2007年VOA标准英语-Niger Rebels Vow Continued Violence After Deadl

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
10 August 2007

The rebel group Niger Movement for Justice says it launched two attacks late Thursday in the uranium-rich Agadez region, sparking skirmishes with government forces that ended in the killing¹ of two civilians². A rebel spokesman says the group will continue attacking until the Niger government takes its demands seriously. Phuong Tran has more from VOA's West Africa Bureau in Dakar.

Rebel spokesman El Kontchi Kriska says the rebels, from the Tuareg nomadic³ tribe, attacked two electricity companies supplying uranium mines.

He says the rebels withdrew when the government, in retaliation⁴, killed two civilians.

"We are very sorry and ashamed for that, but we know that the Niger army is able to do it [kill civilians]. The army does not start to kill civilians today or yesterday. We have proof they do it many times," he said.

Government officials have not confirmed the deaths.

The group has waged a low-intensity war against the Niger government since earlier this year, demanding a bigger share of the region's mineral wealth.

The government has refused to recognize or negotiate with the group.

Kriska says the rebels will continue the attacks until the government admits the group and its demands are legitimate⁵.

"We are now in the war period," he added.  "We are determined⁶ to attack government positions until we get negotiations⁷, until the government of Niger calls us and says 'yes you are right, this was not respected before and we want you to give us another chance.' The government says we are not able to make anything, we are bandits, traffickers. When we do these attacks, everybody will understand we know what we want."

To date, the government has demanded the Tuaregs lay down their weapons.

This group has taken responsibility for kidnapping government soldiers, and has been accused of laying mines in nearby areas.

Despite the country's mineral wealth, the United Nations has ranked Niger's living conditions as the worst in the world for the past two years.

1 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

2 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。

3 nomadic   

adj.流浪的；游牧的

参考例句：

• This tribe still live a nomadic life.这个民族仍然过着游牧生活。
• The plowing culture and the nomadic culture are two traditional principal cultures in China.农耕文化与游牧文化是我国传统的两大主体文化。

4 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。