VOA标准英语2011--Kenya Faces Criticism Over Nationals Det

Kenya Faces Criticism Over Nationals Detained in Uganda

Pressure is mounting on the Kenyan government to seek the release of eight human rights activists² being detained in Uganda in connection with the July terrorist attacks in Kampala.
In the past few days, a debate has arisen in the Kenyan government over the fate of prominent rights activist¹ Al Amin Kimathi and several suspects facing charges of terrorism in Uganda. Kimathi has been held by the Ugandan government for the past eight months.
Late Wednesday, a heated discussion took place in Kenya's parliament about the government's responsibilities in the case of Kimathi. Parliament Member Martha Karua argued Ugandan authorities had no right to keep him.
"Up to today the hearing has not commenced. It is quite clear that the Ugandan authorities do not have any evidence," said Karua.
Kimathi led a legal team to Kampala to meet with several Kenyans held in connection with the July 11 terrorist attacks in Kampala. Twin blasts ripped through crowds watching the World Cup final, killing³ 79 and injuring more than 70. The attacks were claimed by the Somali insurgent⁴ group al-Shabab, which said they were retaliation⁵ for Ugandan peacekeeping forces helping⁶ the Somali government.
The Kenyan government employed extraordinary rendition to hand the suspects to the Ugandan authorities, a move that has been criticized by many, including Kenyan Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo.
On September 15, during an attempt to visit with the Kenyan suspects, Kimathi was arrested by Ugandan authorities and charged in connection with the blasts. Kimathi is now being held in a maximum security prison. He faces 79 counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and three counts of terrorism.
Many members of Kenya's parliament demanded to know why the government had not requested Kimathi's release.
But Internal Security Minister and Acting⁷ Foreign Minister George Saitoti defended the actions of the Kenyan and Ugandan governments, and he urged the lawmakers not to sour relations between the two countries.
"Uganda is a neighboring country. We have worked with it. In terms of the trade, Mr. Speaker, we trade a great deal. It is a major market of this country," said Saitoti.
Some Parliament Members say they saw hypocrisy⁸ in the detention⁹ of Kimathi. Lawmaker Millie Odhiambo pointed¹⁰ to the government support extended to the Kenyans suspected by the International Criminal Court of organizing the 2007-2008 post-election violence.
"Just recently we have seen the government spending billions on six individuals who went to The Hague when you have several Kenyans just [nearby]," said Odhiambo. "You cannot provide legal counsel?"
This week, several prominent Kenyan activists were deported¹¹ by Ugandan authorities during an attempt to reach Kimathi. The group, led by Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights Chairman Hassan Omar Hassan, arrived at Entebbe International Airport near Kampala early Wednesday. Several, including Hassan, were denied entry and deported back to Kenya without explanation.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

8 hypocrisy   

n.伪善，虚伪

参考例句：

• He railed against hypocrisy and greed.他痛斥伪善和贪婪的行为。
• He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.他指责了报纸在报道该新闻时的虚伪。

9 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

10 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

11 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》