VOA标准英语2010年-Soldiers Topple Niger's President

Coup¹ spokesman says action was taken to end the country's tense political situation following an August referendum expand President Tandja's powers and gave him another three years in office

Scott Stearns | Dakar 18 February 2010

Soldiers stand guard by Niamey's national hospital, Niger, during a coup attempt against President Mamadou Tandja, 18 Feb 2010

Soldiers in Niger say they have toppled President Mamadou Tandja. VOA West Africa Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

In a nationwide radio and television broadcast, a spokesman for the mutinous² soldiers said they have suspended the constitution and dissolved the government that President Tandja established following a controversial referendum last August.

Coup spokesman Colonel Abdoul Karim Goukoye Karimou said Niger's defense³ and security forces decided⁴ to take their responsibility to end the country's tense political situation.

He said Niger is now being led by a Supreme⁵ Council for the Restoration of Democracy which is calling on people to remain calm, stay united, and make their country an example of democracy, good governance, and stability.

President Tandja was meeting with cabinet ministers at the presidential palace when the coup took place. Soldiers are now reportedly holding him at a military barracks outside the capital.

President Tandja has grown increasingly unpopular since he used the August referendum to change the constitution to expand his powers and give him another three years in office.

When Niger's constitutional court and parliament said the referendum was illegal, President Tandja dismissed them. The Economic Community of West African States suspended Niger because of what it called President Tandja's unconstitutional rule.

The regional alliance has been trying to negotiate a transitional power-sharing agreement that would have allowed President Tandja to remain in office while an interim⁶ government organized new elections.

Announcing the coup, Colonel Karimou was joined by two men who played big parts in  Niger's 1999 coup - Dijibrilla Hima Mamidou and Abdoulaye Adamou Harouna. That take-over lasted less than a year before the military held elections that were won by President Tandja.

Coup leaders have announced a 6 pm to 6 am curfew and have closed all land and air borders.

 

1 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。

2 mutinous   

adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变

参考例句：

• The mutinous sailors took control of the ship.反叛的水手们接管了那艘船。
• His own army,stung by defeats,is mutinous.经历失败的痛楚后，他所率军队出现反叛情绪。

3 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。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。