2006年VOA标准英语-Mass Defections Threaten Somalia's Government

By Pearse Lynch
Nairobi
04 August 2006

Deep divisions within the transitional government of Somalia appear to be worsening, with four more ministers defecting from the administration. International observers fear rising tension in Somalia could engulf¹ the entire region in a war between the Ethiopian backed interim² government and Eritrean backed Islamic factions³.

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Ali Mohamed Ghedi (file photo)   
  
The latest resignations from the Baidoa-based government on Thursday, bringing the total number of ministers to defect from Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi's administration to nearly 40.

Despite the growing crisis in the government, Mr. Ghedi is refusing to resign from his post. Last Saturday he narrowly defeated a vote of no confidence orchestrated by rival ministers. Mr. Ghedi's unwillingness⁴ to enter into peace negotiations⁵ with Islamic leaders is thought to be the key factor behind the defections. President Abdullahi Yusuf has, however, approved a team of ministers from the government to attend peace talks with the Islamic courts in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Mr. Ghedi's spokesman, Abdurahman Dinari, has told the media that it is the responsibility of the prime minister and not the president to approve any talks. The Arab League, which is mediating⁶ the talks, says it is not willing to participate in negotiations unless the government sends a team of representatives who have the full backing of the government.

Islamic leaders have refused to attend negotiations until Ethiopian troops leave the country. Ethiopian forces reportedly entered Somalia last month to protect the interim government from a feared attack by militias⁸ loyal to the Islamists.

Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, denies the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia. The Eritrean government has rejected claims that their government is supporting Islamists.

Michael Weinstein, an American-based analyst⁹ on Somalia, says that Mr. Ghedi looks increasingly isolated¹⁰ and weak. He sees the desertion of President Yusuf as symptomatic of the Islamic courts rapid growth in power.

"The big question is why should Yusuf have made this decision, it seems to me the advance of the courts into the central region, to the northeast coastal¹¹ region and towards Puntland which is where Yusuf had his original base. Yusuf realizes the courts increasing strength and they may seem to be unstoppable," he said.

On Thursday the United States said it had begun working alongside Britain, Sweden, Norway, Italy and the European Union to try to determine how best to aid the beleaguered¹² government. The global community has called for neighboring Eritrea and Ethiopia to stop interfering¹³ in the internal politics of Somalia.

Islamic Courts militia⁷ guarding center of Shaqalaha Street in Mogadishu, July 25, 2006  
  
Despite the international pleas, Weinstein says that the fate of the interim government is in the hands of Ethiopia and the Islamic courts.

"The international community is in a similar situation that it seems to be in Lebanon, too divided, too many compromised interests internally, to be able to act effectively," he said.

Islamists took control of Magadishu in early June and have been credited with restoring stability to the capital - the first time since warlords defeated Dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

1 engulf   

vt.吞没，吞食

参考例句：

• Floodwaters engulf a housing project in the Bajo Yuna community in central Dominican Republic.洪水吞没了多米尼加中部巴杰优那社区的一处在建的住房工程项目。
• If we are not strong enough to cover all the minds up,then they will engulf us,and we are in danger.如果我们不够坚强来抵挡大众的意念，就会有被他们吞没的危险。

2 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。

3 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

4 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。

7 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

8 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 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。

11 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

12 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。