VOA常速英语2008年-Senegal Paves Way for Possible Habre Trial

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
09 April 2008

Senegal's parliament has changed the constitution to make it possible for national courts to try crimes against humanity. This paves the way for a possible trial of exiled former Chadian leader Hissene Habre over alleged¹ torture and political killings² during the 1980s. But victims and human rights campaigners remain doubtful that Habre will face trial. VOA's Nico Colombant has more from Dakar.

Senegalese lawmakers say a new bill passed late Tuesday will allow national courts to try Habre, who lives in a villa³ in Senegal's capital Dakar.

There was heated debate in parliament. Some lawmakers and members of the government are close to Habre, and some have been on his legal team.

Previously⁴, Senegal's judicial⁵ system was not competent to try alleged crimes that took place abroad or crimes more than 10 years old.

Victims' associations and human rights campaigners have been campaigning for years to get Habre before a court on charges of systematic⁶ killings and torture and ethnic⁷ persecution⁸ during his eight-year rule in Chad.

A Chadian inquiry⁹, after he was deposed¹⁰ in a coup¹¹, blamed him for tens of thousands of politically motivated murders and several hundred thousand cases of torture. Habre says he is innocent of wrongdoing.

In 2006, the African Union asked Senegal to prosecute¹² him.

Souleymane Guengueng, the founder¹³ of the Chadian Association of Victims of Political Repression¹⁴ and Crime, says he doubts the trial will take place in Senegal.

He says all that is needed is political willingness and the naming of judges. He says nothing else can stop the trial from starting now.

The recent nomination¹⁵ of Madicke Niang, Habre's former lawyer, as Senegal's new justice minister, makes Guengueng suspect that Habre might not be tried in Senegal.

International advisors¹⁶ have warned the investigation¹⁷ into Habre's rule will be complex and take time to complete.

And there is the issue of money.

Senegal's government has said it needs at least $45 million in aid to be able to finance the trial. France, the former colonial power of both Chad and Senegal, has pledged financial and technical assistance. But other possible donors¹⁸ have said such a huge request would have to be carefully considered.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

3 villa   

n.别墅，城郊小屋

参考例句：

• We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
• We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

6 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

9 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

10 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》

11 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。

12 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

13 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

14 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

15 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

16 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

17 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

18 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》