2007年VOA标准英语-Normal Life Returns to Philippine Town Once Dom

By Douglas Bakshian
Jolo, Philippines
21 February 2007

An island of about 300,000 people in the southern Philippines has been part of the front line in the war on terror. Jolo island just a few years ago was a launching pad for kidnappings and bombings by the Abu Sayyaf group. But a combination of effective military action and humanitarian¹ infrastructure² projects is bringing back peace. Douglas Bakshian reports from the island's capital, which is coming back to life after years of hiding in fear.

 
Disco music blares from a stage and vendors³ sell food and drinks as local youth fill a city park. A few years ago this was not possible on Jolo, a stronghold of the deadliest Islamic militant⁴ group in the Philippines, the Abu Sayyaf.

Disc jockey Johnny Milton Dario started doing these evening shows one-and-a-half years ago on behalf of the provincial⁵ government. He says security has improved a lot in Jolo town, which was once considered one of the most dangerous places in the Philippines.

"Before we cannot walk (outside). Sometimes, around six o'clock we are already at home. Now we can go home around 12 o'clock, one o'clock in the morning. We are still safe here," Dario said.

 
Military police shows reporters bloodied⁶ face of Abu Sayyaf militant suspect, during press conference (Nov. 2006 file photo)
Abu Sayyaf militants⁷ have been based on this Muslim-dominated island for years. But in 2002, U.S. troops arrived to help train and provide intelligence to the Philippine military, which has driven Islamic guerrillas into the hills.

Benjamin Loong, the governor of Sulu province, of which Jolo is the capital, says violent crime has dropped by 80 percent over the past few years and the improved security helps the economy.

"The local businessmen are now encouraged because the peace and order situation has changed a lot, meaning improving, because before there was an extortion letter, killing⁸ here and there, but now we are able to minimize," Loong said.

The Abu Sayyaf says it is fighting for an Islamic homeland in the southern Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation. However, it is most known for a series of kidnappings for ransom⁹ and bloody¹⁰ bombings.

Not long ago, pistol shots frequently could be heard at night. Though troops patrolled the streets, the Abu Sayyaf group operated openly in the town.

Ananias Lim, an administrator¹¹ at the Sulu State College Hostel¹², says not even soldiers were safe.

"The violence here in Jolo, like when the soldier goes to the market they killed some soldiers," Lim said. "And bombings … there are kidnappings of Chinese businessmen here and they use the money for their daily needs."

Jolo police chief Amil Bahing Baanan says the situation became so grave, that it prompted a crackdown by the Philippine Marines last year.

"Sometimes, in one day, there were three killing incidents…. But since when the Marines assumed office early as June 2006 the crime rate in our area of responsibility will immediately become low," Baanan said.

 
US Soldier distributes school bags in Jolo
Jolo is one of the poorest areas of the Philippines and many people on the island say poverty and desperation gave rise to the Abu Sayyaf. Mogira Hassan, 19, studies computer engineering at Sulu State College.

"We are facing poverty, that's why there are some people who rebel like Abu Sayyaf," Hassan said. "They are rebelling for the sake of money. That is the reason they have an Abu Sayyaf. Like what happened before, they hostages people (took people as hostages)."

Abdel Khan, a 24-year-old Jolo resident with a degree in Islamic studies from the University of the Philippines, says many people on the island reject the group.

"Abu Sayyaf. Although they are Muslim, but we don't agree with them because they are extremists … we don't agree with their perception," Khan said.

While the military offensive has cut crime, public works projects by the U.S. and the Philippine armed forces and private aid groups have built up goodwill¹³ on Jolo since 2002. Roads have enabled once-isolated farmers to get produce to market, water systems have given villages easily accessible water supplies, and free medical services are helping¹⁴ the sick.

But these are fragile accomplishments¹⁵. Even though Jolo town is more secure than in years past, for safety, Philippine Marines are still not allowed to go into town off duty wearing civilian¹⁶ clothes. In addition, some regularly wear sunglasses to hide their identities from militants.

And the island needs jobs. Residents say an industry is needed. Some point to Jolo's beautiful beaches and stunning¹⁷ volcanic¹⁸ lakes as a potentially lucrative¹⁹ source of tourism income. It is also abundant in fish and tropical fruit.

Jolo has yet to draw either national or international investment - not even the Philippine fast food chain Jollibee, or a McDonald's restaurant.

Those can be important symbols of peace. After the Abu Sayyaf was driven out of neighboring Basilan island in 2002, Jolibee open up as a signal that it was safe to do business.

1 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。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

4 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

5 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

6 bloodied   

v.血污的( bloody的过去式和过去分词 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• His pants leg was torn and bloodied when he fell. 他跌交时裤腿破了，还染上了血。 来自辞典例句

7 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

8 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。

9 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

10 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

11 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

12 hostel   

n.（学生）宿舍，招待所

参考例句：

• I lived in a hostel while I was a student.我求学期间住在青年招待所里。
• He says he's staying at a Youth Hostel.他说他现住在一家青年招待所。

13 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

14 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。

15 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

16 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

17 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

18 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

19 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。