2006年VOA标准英语-Liberia's Truth Commission Denies Reports of Su

By Kari Barber
Dakar
30 November 2006

Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation¹ Commission is denying reports that the commission has ceased work because of a lack of funding.  A commission spokeswoman told VOA Thursday that a recent halt in field research was previously² scheduled.  Meanwhile, critics of the commission are continuing to push for a war crimes court. For VOA, Kari Barber reports from Dakar.

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Two war victims are seen in wheelchairs at launch of Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in  Monrovia, 22 June 2006

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Liberia was formed earlier this year to document first-hand accounts of murders, rapes³ and other crimes committed during years of recently ended conflict.

The commission was designed after South Africa's commission with the aim of giving the opportunity for victims to speak and victimizers to apologize. 

After three weeks of operations in the field the commission, known locally as the TRC, has called in its researchers.

Reports came out that the recall was a result of a lack of cash.  TRC spokeswoman Juliane Westphal says this is inaccurate⁴.

"It is not the reason it was put on hold," she said.  "There is a lack, which will be amended⁵ now.  But it was always planned to stop the statement taking to look at the prompts, to revise the prompts, and then take it up again."

Westphal says the commission is struggling with a lack of funds because of pledges that have failed to materialize.  But the commission is still talking with partners and making proposals to deal with this shortage.

"It is true that there is a constant lack of money flow and funds, and constantly we have to take great care to stick to our plan because of that," she added.

Westphal says pay has been delayed for statement takers.  She says the situation will be corrected on Monday.

Some Liberian critics say struggles within the TRC support their position that the country does not need a truth and reconciliation commission.  They say it needs a war crimes tribunal with the power to prosecute⁶.

Bodioh Siapoe, a Liberian activist⁷ living in America and a former spokesman for rebel groups, says he sees this as a breakdown⁸ of the commission.  Siapoe says people want to see war criminals tried in court.

"It is what the people want," he noted⁹.  "As I said, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is just a joke.  This is what all of us expected that this thing would just break down.  It has broken down."

Siapoe says he believes for true reconciliation, the country needs to rid itself of former warlords who are in positions of power and were also elected as lawmakers.

"From day one I would go for a war crimes tribunal, because a lot of people in my country who contributed to this insane war are in top positions," he added.  "Because until we can bring those people to court, there is not going to be real peace in our country.  So I support a war crimes tribunal over a TRC which is neither clear nor transparent¹⁰ nor accountable to the people."

Boakai Jalerba is secretary general of a group advocating the establishment of a war crimes court in Liberia. He says the truth commission is protecting perpetrators from justice.

"We believe the TRC forum¹¹ is a crafted forum designed to shield those warlords and those people who have committed crimes against humanity, against the victims," he said.

Spokeswoman Westphal says that there should not be competition between the truth commission and a war crimes tribunal because the two would have different mandates¹².  However, she says, it is best if they do not operate simultaneously¹³.

"It always sounds as if there is a competition with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the War Crimes Tribunal," she said.  "Of course, two bodies like that influence each other and they can act like in Sierra Leone where special courts actually had a bad influence on TRC work."

Westphal says after revising the questions used by statement takers, the next period of statement gathering¹⁴ will begin in December.

1 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

2 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。

3 rapes   

n.芸苔( rape的名词复数 )；强奸罪；强奸案；肆意损坏v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的第三人称单数 )；强奸

参考例句：

• The man who had committed several rapes was arrested. 那个犯了多起强奸案的男人被抓起来了。 来自辞典例句
• The incidence of reported rapes rose 0.8 percent. 美国联邦调查局还发布了两份特别报告。 来自互联网

4 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

5 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

6 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

7 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。

8 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。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

11 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

12 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

13 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

14 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。