VOA标准英语2008年-Nigerian Armed Group Vows to Halt Bakassi Hando

Nigeria is due to complete its withdrawals¹ from the disputed Bakassi peninsula on the 14th of August, but fresh tension is mounting as Nigerian gunmen opposed to the handover intensify² attacks on Cameroon troops in the territory. Gilbert da Costa in Abuja reports the Nigerian legislature has yet to ratify³ the handover deal, leaving the process hanging in the balance.

A little-known group, the Niger Delta⁴ Defense⁵ and Security Council, has promised more attacks on Cameroonian forces in parts of Bakassi already ceded⁶ by Nigeria, unless the deal that gave Bakassi to Cameroon, signed by Nigeria's former president is revised.

Cameroon's defense ministry⁷ said twelve people, two Cameroonian soldiers and 10 Nigerian gunmen, were killed Thursday in an attack by an armed gang in Cameroon's oil-rich west, close to the Nigerian border. Eight of the attackers were taken prisoner, a statement said.

Nigerian gunmen in speedboats have routinely attacked Cameroon's military positions in the peninsula in recent months.

At least four deadly assaults have been reported since November 2007 as pressure to abort⁸ the final phase of the handover process mounts in Nigeria, leading to increased tension in the region.

The upsurge in attacks coincides with growing resentment⁹ within Nigeria of the deal signed by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to abide¹⁰ by the 2002 International Court of Justice ruling that the 1000-square kilometer oil-rich territory belonged to Cameroon. The Nigerian parliament has yet to ratify the deal and various groups have mounted a legal challenge.

Chief Edet Okon, the traditional ruler of Bakassi, says he is not impressed with the last-minute campaign to abort the handover.

"It is amazing to see a group of people who were there when the [former] president took the action, who were supposed to rise up at that time," he said. "They did not do so for reasons best known to them and today after many things have gone astray, somebody is now just waking up to say it was not properly done. Where were those people when those things were done?

Most of the population of the penisula, who are Nigerians, have been given the option of staying under Cameroon authority or being resettled in Nigeria.

The dispute over ownership of the peninsula brought the neighbors close to war in the 1980s.

Bakassi lies east of the restive¹¹ Niger Delta, the source of nearly all of Nigeria's oil and gas. Oil output from Nigeria, the world's eighth biggest exporter, has been cut by a fifth in the past two years due to attacks on oil infrastructure¹² and personnel by Delta-based militant¹³ groups.

 

1 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

2 intensify   

vt.加强；变强；加剧

参考例句：

• We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
• They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。

3 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 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。

6 ceded   

v.让给，割让，放弃( cede的过去式 )

参考例句：

• Cuba was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898. 古巴在1898年被西班牙割让给美国。
• A third of the territory was ceded to France. 领土的三分之一割让给了法国。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 abort   

v.使流产，堕胎；中止；中止(工作、计划等)

参考例句：

• The captain instructed them to abort the mission.上尉指示他们中止执行任务。
• With this button the user can abort the audio sequence.用户可以用该按钮终止音频序列。

9 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

10 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

11 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。