2006年VOA标准英语-Landmines Kill 23 in Eastern Sudan

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
13 September 2006
 
At least 23 people were killed and two wounded by landmines² in two separate incidents in eastern Sudan.  
 

		contractor3 uses a metal detector4 to search for mines planted along a dirt road in Juba, Sudan" src="/upimg/allimg/070419/0911480.jpg" width="210" border="0" /> A UN contractor uses a metal detector to search for mines planted along a dirt road in Juba, Sudan

According to Sudanese newspaper reports Wednesday, 22 people died Tuesday and one was injured after the pickup⁵ they were riding in hit a landmine¹ near the city of Kassala.

Also near Kassala Monday another pickup hit a landmine, killing⁶ one person and injuring another.

The explosions occurred in an area where Sudanese government forces and the Eastern Front rebel movement have been fighting for more than a year.

The Kassala area is a stronghold of the Beja Congress rebel group, one of the members of the Eastern Front movement.

The head of the Beja Congress's legal department, Salah Barqueen, tells VOA he believes the Sudanese government planted the landmines in the area several years ago. He says they have caused much suffering to local communities.

"Until now it [the landmines] was not removed and this is destructive to the people who are living on this area," he said. "It attacks the people; it attacks the animals also. There are many incidents reported since years ago until today."

An adviser⁷ to the information minister, Rabie Abdul Atti, denies that the Sudanese government planted the landmines, saying that it is likely that rebels had planted them.

The Sudanese government and Eastern Front rebels signed a ceasefire agreement June 19 and are currently in peace talks.

Atti stresses that the recent landmine incidents were isolated⁸ occurrences.

"These accidents should not be interpreted in the context of the conflict between the government and the Eastern Front because there is now a complete understanding between them and we expect that signing of a comprehensive peace [agreement] between the Eastern Front and the Sudan government will happen in the coming few days," he said.

Several rebel groups formed the Eastern Front last year to demand more autonomy and a greater share of the country's oil, gold, and other revenues.

Their demands are similar to the demands of rebels who fought in southern Sudan and have since signed a power and wealth-sharing agreement with Khartoum.

1 landmine   

n.地雷

参考例句：

• A landmine is a kind of weapon used in war.地雷是一种运用于战争的武器。
• The treaty bans the use,production and trade of landmine.那条约禁止使用生产和交易雷。

2 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。

3 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

4 detector   

n.发觉者，探测器

参考例句：

• The detector is housed in a streamlined cylindrical container.探测器安装在流线型圆柱形容器内。
• Please walk through the metal detector.请走过金属检测器。

5 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

6 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。

7 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

8 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。