2007年VOA标准英语-Niger Delta Militants, Villagers Plead For Help

By Nico Colombant
Okrika Island, Nigeria
21 May 2007

Militants¹ and villagers in Nigeria's restive³, oil-rich and lawless Niger Delta⁴ are pleading for help from the incoming government that takes power next week. They say dialogue and development are needed, rather than the security crackdown that has created more violence, and a large number of groups conducting criminal business. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from the creeks⁵ around Okrika island, near Port Harcourt.

Militants whiz by on speedboats in oil-rich creeks trying to avoid security forces and rival gangs, all of which compete in oil bunkering and other illegal activities.

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Militant commander wants change of policies

Speaking from a safe place on Okrika Island, Commander Marcus Appolos, from the militant Ijaw Youth Council, says the incoming president and new state governors should break from past policies.

"Whatever has passed, if really they want to serve the people, they should take corrections of the past and bring everybody together, and put people in places where they are supposed to be, to take a new dimension, a better emancipation⁶ for the people," he said.

The 28-year-old commander says it is just not fair for so many people to suffer, while so much oil is being taken from their region, making money for just a few officials and foreign-owned oil companies and their shareholders⁷.

"The government has all the money. We do not have the money," he said. "We have the resources but we do not have anything to do with it. So the government uses their own money to oppress us. So that is just the difficulties."

The sounds of a small market are interrupted by the arrival of members from a rival militant group, the Niger Delta Vigilante.

The group's second in command, Ebel Tomma Amakiri, also known by his nickname Kpottoi, which means bad noise, says the government's first priority should be establishing dialogue between armed groups.

"Without any peace, without any cooperation, there is nothing you can do. So that the best thing that we have to agree on a point is that there should be peace. Without peace, you cannot progress, you cannot do anything."

In fishing villages across the water, villagers complain of a lack of piped water, electricity, schools, hospitals and being at the receiving end of violence from rival gangs trying to control different areas.

One fisherman, Samuel Tamuno, says he was recently attacked by a gang known as the Germans.

"All my things are lost. My house is burned, my canoe, all the nets are finished. I just stay empty. I do not have anything to manage, to get money. I just struggle," he said.

Another fisherman, Emmanuel, speaking in Okrika through an interpreter, explains oil has made his life much worse.

"Look at ships, the ships are very close to them," he said. "Sometimes, they are polluting the water. There is no fish here in the sea. Things are very difficult for them. They need the incoming government to assist them to alleviate⁸ their suffering."

Asked to comment on the allegations, oil companies said they were too busy dealing⁹ with the dozen foreign oil workers currently being held hostage for ransom¹⁰ by militants.

Newly-elected ruling party officials were returning from Abuja, where they concluded a seminar on better governance, including for places like here.

Labor¹¹ unions have called for a stay at home strike to coincide with the swearing-in of the next president, Musa Yar'Adua and new governors on May 29, following elections marred¹² by fraud and violence.

1 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。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

4 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。

5 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

6 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

8 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

10 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

11 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

12 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。