2007年VOA标准英语-Tension Grips Northern Nigeria After Cleric's A

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
19 July 2007

A popular Islamic preacher in northwestern Nigeria has died, hours after being shot near a mosque¹. For VOA, Gilbert da Costa reports that confirmation² of the cleric's death has set residents on edge.

 

Residents of the religious city of Sokoto are fearful that tensions of the past couple of hours could escalate³ into fighting, following news that radical⁴ Sunni cleric Umaru Danshiya has died, six hours after surgery.

 

Local journalist Yusuf Bindaji says most residents are bracing⁵ themselves for more violence.

 

"His death will cause a lot of things, especially in Sokoto. Those people who were thinking that he didn't die, today that there is confirmation that he is dead," he said. "People are saying that they are taking revenge, because he was killed unjustly by Shiite Muslims. There is a lot of tension going on right now. And this is happening when the Sultan and the governor are not in town."

 

The Islamic preacher had conducted a prayer session at the local mosque when four assailants approached him and shot him in the hip⁶.

 

His supporters responded spontaneously, attacking the city's minority Shi'ites who they blamed for the shooting.

 

Bindaji says tensions between Sunnis and Shi'ites have a political dimension.

 

"This is a well-known war between the Muslim Shittes and Sunnis," added Bindaji. "It started two to three years ago and because of the political problems, the present [state] government is in power as a result of support from Sunnis, while the outgoing government supported the Shi'ite sect⁷."

 

Sokoto is the seat of the Sultan of Sokoto, spiritual head of Nigeria's estimated 70 million Muslims, who are mostly Sunni.

 

Police and soldiers are patrolling the streets to prevent further revenge attacks.

1 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

2 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

3 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

4 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

5 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

6 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

7 sect   

n.派别，宗教，学派，派系

参考例句：

• When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
• Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。