in Guinea. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar that Guinea union leaders are continuing a crippling and sometimes deadly strike action.

Prior to the meeting in Conakry, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf released a statement saying she would not tolerate Liberians being recruited as mercenaries.

One of her spokesmen said she made the trip with Sierra Leone President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah to help bring peace and reconciliation¹ to Guinea.

The three countries are part of what is known as the Mano River Union.

In nearby Burkina Faso, a mediator² for the West African group ECOWAS, Ibrahima Babanguida, met with the group's current head, Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, and said he was pressing on with his own efforts.

"I think as long as we engage ourselves in dialogue, there will always be a solution to the problem," he said. "We should be able to bring in the experiences of these countries to bear on our sister country so that things do not get out of hand."

A West Africa analyst³ with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, Gilles Yabi, warns Mr. Conte will be difficult to deal with.

"It is difficult to have leverage⁴ especially with President Conte because he is a very eccentric [president], who is used to staying in his country, who has few diplomatic connections and who really does not care about external pressure," said Yabi.

Another analyst, who recently spent time in Guinea, Dustin Sharp, from U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, agrees, but applauds the outside effort.

"I think the stakes are too high. I think all of Guinea's neighbors and the international community in general need to take a strong interest and keep pressing," said Sharp.

Sharp says he believes Guinea, is in his words, on the brink⁵ of a precipice⁶.

"It would not be the first time that legitimate⁷ grievances⁸ have given birth to rebel movements or other types of insurgencies," he said. "No one wants to see that happen. And it is for that very reason that we are in a very dangerous situation."

Sharp says Human Rights Watch has also been closely monitoring reports that Mr. Conte's forces are recruiting former Liberian rebels.

"According to interviews that we have done with long standing⁹ contacts in Liberia, numerous people have been approached in Liberia to be recruited in missions in Guinea. So we do not have concrete information about troop deployments or numbers, but we do believe recruitment has taken place," he said.

During Liberia's recent civil war, Mr. Conte backed the main rebel group.

Guinea is under martial¹⁰ law, following a round of looting by angry protesters calling for Mr. Conte to resign. He has been in power since a coup¹¹ in 1984.

1 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

2 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

3 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。

4 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

5 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

6 precipice   

n.悬崖，危急的处境

参考例句：

• The hut hung half over the edge of the precipice.那间小屋有一半悬在峭壁边上。
• A slight carelessness on this precipice could cost a man his life.在这悬崖上稍一疏忽就会使人丧生。

7 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。

8 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

11 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。