VOA标准英语2014--US Lawmakers Examine Response to Boko Haram Abductions

 

US Lawmakers Examine Response to Boko Haram Abductions

CAPITOL HILL — The Obama administration says it is taking action to help rescue more than 250 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted¹ in mid-April, but that it is encountering challenges and obstacles in the effort.  U.S. officials testified on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers uniformly condemned² Boko Haram Islamist militants³.

From widespread protests to a borderless social media campaign, the schoolgirls’ plight⁴ continues to grip the world’s attention.  U.S. Senator Chris Coons heads the Africa panel of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“Boko Haram is trying to send a message, and the world, starting with the Nigerian government, must respond by saying their crimes will not be tolerated, and perpetrators held accountable,” he said.

Appearing before the panel, the Pentagon’s point person for Africa, Alice Friend, said 16 U.S. military specialists have been dispatched to advise Nigerian security forces.  She said the threat posed by Boko Haram is growing, and has exposed other problems in Nigeria.

“Nigeria can be an extremely challenging partner to work with.  In the face of this sophisticated threat, Nigeria’s security forces have been slow to adapt with new strategies, new doctrines⁵ and new tactics.  Even more troubling, Nigeria’s record of atrocities⁶ perpetrated by some of its security forces during operations against Boko Haram has been widely documented,” said Friend.

And insecurity in Nigeria grows against a backdrop of hunger and need, according to Earl Gast of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“It is projected that, by 2015, Nigeria will be home to the largest number of persons worldwide living in poverty,” said Gast.

The international community has rallied to provide assistance, but there is much Nigeria must do on its own, according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Robert Jackson.

“The [Nigerian] state must demonstrate to its citizens that it can protect them and offer them opportunity.  When soldiers destroy towns, kill civilians⁷, and detain innocent people with impunity⁸, mistrust takes root,” he said.

The kidnapping crisis has sharpened U.S. lawmakers’ focus on the safety and well-being⁹ of women worldwide.  Senator Jeanne Shaheen struck a resolute¹⁰ tone.

“We can either allow women to continue to be victims of violence and ignorance and repression¹¹, or we can act on behalf of wives, our daughters, our granddaughters,” said the senator.

A bill before Congress would make the safety of women a U.S. government priority in its dealings across the globe.

1 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。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

5 doctrines   

n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明

参考例句：

• To modern eyes, such doctrines appear harsh, even cruel. 从现代的角度看，这样的教义显得苛刻，甚至残酷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His doctrines have seduced many into error. 他的学说把许多人诱入歧途。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 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。

8 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

9 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

10 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

11 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。