VOA常速英语2008年-Niger Conflict Draws in More Civilians

By Phuong Tran
Air Mountains, Niger
26 February 2008

In Niger, a desert rebellion in the northern half of the country has displaced thousands of civilians².  Rebels have said those who remain and do not join them will be considered enemies.  And the army says anyone working with the rebels will be arrested.  VOA reporter Phuong Tran talks to civilians in Niger's Air Mountains and brings us this second part of a week-long series. 
 
Niger's mountainous desert covers more than half the country, and the United Nations calls it is one of the most difficult places in the world to live. 

In early 2007, a predominately Tuareg ethnic³ group, the Nigerien Movement for Justice, attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region and events have since evolved into a budding insurrection.

The MNJ is demanding, as they did during their last rebellion in the 1990s, a greater share of uranium profits, government power, and control over their communities.

Recently, the rebels have threatened to sabotage⁴ one of the country's biggest moneymakers: uranium mines.

The government has responded by extending a six-month state of alert that makes it easier for the army to search homes, check identities and arrest people they suspect of having ties to the rebels. 

Herder Ahmed Koutan says the army warns and punishes potential rebel collaborators by killing⁵ their livestock⁶.at are we supposed do to now? We have no transportation. No food. We cannot water our gardens if we cannot get to the well."

Government spokesman Mohamed Ben Omar says the army has no interest in killing camels, and that the prospect⁷ of a national army killing camels, goats and donkeys is ridiculous.

But herder Koutan says everyone knows how nomads⁸ need their animals to survive. He says he uses his camel to travel more than 100 kilometers a month to a larger village to buy food from a desert store. If he needs money, Koutan says he can sell a camel for almost $700, a sum that he says can support his family for one year.

Northerners say the crackdowns become more severe when government soldiers die in mine explosions. They say the army becomes anxious to find out who planted the mines.

Fatimana Imola says army officers killed and dismembered her younger brother, Imola Kalakouawa when they suspected him of planting a mine last June.

Villagers accused 25-year-old Army Lieutenant⁹ Abdou Aziz Lawali of executing Kalakouawa and two others.

Currently held as a MNJ prisoner of war, the army lieutenant says he is not responsible. He says other officers killed them out of revenge for allegedly planting mines that killed soldiers. 

"How would you feel if you just saw your family die in a mine attack," he asks.  He says this is the anger soldiers feel when they lose their troops and try to find out who is responsible.

U.S.-based lobby group Human Rights Watch says about 80 people have died in mine explosions over the past year, including about 30 civilians.  It has asked both the rebels and army to not plant anti-vehicle landmines¹⁰ on roads that may have civilian¹ traffic.

In recent months, mines exploded in the south and central of the country, hundreds of kilometers from the mineral-rich Agadez region.

University of Niamey student Boukar says he is worried the conflict will paralyze Niger
if it continues to spread.  He says the longer the rebellion continues, the more it will divide Niger's civilians who will be forced to take opposing sides. 

But his classmate Moussa says this is a good thing for democracy - as long as people are not punished for which side they choose.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 sabotage   

n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏

参考例句：

• They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
• The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。

5 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。

6 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

7 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

8 nomads   

n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活

参考例句：

• For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America. 她在北美游牧民中生活了十年。
• Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

10 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。