VOA标准英语2009年-Sudan to Reciprocate Prisoner Release

A Sudanese government spokesman said that Khartoum "will reciprocate¹" a move this weekend by a major Darfur rebel group to release 60 prisoners of war. Discussions between the rebel Justice and Equality Movement group and the Sudanese government have faltered² for months.
　
Sudanese FM spokesman Ali al-Sadiq speaks to reporters in Khartoum (File)

Sudan Foreign Affairs Ministry³ spokesman Ali Sadiq told VOA the Sudanese government will announce shortly the release of an undetermined number of Justice and Equality Movement prisoners to meet the rebel group's good faith measure.

"The government has welcomed the move, and [it] will reciprocate very soon," he said.

Sadiq confirmed that JEM's prisoner release over the weekend was undertaken unilaterally, saying that such a move had been discussed but no agreement had been reached prior to the release of the Sudanese soldiers.

"In fact, this has been discussed in Doha over the last month, but they did not reach an agreement. But JEM has taken the step to release 60, and the government welcomes that," he said.

The Sudanese spokesman could not specify⁴ the exact number of rebel prisoners that would be released, but said the details of the release will be announced soon.

The Darfur rebel group has reportedly said that it would be willing to release more Sudanese soldiers if Khartoum responded to its action in kind.

The move could put new life into the negotiations⁵ between the Justice and Equality Movement and Khartoum. Talks between the two parties began in February in Doha, Qatar, but the talks appeared to have collapsed⁶ in recent months.

In an initial confidence-building agreement reached near the start of the talks, both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange. But JEM leaders have accused the Sudanese government of refusing to follow through with the exercise. Sudan has previously⁷ stated it would not release any prisoners before a ceasefire was reached.

The Darfur rebel group led an unprecedented⁸, but failed, attack last year on the Sudanese capital.

The prisoner release was overseen⁹ by the International Committee for the Red Cross, which acted as the neutral mediator¹⁰ between the two parties. An ICRC official in Sudan would not comment on whether the group is in discussions with the Sudanese government on a possible prisoner release of its own.
　
Justice and Equality Movement leader Dr. Khalil Ibrahim at the Darfur Peace Talks in Doha, Qatar, 11 Feb 2009

The release of JEM rebels could be complicated by the the death sentences Sudan has handed down to more than 100 of the held rebels. Included among the condemned¹¹ prisoners are two half-brothers of the rebel group's leader, Khalil Ibrahim.

The Justice and Equality Movement has thus far boycotted¹² a move by mediators to include a number of separate Darfur rebel groups in the discussions with the Khartoum government, saying that the group will only engage the government bilaterally¹³.

According to the United Nations, as many as 300,000 people have died and 2.7-million people have been displaced in Darfur since hostilities¹⁴ began in 2003.

1 reciprocate   

v.往复运动；互换；回报，酬答

参考例句：

• Although she did not reciprocate his feelings, she did not discourage him.尽管她没有回应他的感情，她也没有使他丧失信心。
• Some day I will reciprocate your kindness to me.总有一天我会报答你对我的恩德。

2 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

3 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。

4 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

7 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。

8 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

9 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

10 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

11 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。

12 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

13 bilaterally   

[医]adv.两侧，双向地

参考例句：

• The data in the Performance Test shall be Bilaterally recorded and confirmed. 在生产线考核期间的数据应由双方共同记录并确认。
• Anatomic constraints may preclude the insertion a transarticular screw unilaterally or bilaterally. 解剖制约可能妨碍单边或双边插入关节螺钉。

14 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。