VOA标准英语2010年-Religious Violence in Nigerian City Sp

Residents of Nigeria's city of Jos say attacks are continuing for a fourth day in parts of the state previously¹ unaffected despite the imposition of a 24-hour curfew and the deployment² of soldiers.

Incidents of violence are still being reported in the volatile³ city amid reports that clashes between gangs of Muslim Hausas and mostly Christian⁴ Beroms have now spread beyond Jos to neighboring towns and other parts of Plateau state.

A newspaper reporter based in Jos, Jude Owuamanam, said security forces have so far failed to control the violence outside the city. He described the current situation as one of total anarchy⁵.

"Total anarchy, total breakdown⁶ of law and order. It appears that the crisis has overwhelmed the security men. They never contemplated⁷ the level. The feedback we are getting is that though it has been contained in some areas where it first started it is resurging in other areas. And when it gets to local government areas it is worse because soldiers don't get there early and quickly," said Owuamanam.

U.S.-based Human Rights Watch says more than 200 people have been killed in three days of violence. So far, Nigerian officials have confirmed only the death of 60 people.

The government imposed a 24-hour curfew and ordered troops to act swiftly to stop the fighting. Top police and military commanders are all in Jos to direct security operations in the troubled city.

A senator representing Plateau state in the National Assembly, John Shagaya, is appealing to community and religious leaders in the area to intervene.

"We commend the efforts of state and the security agencies for efforts that are being carried out so far to isolate⁸ the crisis within Jos North and to limit damages to properties and of course human lives," he said.  "We are appealing to leaders, especially community leaders, religious leaders, elder statesmen within the state to cooperate with government and of course the security agencies to ensure that the situation is brought under control," he said.

Jos has seen at least four major outbursts of religious violence since 2001. The tensions in Plateau state have their roots in decades of resentment⁹ by indigenous¹⁰ minority groups, mostly Christian or animist, toward migrants and settlers from Nigeria's Hausa-speaking Muslim north.

Nigeria, the most populous¹¹ nation in Africa with 140 million people, is divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south.

 

1 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。

2 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

3 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

6 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

7 contemplated   

adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
• The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

8 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

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 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

11 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。