2007年VOA标准英语-Congo Brazzaville's Nguesso Names Ex-Rebel to G

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
23 May 2007

Congo Brazzaville's President Denis Sassou Nguesso confirmed the appointment of a former rebel chief to the government.  Last month the two former warring sides agreed to disarm¹ and bring rebel leaders out of hiding.  Phuong Tran has more from VOA's Central and West African bureau.

Frederic Bitsangou, the former leader of the rebel group known as the Ninjas (2005 file photo)

The president's office says Frederic Bitsangou, the former leader of the rebel group known as the Ninjas, will be a minister in charge of peace and reconciliation² efforts for a country still recovering from civil wars that killed thousands and displaced about a quarter of the population.

The peace accord signed last month formally ended the revolt, but the rebel leader was holding out for an official position as the price for disarmament.  The home of the Ninja movement, southwest of the capital, had the heaviest fighting during the war and still is considered by many to be unsafe.

Congo Brazzaville analyst³ Paul Mely is skeptical⁴ President Nguesso's announcement will lead to true reconciliation.  He says it is hard to know how to gage⁵ the popularity of the former rebel leader, who is also known as Pastor⁶ Ntumi.

"It is going to depend on whether the fighters loyal to Ntumi are prepared to give up their arms and be integrated into the military forces," he said.  "There is skepticism about Ntumi himself.  Some people feel Ntumi is just a tool, effectively sponsored by Nguesso to create a rebellion the government can either repress or negotiate with.  They feel he does not have a genuine political basis."

Mely says most of the Ninja fighters also have a deep mistrust of the government.  He says almost none of them accepted the government's offer of amnesty in exchange for disarmament under the first peace deal in 2003.

Under last month's peace deal, 250 Ninja fighters are to join the national army.  Ntumi may retain a 60-strong armed personal guard.

The second condition Mely says needs to be met for a successful reconciliation is government willingness to invest in the south.

Many residents there have felt repressed by the government during the civil war, and Mely says the region is still volatile⁷.  He says naming Ntumi is going to improve the government's image abroad.

"The government has a big interest in giving him a job.  They have had a difficult time on their external image," he added.  "The donors⁸ remain pretty skeptical about Congo even if they are supporting it.  The human rights record is one of the key factors."
 
The World Bank is investing almost $90 million in Congo, whose economy is almost entirely⁹ dependent on oil revenues.

The French government is investigating whether Congolese officials were involved in torturing and killing¹⁰ hundreds of civil war refugees who vanished in 1999 when trying to return to Brazzaville.

1 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

2 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。

3 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。

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

5 gage   

n.标准尺寸，规格；量规，量表 [=gauge]

参考例句：

• Can you gage what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
• It's difficult to gage one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。

6 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

7 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

8 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

10 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。