voa标准英语2008-African Union Condemns Guinea Coup Attempt

The African Union has condemned² the attempt by military officers in Guinea to seize power following the death of President Lansana Conte. The continent's top peace and security officials are calling the attempted coup³ a worrisome sign of a reversal in Africa's trend toward multi-party democracy.
　

Guinean soldiers on armored vehicles patrol streets of Conakry, 23 Dec 2008

The AU Peace and Security Council spent most of the day in emergency session Wednesday, debating the text of a statement condemning⁴ what they call an attempt to overthrow⁵ constitutional order in Guinea. Afterward⁶, Zambia's AU Ambassador Patrick Sinyinza, who holds the rotating Council chairmanship, expressed concern that recent events in Mauritania and now in Guinea could signal a return to the era of seizing power by force in Africa.

"We have had either coup attempts or countries on the verge⁷ of coup d'etats or any insurgency⁸ by the, either in the military sector⁹ or by individuals to change government by force, we are saying we are not for that, and Africa needs to build on the issue of democracy and good governance," he said. "A road that Africa I think has been on, and we should not have the reversals we seem to be experiencing."

AU backs constitutional rule

AU Peace and Security Commissioner¹⁰ Ramtane Lamamra called the toughly-worded communiqué an expression of the Council's resolve to preserve constitutional order in Guinea.

"Clearly, the situation developing in Guinea is being looked at as an attempted coup d'etat which we condemn¹ and which we seek to reverse, meaning that we strongly support actions being taken to strengthen the constitutional institutions of Guinea," he said.

Lamamra said he was heartened that not all of Guinea's armed forces are supporting the coup attempt, and expressed hope that elections would be held within months to choose a successor to President Conte.

"We are far from concluding that the armed forces are all of them committing an act against the constitution, and we hope that by the next summit of the African Union, the legally authorized¹¹ personalities¹² would be the ones representing the country, and if the calculation is right, probably the election would be taking place right after the holding of the African Union summit 60 days from yesterday," he said.

AU delegation¹³ will travel to Guinea

Lamamra said Africa's top diplomat¹⁴, AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping is considering leading a high-ranking delegation to Conakry within the next 24 hours. The delegation would try to calm tensions and advocate restoration of constitutional order, as well as attending President Conte's funeral, which is set for Friday.

The attempted coup mirrored Mr. Conte's own rise to power in a 1984 military takeover after the death of his predecessor¹⁵, Ahmed Sekou Toure. AU diplomats¹⁶ also noted¹⁷ this attempt came months after Mauritania's first democratically elected president was deposed¹⁸ in a military coup.

Mauritania's membership in the African Union was suspended after the coup, and Commissioner Lamamra hinted the same fate could await Guinea if constitutional order is not restored.

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

4 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

6 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

7 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

8 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

11 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

12 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

13 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

14 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

15 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

16 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 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。

18 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》