VOA慢速英语:尼日利亚发现对抗极端分子的新方法
Hello and welcome back to the program that isdesigned to help you learn and improve your AmericanEnglish. Today we have two very interesting stories totell you. The first involves violence in Nigeria, as thegovernment announces new non-military ways tocontrol terrorism.
Then we will take you to the United States Capitolbuilding where some lawmakers say the CIA has beenspying on them! Have I gotten your attention? I hopeso. As It Is ...is on the air, from VOA.
Nigeria’s national security adviser recently announcedplans for a non-military campaign against Islamistextremists. His goal is to end a four-and-half-year-oldrebellion that has killed thousands of people. The newcampaign would be in addition to, but not replace, military efforts to fight theIslamist group Boko Haram.
About 10 months ago, Nigeria launched its biggest military operation everagainst Boko Haram and its supporters. The military declared emergency rulein three northeastern states. Nigerian forces quickly gained control of largepopulation centers. But the violence continued in rural areas. Recently,northern cities have again come under attack. The non-governmentalorganization Human Rights Watch says 700 people have been killed in thisyear alone.
Sambo Dasuki is Nigeria’s National Security Advisor. He says thegovernment has decided to use new ways to fight Boko Haram.
“My approach has been to understand the problem in order to apply theappropriate solutions. What we have learned is that there is not one particularpath that leads to terrorism. Rather, there are many, often complicated, pathsthat lead to terrorism.”
There are many causes of the Islamist rebellion. Mr. Dasuki says they includepoverty, social injustice, and the failure of Islamists to mix with otherNigerians. He says the solutions include prison reform, economicdevelopment, peace talks and education.
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A Nigerian policeman stands guard by burned out cars and houses, following an attack by suspected Islamic extremists. |
Under the plan, two prisons will become what the government calls “de-radicalization” centers. The national security advisor says the next step is totrain people working at the prisons.
“The initiative will require substantial capacity-building of prison staff in areassuch as psychology, sport and art therapy, faith-based instructors andvocational training experts that would engage beneficiaries.”
He says another way to fight the growth of Boko Haram is through reformingthe economy in northeastern Nigeria. Many people who live there are verypoor. This poverty adds strength to the rebels.
Genro Olajuyigbe is a human security manager at Action Aid, a poverty-fighting group. He says better security is needed if the government plans touse non-military methods against Boko Haram.
He says the people are in an insecure environment -- economics hascollapsed, rights have collapsed, there is an intrusion of fear. And he says hethinks the best thing to do is to stabilize the country a bit.
The United Nations has called the Boko Haram insurgency “increasinglymonstrous.” UN officials say almost 500,000 people have fled their homes, and tens of thousands have fled to neighboring countries. Farmers have lefttheir fields. The lack of crops has threatened food security in many areas.
Who Have the Spies Been Spying On?
The sparks on flying on Capitol Hill. That means there is a dispute going on. That’s nothing new, but this time it’s between the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA, and a committee of the United States Senate. The question is …will this dispute affect US intelligence operations overseas? Mario Ritter explainsa puzzling situation.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein made news lastweek. She said the CIA had watched aides to committee members who wereinvestigating the agency’s methods.
“I have grave concerns that the CIA’s search may well have violated theseparation of powers principles embodied in the United States Constitution.”
In 2009, the Central Intelligence Agency let committee staff members use itscomputers to study secret documents. These records told about the CIA’squestioning and detention of terrorism suspects during the presidency ofGeorge W. Bush. The agency said the staff members had taken documentsthey were not meant to have. Senator Feinstein said the agency then blockedthe use of those documents.
CIA Director John Brennan has denied that any break-in to computer files, orhacking, took place.
“I think a lot of people who are claiming that there has been this tremendoussort of spying, monitoring and hacking, will be proved wrong.”
President Barack Obama has called for the public release of the committee’ssecret report on the CIA detention and interrogation program. Somelawmakers say the report describes the use of waterboarding, a method ofquestioning detainees, during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Professor Henry Farrell of George Washington University says the reportcould damage the CIA’s public image around the world.
“But I think, at the very least, we’re going to see some embarrassment for theUnited States, when some of the stuff that the CIA was, in fact, doing in thefirst years after September 11th are revealed publicly, and that’s going to, Ithink, be quite controversial in other countries.”
But Professor Farrell says world leaders are not likely to be concerned aboutthe dispute between the Senate and the CIA. Mark Lowenthal agrees. He ispresident of the Intelligence and Security Academy. He says all countries thatwork with the United States know there is a system of congressionaloversight.
“All the countries with whom we work know that we have a congressionaloversight system, and that certain materials are given to the House andSenate as part of their oversight. So the fact that this is going on is probablynot going to be news to anybody, and so I don’t think it will affect thoserelationships.”
He also says the dispute may show the value of the American system ofgovernment.
“This is how you run a secret intelligence community in a democracy, thatthere are rules, and there’s a give-and-take, and that the intelligencecommunity is not just doing things on their own.”
2014 is an election year in the United States. The Republican Party couldclaim a majority in the Senate in November. A Republican Senator would leadthe Intelligence Committee if that happens. And Republicans have not shownthat they want the report on CIA interrogation methods made public. I’m MarioRitter.
Thank you, Mario. Now won’t it be interesting to see who wins that one? It’salmost time for us to move aside for some more Learning English programs, and world news at the beginning of the hour. But before we do, here aresome things going on in the United States.
Even though there is still snow on the ground, the National Cherry BlossomFestival begins. Millions of people from around the world come toWashington, D.C. to welcome spring and see the beautiful trees near theLincoln and Jefferson Memorials.
Up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, folks will be reading poetry aloud, drinkingspecial drinks, and even burning a snowman to say “goodbye” to winter and “hello” spring.
It’s time for me to run, so let’s agree to get together again tomorrow right hereat the same time. I’m Jim Tedder in Washington, and this is VOA.
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