VOA标准英语2009-Gabon Journalists Face Hostile Environment

The Committee to Protect Journalists says it is alarmed by the suspension of two independent newspapers in Gabon and the increasingly hostile environment for private media in the country.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says the suspensions are part of a larger government crackdown on private media coverage¹ of the president's hospitalization and potential succession.
　
Gabon's President Omar Bongo (File)

President Omar Bongo, Africa's longest-serving head of state, has been in a Spanish hospital since May, amid conflicting reports about his condition. The two newspapers were suspended last week after printing articles about infighting among Mr. Bongo's advisors² over succession issues.

Mohamed Keita, an Africa researcher at the Committee to Protect Journalists, says, though no journalists have been murdered in Gabon, a pattern of repression³ has bred intense self-censorship within the private media.

"It is really about what you cannot measure, what you cannot see, the self censorship. Journalists gradually have learned not to cross certain lines, even though some of them do at times and do get into trouble," said Keita. "But, on the surface, it appears to be relatively⁴ a country with relative press freedom. But if you look at the situation in recent years you will see a staggering number of suspensions of newspapers, almost routinely. The media regulator has almost become an arm of government censorship."

The Committee to Protect Journalists has accused Gabonese authorities of imprisoning⁵ journalists and suspending or banning newspapers to silence critics over sensitive topics including President Bongo's health and finances.

Keita says it is rare for journalists to successfully appeal these decisions and often the charges used to justify⁶ the suspensions are not substantiated⁷, which he says points to political motivations.

Media coverage of President Bongo's hospitalization has also further heightened tensions between France and Gabon, its former colony. Gabon's media regulator has issued warnings to French broadcasters, and two French journalists were denied entrance into Gabon on Monday for allegedly lacking proper accreditation⁸.

Keita says the French media has led the way in covering high-profile stories that local media is reluctant to touch. One such issue has been an international legal complaint filed in France in February questioning how President Bongo amassed⁹ his personal wealth.

President Bongo has ruled Gabon for more than 40 years. Keita says this recent escalation¹⁰ in media repression could be a sign of worse to come.

"The government is trying to control the message here, as a potential political crisis looms¹¹. Press freedom, of course, goes hand in hand with political crisis," said Keita. "Usually the media is the first to be targeted and in this particular case, there's an attempt to control the message here. But our position is that the health and succession of a public figure like President Bongo is a matter of public concern and that the media should be allowed to report on this very important issue."

Keita says the Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the future of independent media in Gabon and will be monitoring the situation closely.

1 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

2 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

3 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 imprisoning   

v.下狱，监禁( imprison的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr Afwerki may disgust his compatriots by torturing and imprisoning his critics. Afwerki总统拷打和监禁他的反对者已经使的国人生厌。 来自互联网
• Proud and intelligent, it takes great pleasure and imprisoning enemies through psionic exploitation. 它骄傲并狡猾，非常喜欢囚禁敌人并剥夺他们的智力。 来自互联网

6 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

7 substantiated   

v.用事实支持（某主张、说法等），证明，证实( substantiate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The results of the tests substantiated his claims. 这些检验的结果证实了他的说法。
• The statement has never been substantiated. 这一陈述从未得到证实。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 accreditation   

n.委派，信赖，鉴定合格

参考例句：

• a letter of accreditation 一份合格证明书
• This paper gives an overview of the Verification, Validation and Accreditation (VV&A) in High Level Architecture(HLA). 对基于高层体系结构(High Level Architecture,简称HLA)的仿真系统的校核、验证与确认(Verification, Validation and Accreditation,简称VV&A)问题进行了详细的介绍及分析。 来自互联网

9 amassed   

v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
• They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

11 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》