2007年VOA标准英语-Fanfare Greets Liberia's US-Trained Army

By Naomi Schwarz/Prince Collins
Dakar
10 September 2007

Liberian soldier celebrates with family at the graduation ceremony

In Liberia, fanfare¹ has marked the graduation of the latest batch² of newly trained army soldiers. The training, which is partly funded by the United States, aims to give technical skills to the new soldiers as well as coach them in their responsibility to safe-guard human rights. During Liberia's decade-plus civil war, both the national army and rebel factions³ were guilty of gross human-rights abuses. Naomi Schwarz has this story from Dakar, with additional reporting from Prince Collins in Liberia.

At a graduation ceremony for 500 newly trained soldiers of Liberia's Armed Forces, a speaker reminds the new troops the Liberian people will be watching their actions closely.

During the war, Liberia's army was one of the warring factions. A report from U.S.-based Human Rights Watch lists the atrocities⁴ they, along with other forces, committed, including killing⁵ men, women and children, torching huts with elderly and sick people inside, torturing and starving prisoners, and stealing and looting from Liberians.

Liberia's government, with U.S. government funding, is conducting extensive training to ensure the new army does not repeat the abuses of the past.

US-trained Liberian soldiers march in the capital of Freetown

Liberia Defense⁶ Minister Brownie Samukai says Liberia will hold its soldiers to high standards.

"We hold you responsible. We will not tolerate any level or any action of indiscipline while in service, be it in the military barracks or at home," he said. "Any Liberian who finds you conducting yourself in a manner that shows disrespect to the flag should report and we will take the necessary action to ensure that only the best and the best remain shall remain in the Armed Forces of Liberia."

Former rebel leader Prince Johnson is now a member of the Senate. He says international training is not enough.

"When I first came to the army many years ago, we saw many young men who were given international training, international standards, and later on they lost sight of the vision and they push away the constitution, they oppressed people, they became a regime army and everything changed for the worse against the people of Liberia," said Johnson.

But he says he is encouraged by what he sees of the new army.

The new recruits say they joined the army to have a first hand role in ensuring their country's peace.

Comfort Rey says she enlisted⁷ to help protect other women.

"Because what the past what happened in our country, the women were victims," she said. "So I think we the women soldiers decided⁸ to put our country back together. "

Since Liberia's civil war ended in 2003, the peace has been enforced by foreign soldiers under United Nations leadership, as well as a reconstructed Liberian police force. The army training is being conducted by the Virginia-based private security firm Dyncorp. The company has also received U.S. government contracts to train police in Afghanistan and Iraq.

1 fanfare   

n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布

参考例句：

• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

2 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

3 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

4 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 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。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。