VOA标准英语2013--2013年尼日利亚博科圣地危机升级

 

Nigeria Boko Haram Crisis Escalates¹ in 2013 2013年尼日利亚博科圣地危机升级

MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA — 2013 was supposed to be the year that ended Boko Haram, an Islamist insurgent² group that has been terrorizing northern Nigeria for four years.   Thousands of troops were sent to three northeastern states to battle insurgents³, but the violence continues and the region remains⁴ under emergency rule.  

At the beginning of the year, war in Mali dominated the news from West Africa.

But in May, Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan said insurgency⁵ in Nigeria was escalating⁶.  Boko Haram had captured territories.  Ongoing attacks, assassinations⁷  and kidnappings amounted to a declaration of war.  Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, directing his military chief of staff to  immediately deploy⁸ more troops to those areas.  

It was Nigeria’s largest offensive against Boko Haram.  In the first six months of the state of emergency, the military secured northern cities, but attacks continued  in the countryside.

Army spokesperson Colonel Muhammad Dole⁹ told reporters his troops had cut off basic supplies to Boko Haram.

“We were also able to cut most of their supplies so the attack on villages so the attack on villages is a desperation so they can survive.  They do not have food.   They do not have water,"  said Dole who added that he believed some insurgents had fled to neighboring countries.  

In November, the United States declared Boko Haram and splinter group Ansaru foreign terrorist organizations.  Emergency rule was extended for another six months.

Two weeks later, residents of Maiduguri, the original home of the insurgency, said they felt safe for the first time in years.   

“Since then, we did not hear of any insurgents, any cheating around.  So we can say life is better now," said Dauda Tatally, who owns a small computer supply shop in  Maiduguri..

But in early December, the feeling of safety in Maiduguri vanished after militants¹⁰ attacked the air force, the army and the police.

The military imposed a 24-hour curfew for the first time in years.  The attack left an army and a police base destroyed and dozens of cars and oil trucks burnt out.   Air force soldiers refused journalists entry to their base.

Fighting takes a heavy toll¹¹

Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in the past four years and heavy-handed tactics by security forces have killed hundreds more.

Researcher Eric Guttschuss says inter-community violence has also killed thousands of people in past four years and that the government’s failure to prosecute¹²  offenders is feeding the Boko Haram crisis.

“One of reasons to that they have used to justify¹³ these attacks is to say ‘When Muslims were attacked in Plateau State, for example, those who carried out the  attacks, nothing happened to them and the government turned a blind eye," he said.

More violence between religious, political and tribal¹⁴ groups is expected next year before Nigeria’s 2015 presidential elections.

The Nigerian military says it continues to battle the group, killing¹⁵ Boko Haram fighters in shootouts and air raids.

But in the countryside, locals say people are still being killed, homes are still being burned and they still live in constant fear. 

1 escalates   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的第三人称单数 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. 面临的挑战越大，越需要团队协同合作。 来自互联网
• I cannot understand why a minor disagreement escalates into a fist-fight. 我真不明白为什么一点意见不合就变成了拳头相见。 来自互联网

2 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

6 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

7 assassinations   

n.暗杀( assassination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Most anarchist assassinations were bungled because of haste or spontaneity, in his view. 在他看来，无政府主义者搞的许多刺杀都没成功就是因为匆忙和自发行动。 来自辞典例句
• Assassinations by Israelis of alleged terrorists habitually kill nearby women and children. 在以色列，自称恐怖分子的炸弹自杀者杀害靠近自己的以色列妇女和儿童。 来自互联网

8 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

9 dole   

n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给

参考例句：

• It's not easy living on the dole.靠领取失业救济金生活并不容易。
• Many families are living on the dole since the strike.罢工以来，许多家庭靠失业救济金度日。

10 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。

11 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

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 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

14 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

15 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。