VOA标准英语2009年-Guinea's Military Ruler Tries to Distance

By Scott Stearns
Dakar
29 September 2009 

 
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, attends a meeting at Camp Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp in Conakry, Guinea (File)
Guinea's military ruler is trying to distance himself from the violence that killed at least 58 people in the capital on Monday who were protesting his possible candidacy in next year's presidential election. 

Military ruler Captain Moussa Dadis Camara told Senegal's RFM radio that he was disgusted when he was told about the violence at Conakry's September 28 Stadium, where witnesses say security services opened fire on opposition¹ protesters.

Captain Camara said he wanted to see for himself what was happening at the stadium because he was unaware² of the events.

He told the Senegalese radio station that he would rather die than see people killed because, he said, he did not take power in a military coup³ last December to have a confrontation⁴ with the Guinean people.

The military government on Sunday banned all public demonstrations⁶ ahead of Friday's national independence celebrations. But opposition parties, civil society groups and trade unions went ahead with Monday's protest.

Several opposition leaders were arrested and taken to Guinea's main military barracks.

Captain Camara said he has asked about the condition of detained opposition leaders and was told that they are in good health.

Monday's demonstration⁵ against Captain Camara's anticipated run for the presidency⁷ was the largest public opposition he has faced since the coup. It was also the most violent incident of his nine months in power.

The scale of the killing⁸ will be difficult to determine because the military reportedly is collecting bodies themselves rather than allowing them to be counted at public morgues.

Former colonial power France is condemning⁹ "the violent repression¹⁰ exercised by the army" during a peaceful demonstration. A statement by the French Foreign Ministry¹¹ says the ruling military council should "show responsibility" and "listen to the Guinean people's legitimate¹² aspiration¹³ to democratically choose their leaders." It says Captain Camara not standing¹⁴ for election "would allow for calm to return."

Captain Camara initially¹⁵ said none of the coup leaders would run for office.  But the ruling military council now says all Guineans are entitled to run. While he has not formally announced his candidacy, Captain Camara has told supporters that he will not insult them by ignoring their demands to stand as a candidate in presidential elections scheduled for January.

Guinea is suspended from the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union because of the coup. The African Union says it is concerned about the "deteriorating¹⁶ situation" in Guinea and that it will impose unspecified sanctions on Captain Camara next month, unless he makes clear that he will not run for president.

The Guinean ruler so far has enjoyed the public support of a handful of African heads of state, most notably Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

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 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 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》

10 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。

11 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。

12 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

13 aspiration   

n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出

参考例句：

• Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
• Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。

14 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

15 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

16 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。