VOA常速英语2007年-Maoist Rebels Lead Mass Jailbreak in India

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
17 December 2007

A mass jailbreak in central India led by Maoist rebels has demonstrated the growing strength of a communist insurgency¹ in the region. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi on how nearly 300 prisoners managed to escape from a prison in Chattisgarh state.

The nearly 300 prisoners made their dramatic escape from Dantewada prison. The jailbreak took place while the inmates² were being served food Sunday evening.

Authorities say a group of prisoners overpowered prison guards, grabbed their rifles, and opened fire. They broke open the gates, allowing most of the prisoners to flee. Three prison guards and two prisoners were injured in the shooting.

Many of those who escaped were Maoist rebels, and the authorities believe they were the ones who planned the jailbreak. According to local media reports, the prison was not adequately guarded at the time of the escape, with only four guards on duty.

A counter-insurgency expert with New Delhi's Institute of Conflict Management, Ajay Sahni, says the incident highlights the poor security in Chattisgarh, which is a stronghold of Maoist rebellion.

"Almost every department in the security structure of Chattisgarh state is currently undermanned, under-equipped, and exceedingly primitive³ in terms of the equipment and technology available to them," said Sahni. "The Maoists are better trained and better equipped."

This is not the first time the rebels have managed to get the upper hand on the security forces in Chattisgarh. In July, at least 24 officers were killed when rebels attacked a police search party. In March, 55 policemen were killed in an attack by the rebels on a security post.

After Sunday's jailbreak, authorities say they will improve security in the state's prisons. They have already suspended five officials.

Maoist groups are active in the less-developed and poorer states of central and eastern India, like Chattisgarh. They say they are fighting for land and jobs for the poor.

Counter-insurgency experts say the rebels have been able to entrench⁴ themselves easily in rural areas that have been left out of India's economic boom.

1 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

2 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

4 entrench   

v.使根深蒂固；n.壕沟；防御设施

参考例句：

• A series of measures were designed to entrench democracy and the rule of law.采取一系列措施旨在巩固民主和法制。
• These dictators have entrenched themselves politically and are difficult to move.这些独裁者在政治上已经站稳了脚跟，很难推翻他们。