环球英语 — 95：Ken Saro-Wiwa

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Christy Van Arragon.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight¹. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
‘Ogoni is the land
The people, Ogoni’
‘It is the poisoned air
polluting the lungs
Of dying children’.
Voice 1
Ken² Saro-Wiwa wrote these words from his prison cell. They speak about the troubles of his people - the Ogoni people. These are one of many native groups in southeast Nigeria. They come from an area near the Niger river, called the ‘Niger Delta³.’ Ken Saro-Wiwa spent many years fighting for the rights of his people. And he died fighting for this cause. Today in the month of November we remember the anniversary of his death. And we celebrate the life of a man who never gave up hope for the Ogoni people.
Voice 2
Ken Saro-Wiwa was born on the 10th of October 1941. His whole family were from the Ogoni area. Saro-Wiwa worked hard at school. He managed to win a place at university. It was here that he discovered his gift for writing. He became a teacher. But this job did not last very long. People were talking about war in Nigeria. So he went to work for the government.
Voice 1
In 1967, war started in Nigeria. There had been problems for some years. One area wanted its own separate independence. The other areas fought to stop this happening. The war lasted three years. But, in the end Nigeria stayed together.
Voice 2
Saro-Wiwa’s most famous books are about that war. One is “Sozaboy”. This sad story is about a village boy. He joins the war. But he does not understand what he is fighting for. The other book is, “On a Darkling Plain.” In it, Saro-Wiwa talks about his experiences during the war.
Voice 1
Saro-Wiwa loved his country. However he felt strongly about equality. He wanted the government to treat all the different people groups the same. Saro-wiwa believed that the people should have more control over what happened to them. He spoke⁴ about the rights of his people - the Ogoni. Because of this, he had to leave his job.
Voice 2
The situation got worse for native groups like the Ogoni. In 1958, people discovered oil in the Niger Delta. Soon large oil companies started to dig many wells. One of these companies was Shell - a multi national oil company. However, the oil wells badly damaged the land and the environment. Around twenty million people lived in the Delta area. And they were not happy. Many communities depended on the environment. They were farmers and fishermen. Damages to the environment did not just damage people’s health. It took away their earnings⁵. Shell said that they offered to clean the oil spills.
Voice 1
But it was not just environmental damage that troubled the Ogoni people. Most of the money from the oil went to the government or oil companies. The native people continued to live in poor conditions.
Voice 2
Saro-Wiwa knew that he had to do something about the situation. So in nineteen ninety he helped form MOSOP: the Movement for the Survival⁶ of the Ogoni People. This non violent group called for political control of Ogoni affairs by Ogoni people. It stated their rights to protect their environment. The group performed peaceful protests against the oil companies. In particular, people protested against the main company ‘Shell.’
Voice 1
Shell resisted the protests. The Mobile Police Force in Nigeria also intervened⁷. Homes were destroyed. People were killed.
Voice 2
MOSOP appealed to the international community for help. In July 1992, Saro-Wiwa spoke to the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous⁸ Peoples in Geneva;
Voice 3
‘I speak for the Ogoni people. Forgive me if I am emotional about this matter. I am Ogoni… Oil was discovered in Ogoni in 1958. Since then, oil and gas has been taken - around one hundred billion dollars worth! In return for this, the Ogoni people have not received anything.’
Voice 1
Saro-Wiwa also gave evidence to support his words. He presented his published book. It is called, ‘Genocide in Nigeria: The Ogoni Tragedy.’ The book speaks about the way Shell treated the Ogoni people. It compares the difference in their dealings with Europe to Nigeria. Saro-Wiwa accused Shell of judging people by their race. And he accused them of mass murders - genocide.
Voice 2
In January 1993 MOSOP organised peaceful marches. Around three hundred thousand [300 000] Ogoni people gathered. This reached international news. It was the largest demonstration⁹ against an oil company.
Voice 1
Over the next few months, demonstrations¹⁰ continued. And Shell was concerned. The military intervened. Some say that Shell asked them to. Shell denied this. But Ogoni people were injured. By April 1993, Saro-Wiwa had been arrested two times. He said that he was mentally tortured. MOSOP also reported beatings and arrests of Ogoni people. After Saro-Wiwa’s arrest, his health began to suffer. He had serious heart problems. So, he was moved to hospital.
Voice 2
In May 1994 Nigerian authorities arrested Saro-Wiwa again. They arrested eight other Ogoni MOSOP leaders. The authorities accused them of murder. Saro-Wiwa denied the charges. But in court people supported the criminal evidence against him. The court declared Saro-Wiwa guilty. He was sentenced to death.
Voice 1
Many human rights organisations criticised the court case. People speaking against Saro-Wiwa later said that the Nigerian government had paid them. But it was too late for Saro-Wiwa and the other eight defendants¹¹. On November 10 1995 they were executed. Saro-Wiwa’s death caused international anger. The Commonwealth¹² of Nations suspended Nigeria’s membership¹³.
Voice 2
Oil company Shell spoke about this case. They claimed to have appealed - for human rights. They said they asked for mercy for Ken Saro Wiwa.
Voice 1
Oil continues to be at the centre of many problems in the Niger Delta. Militant¹⁴ groups in Nigeria have attacked oil pipelines¹⁵ and foreign workers. They want to see money from the oil invested into their area. The government and oil companies have set up the Niger Delta Development Commission¹⁶. This is supposed to use oil money to invest in the area. For example investing in schools and health centres - and creating jobs.
Voice 2
Professor George Frynas, is specialist in Nigeria’s oil industry. He said that dishonesty and poor methods have slowed things down. Very little money has reached the people. Global Issues writer, Anup Shah said;
Voice 4
‘Oil could have permitted Nigeria to be one of the wealthiest countries in Africa. Instead it led it to become one of the poorest.’
Voice 2
Meanwhile Ken Saro-Wiwa’s family continues to fight to prove his innocence¹⁷. His brother, Doctor Owens Wiwa said,
Voice 4
‘They died for us to get our rights from the Nigerian government. [They fought to get] our rights from the oil companies. They are our heroes. And they will remain our heroes.’
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

3 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

4 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。

5 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

6 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

7 intervened   

阻碍( intervene的过去式和过去分词 )； 出面； 插嘴； 介于…之间

参考例句：

• The President intervened personally in the crisis. 总统亲自出面处理这场危机。
• We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened. 那次野餐我们玩得很痛快，后来一场暴风雨使它中断了。

8 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

9 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

12 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

13 membership   

n.成员资格，会员全体，从属关系

参考例句：

• I must renew my membership of the sailing club.我必须延续我的航海俱乐部会员的资格。
• He made up his mind to apply for membership in the Party.他决心申请入党。

14 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。

15 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

16 commission   

n.委托，授权，委员会，拥金，回扣，委任状

参考例句：

• The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
• The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成，其中包括两名妇女。

17 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。