2007年VOA标准英语-Liberians in US Tell of Civil War Atrocities

By Deborah Block
Minneapolis, Minnesota
20 March 2007
 
watch Liberian Reconciliation¹ report 

In the West African country of Liberia, thousands of people are telling their stories about human rights abuses that took place in the country, especially during the 14-year civil war.  Their comments will become part of a report by the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  The aim is to promote healing in Liberia.  A large Liberian community in the U.S. midwest city of Minneapolis, Minnesota is also providing testimony² for the report.  VOA's Deborah Block has more.

A recent event in Minneapolis encouraged Liberians to come forward to document atrocities³ during their country's years of civil war and conflict between 1989 and 2003.

The conflict began when rebel leader Charles Taylor tried to overthrow⁴ Samuel Doe, who had taken over the country in a military coup⁵.  Various rebel factions⁶ also battled each other.  It is estimated that the violence left at least 200,000 people dead and displaced a million more.

A private group, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, is coordinating⁷ the Liberian testimony in the United States.  

 
Robin⁸ Phillips
Director Robin Phillips says the views of Liberians who live in the U.S. are crucial. "A lot of the people who fled Liberia were victims of the atrocities there and if they don't include their statements then the record won't be complete."

Momolu Getaweh was the minister of information under Doe, who was assassinated⁹ in 1990.  He says he was astounded¹⁰ how Liberians turned against each other. "To see students kill their teachers.  It's very gruesome some of those things that we saw, that we witnessed."

After Doe's death, ECOWAS -- The Economic Community of West African states -- formed an interim¹¹ government, but Taylor's rebels and other factions refused to recognize it.  Peace accords failed until Taylor agreed to another transitional government.  After major fighting ended in 1997, Liberia held democratic elections.  Taylor won the majority of the votes and became president.

During his six years as president, Taylor left Liberia bankrupt and in ruins.  Under intense international pressure, he resigned in 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria. 

Then in 2006, after being jailed in Sierra Leone, the United Nations sent him to The Hague, Netherlands for trial.  He faces charges of allegedly backing rebels in the Sierra Leone civil war.

 
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf responds to reporter's question during a press conference at VOA, 16 Feb 2007
The Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission says its report will not be used to prosecute¹² Liberians who may have committed crimes.  But Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf told VOA the information could also be used for other purposes. "The whole process will enhance contrition¹³ and forgiveness.  And at the end of the day if the recommendations lead to other forms of justice, we'll go that route appropriately."

Ben Browne is editor of a Liberian magazine in Minnesota.  He is not testifying for the truth and reconciliation report because he says it is a waste of time. "There should be a war crimes tribunal set up for people who perpetrated crimes against the Liberian people.  People should pay the price for what they did during that time."

Maimen Wopea says he was tortured during the civil war and both his parents were killed. "I know those who did it.  And the first time I saw one of my torturers here, my friends will tell you I shed tears, I didn't know what to do.  I wanted to grab him but I was able to tell him, 'do you remember me?'  And when he said 'no' I told him about our interaction and then he said 'I'm sorry.'  Then I broke down in tears." 

Law firms in Minneapolis are providing free services to take testimony from local Liberians. Attorney Jim O'Neil spoke¹⁴ to one man for four hours. "Things that were done in this conflict are almost hard to believe.  They are hard to imagine and how people could do that to other human beings." 

O'Neil recently visited Liberia where he says a man on the street opened up to him.  "And the story this gentlemen told involved murder, rape¹⁵, cannibalism¹⁶ and a mass grave where he said children were buried alive."

But what if these stories are not true, or they are exaggerated?  Since all testimony is confidential¹⁷ the commission hopes most people will tell the truth. 

Liberian Truth and Reconciliation commissioner¹⁸ Massa Washington says confidentiality¹⁹ is the only way some people will find out what happened to their loved ones. "For example, the woman whose son disappeared who is still waiting after 14 or 15 years.  How does she get the answer as to what happened to her son? Someone out there might know."

There are plans to take testimony in other U.S. cities with large Liberian populations.  The Liberian commission's report is scheduled to be released in 2008.

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 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

3 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

5 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

6 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

7 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

8 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

9 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

10 astounded   

v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶

参考例句：

• His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。
• How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话？我感到大为震惊。

11 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

12 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？

13 contrition   

n.悔罪，痛悔

参考例句：

• The next day he'd be full of contrition,weeping and begging forgiveness.第二天，他就会懊悔不已，哭着乞求原谅。
• She forgave him because his contrition was real.她原谅了他是由于他的懊悔是真心的。

14 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

15 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

16 cannibalism   

n.同类相食；吃人肉

参考例句：

• The war is just like the cannibalism of animals.战争就如同动物之间的互相残。
• They were forced to practise cannibalism in order to survive.他们被迫人吃人以求活下去。

17 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

18 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

19 confidentiality   

n.秘而不宣，保密

参考例句：

• They signed a confidentiality agreement. 他们签署了一份保守机密的协议。
• Cryptography is the foundation of supporting authentication, integrality and confidentiality. 而密码学是支持认证、完整性和机密性机制的基础。