2007年VOA标准英语-Fighting in DRC Challenges Ceasefire

By Selah Hennessy
Dakar
25 September 2007

More fighting has been reported in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following Monday's clashes between the army and renegade forces who battled on three separate fronts despite a shaky ceasefire.  Analysts² predict an escalation³ of violence in the volatile⁴ region. Selah Hennessy reports from the VOA West and Central Africa bureau in Dakar.

Gabriel de Brosses is the military spokesman for MONUC, the United Nations peacekeeping force in DRC.

"The fighting started early in the morning Monday and afterwards MONUC sent in heavy patrols to monitor the situation and some of the fighting resumed this morning," he said.

He says Monday saw fighting on three fronts, near Mweso, Ngungu and Karuba, all in the district of Masisi. He says on Tuesday the fighting near Ngungu resumed at around six in the morning.

Both sides have accused the other of firing the first shot.

But de Brosses says he is skeptical⁵ that government forces would have instigated⁶ renewed combat.

"MONUC's position is that it is very unlikely that the FARDC troops would have initiated⁷ the fighting," he added.

A series of deadly battles between the national army and renegade ethnic-Tutsi fighters took place in the eastern province North Kivu at the end of August and into September.

A de-facto ceasefire brokered⁸ by MONUC brought relative calm to the region for almost three weeks, but Monday's fighting seems to have re-ignited the ongoing⁹ conflict.

De Brosses says MONUC is training Congolese army battalions¹⁰ as part of its U.N. mandate¹¹, but he says government forces may not be ready to defeat the rebel fighters.

"Whether they do have the military capacity to take an armed group is one question unanswered at the moment," he explained.

Muzong Kodi is a DRC analyst¹ with London-based Chatham House.  He says the conflict has been handled badly.

He says the government has allowed the situation to fester because its army is not strong enough to wipe out the dissidents.  

"They really do not have the capacity and the discipline to deal a blow to the opposing side," he noted¹².

But at the same time, he says, the government is refusing to negotiate.

"Nkunda is going to try as much as possible to force the government to the negotiating table, which the government is not going to want-otherwise they will lose face and there is a lot of pressure from the politicians in the area and a large portion of the population not to negotiate with Nkunda," he added.

Kodi says because the Congolese army is weak, the government will eventually be forced to negotiate.

But he says until that happens armed conflict will continue.

"It is going to be a very difficult situation for some time to come," he said.  "There is going to be more fighting as you can expect and the civilian¹³ population is going to suffer the most."

According to the U.N. more than 300,000 people have been forced to flee violence in North Kivu this year.

1 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。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

4 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 instigated   

v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government has instigated a programme of economic reform. 政府已实施了经济改革方案。
• He instigated the revolt. 他策动了这次叛乱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

8 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

9 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

10 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。