2006年VOA标准英语-African Union: Fighting Renewed in Sudan's Darf

By Noel King
Khartoum
02 September 2006

In Sudan's Darfur region, African Union officials and human rights observers say the government has begun shelling villages in volatile¹ northern Darfur. The renewed violence follows reports of a government troop buildup in the region, sparking fears violence could escalate².

-------

An official with the African Union peacekeeping force, reached in the the Darfuri capital of El Fasher, said six villages have been attacked. The group Human Rights Watch has also reported bombing of rebel-held villages in north Darfur.

A rebel commander in the Darfur region says several civilians³ have been killed and thousands more displaced.  
 
Commander Jar El Neby is a member of the National Redemption Front, an alliance of Darfur rebels that did not sign the May 5 Darfur Peace Agreement. He told VOA that he believes the Sudanese government is trying to expand its territory in the region.

"Since three days ago, they are in the area of Um Sidir," he said.  "They have burned the village of Um Sidir, and kidnapped all the villages around Um Sifir area, and killed about five civilians yesterday in Um Sidir area. Until now, I hear the sound of Antonovs in this area. "

El Neby's group and another rebel faction⁴ have refused to sign on to the accord, saying it does not grant enough political power to Darfuris, nor enough compensation to victims of the three-year war.

Last week, leading human rights group Amnesty International warned of a potential humanitarian⁵ catastrophe⁶ in Darfur, charging that Sudan had begun a troop buildup in the region.

Sudan is under intense pressure to allow a United Nations force to take over peacekeeping operations in Darfur.

The African Union force currently monitoring Darfur has struggled with a weak mandate⁷ and funding problems.

On Thursday, the U.N. Security Council approved a resolution to send 20,000 U.N. military and police personnel to Darfur.

But, Sudan has said it will not allow the U.N. into Darfur, likening a U.N. force to colonization⁸.

The Darfur conflict began when rebels attacked government positions, complaining that the remote region remained undeveloped due to neglect by the central government.

Sudan is charged with arming militias⁹ to crush the rebellion.

Some 200,000 people have died and more than 2 million have been displaced in what the United States calls genocide.

1 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。

2 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

5 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

6 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

9 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网