VOA标准英语10月-Concern Grows for Journalists Kidnapped in Somali

An organization representing Somali journalists has raised concern with the continued captivity¹ of three freelance journalists - an Australian, a Canadian, and a Somali kidnapped nearly two months ago. As Derek Kilner reports from VOA's East Africa bureau in Nairobi, the conflict in Somalia has had a severe impact on the country's media.

Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan, freelance journalists from Canada and Australia, respectively, were abducted² west of the Somali capital Mogadishu on August 23, along with Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi, a Somali journalist who was accompanying them.

In early September, the kidnappers³ demanded a ransom⁴ of $2.5 million. Since then, there has been no official communication with the kidnappers.

Later in September, the foreign journalists were shown in a video broadcast on al-Jazeera television. The station reported that a group calling itself the Mujahideen of Somalia claimed to be holding them, and criticized Canadian and Australian involvement in the conflict in Somalia.

But there has been little other indication of a political motive⁵. The French-based organization Reporters Without Borders questioned whether the video was produced by the kidnappers themselves.

The Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists, Omar Faruk, says the kidnappers appear to simply be after money.

"As far as we know, the kidnappers are freelance militias⁶, and they have demanded a ransom," Faruk said. "They are not part of the warring sides. That is something that we have never seen. Journalists to be kidnapped and that huge amount of money demanded."

He urged Somali politicians not to get involved in the issue, warning that their statements could complicate⁷ the efforts of clan⁸ elders, who he said have the ability to secure the journalists' release.

Reporters Without Borders has called Somalia the most dangerous country for journalists in Africa. Nine Somali journalists have been killed so far this year . Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent⁹ and government forces.

"Journalists are not going to the field to cover the news. Because of safety reasons," Faruk explained. "There are many roadblocks in Mogadishu city. Journalists cannot walk, and if they walk having a microphone or digital camera they will be seen by the militias as spies or as enemies and they will be targeted. And they do not want to risk their lives. So quality journalism¹⁰ is dead in Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu, there is widespread censorship, threats are constant."

Fighting continues in Mogadishu, with Islamist insurgents¹¹ firing on African Union peacekeepers. Additional peacekeepers have arrived from Burundi in recent days, but the current force of around 3,000 Ugandan and Burundian troops is far less than the envisioned 8,000.

The mission has had little success in controlling the conflict between Islamist insurgents and the Ethiopian-backed transitional government. The African Union has asked for the United Nations to take over responsibility for peacekeeping in Somalia, but there has been little indication the United Nations would be interested in doing so.

1 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

2 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

3 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

5 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

6 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

7 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

8 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

9 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。

10 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

11 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