VOA标准英语2010年-Police Brutality Alleged Near Papua Ne

Amnesty International says police in Papua New Guinea have burnt down homes and illegally evicted¹ people living near a mine owned by the world's largest gold mining company. In a new report Amnesty International calls on the government to investigate what they call "police brutality²".

Shanta Martin is Amnesty International's mining and human rights specialist. She says the police used violence and intimidation³ to clear over 100 buildings.

"Between April and July of 2009, the police who were brought in to an area in the highlands of Papua New Guinea to deal with an increase in law and order problems burnt down villages that were right next door to the operations of the Porgera Gold Mines," said Martin.

The police force says those who have been evicted from their homes were living there illegally.

But Martin says no warning of eviction⁴ was given and she says the police used excessive brutality.

Amnesty says there is no evidence that Barrick Gold, which owns 95 percent of the mine, played any part in the evictions. But it says the mining company should end their support of the police, which through a subsidiary of Barrick Gold received accommodation, food and fuel.

And, Martin says the gold producer should have done more to investigate the forced evictions.

"Even having found that, and agreed that, there were evictions by the police right next door to the mine's facilities, within the special mining lease area and within sight of personnel who were working within the minds, neither Barrick Gold Corporation nor the Porgera Joint⁵ Venture has urged for an independent investigation⁶ by the authorities and quite frankly⁷ that's just not good enough," she said.

In a statement, Barrick Gold has said Amnesty International's research into Porgera is not objective and has not taken into account complicated social and legal issues on the ground.

Martin says the government must investigate the evictions and prosecute⁸ those responsible. And, she says moves should be made to help resettle those people who are still living within the mining area.

"There's also a need to have a look at whether or not the people who are currently living within the special mining lease area really ought to be relocated to an area outside that mine lease," said Martin.

The Porgera Gold Mine, located in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province, is one of Barrick Gold's largest mining operations.

 

1 evicted   

v.（依法从房屋里或土地上）驱逐，赶出( evict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• They had evicted their tenants for non-payment of rent. 他们赶走了未交房租的房客。

2 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

3 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

4 eviction   

n.租地等的收回

参考例句：

• The family have won a temporary reprieve from eviction.这个家庭暂时免于被逐出。
• He claimed damages for unlawful eviction.他要求对非法驱逐作出赔偿。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

8 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？