2006年VOA标准英语-Activists Mixed Over Britain's Offer to Jail Ta

By Nico Colombant
Abidjan
15 June 2006
 
Human rights activists¹ are giving mixed reviews to a decision by Britain to jail Charles Taylor if Liberia's former president is convicted for his role during Sierra Leone's civil war.  The decision paves the way for the trial to be held in The Hague.

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The Dutch government says its conditions have been met for hosting Charles Taylor's war crimes trial.

A foreign ministry² spokeswoman said she expects a U.N. Security Council resolution to be adopted within a few days to make the move possible.

Charles Taylor (file photo)  
  
Mr. Taylor has been in jail at the Freetown special court in Sierra Leone's capital, awaiting the transfer, which Liberia's government asked for on security grounds.

The Netherlands had said it would only host the trial if a country came forward that would jail the former Liberian rebel turned president in case of a conviction.

After several rejections³ by other European countries, Britain came forward.  The minister for Foreign Affairs, Margaret Beckett, said Britain has a strong international reputation as one of the world's leading advocates for international justice.

A West Africa researcher for U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, Corinne Dufka, welcomed the move.

"We are very encouraged by these developments," she said.  "We believe that the failure of any country, until today, to take this on was regrettable, particularly given the security concerns that prompted this relocation request.  So we are very encouraged and relieved that the British government has finally come forward and agreed to take Mr. Taylor if convicted."

But Ibrahima Kane, the Africa specialist for a London-based group advocating international norms of justice, says Mr. Taylor should not get special treatment, compared to other war crime suspects who will remain in Sierra Leone.

"If they take only one person, not only try him in Europe, but also keep in custody⁴ in Europe, this is discrimination," he said.

He also says victims of the war will miss out on the whole process.

"I think Charles Taylor must face the reality of Sierra Leone," he added.  Charles Taylor must face the reality of prison in Sierra Leone and I think that if that is done people will believe in Sierra Leone that justice is done.  As we say in English, justice should not only be done, but also should be seen to be done, and in this particular case it is not the reality."

Mr. Taylor pleaded innocent in early April after the 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity he faces were read to him in Freetown.  He is accused of having organized Sierra Leone's brutal rebellion to control its diamond fields

1 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》

2 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。

3 rejections   

拒绝( rejection的名词复数 )； 摒弃； 剔除物； 排斥

参考例句：

• Most writers endure a number of rejections before being published. 大部分作家经历无数次的退稿才守得云开，作品得到发表。
• Supervise workers and monitors production quality to minimize rejections. 管理工人，监控生产质量，减少退货。

4 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。