VOA慢速英語：川普計劃向尼日利亞出售戰(zhàn)機用于打擊博科圣地組織

Trump Plans to Sell Attack Planes to Nigeria to Fight Boko Haram

川普計劃向尼日利亞出售戰(zhàn)機用于打擊博科圣地組織

The Trump administration has agreed to sell Nigeria up to twelve attack airplanes for its campaign against Boko Haram Islamic extremists.

川普政府同意向尼日利亞出售多達12架戰(zhàn)機用于對付博科圣地極端主義分子。

The sale will continue despite concerns over abuses committed by Nigeria's security forces, according to U.S. officials.

美國官員表示，盡管擔心尼日利亞安全部隊犯下的惡性，但這筆交易仍將繼續(xù)下去。

The U.S. Congress is expected to be officially informed within weeks.

預計美國國會將在幾周內(nèi)得到正式通知。

A long history

悠久歷史

The sale of the aircraft to Nigeria has a long history. The country has been trying to buy them since 2015.

向尼日利亞出售戰(zhàn)機有著悠久的歷史。自2015年以來該國一直試圖購買戰(zhàn)機。

However, the Nigerian air force has been accused of bombing civilian targets at least three times in recent years.

然而近年來尼日利亞空軍至少三次被指控轟炸民用目標。

In one incident on January 17 this year, a fighter jet repeatedly bombed a camp at Rann, near the border with Cameroon. Civilians fleeing from Boko Haram were living there.

在今年1月17日發(fā)生的一起事故中，一架戰(zhàn)機多次轟炸了靠近喀麥隆邊界的蘭恩營地。躲避博科圣地組織的平民生活在那里。

Between 100 and 236 civilians and aid workers were killed, according to officials' and community leaders' counts.

根據(jù)官員和社區(qū)領(lǐng)導人的統(tǒng)計，有100到236名平民和援助人員遇難。

The bombing at Rann occurred on the same day the Obama administration planned to notify Congress of the aircraft sale to Nigeria. However, due to the incident, the sale was immediately put on hold.

這次轟炸蘭恩營地發(fā)生在奧巴馬政府計劃通知國會向尼日利亞出售戰(zhàn)機的同一天。但是由于這起事故，這筆交易立馬被擱置。

In previous years, both the U.S. State Department and human rights groups have warned against the actions of the Nigerian military.

前幾年，美國國務院和人權(quán)組織都對尼日利亞軍方的行動提出了告誡。

The State Department said in 2016 that the Nigerian government has taken few steps to investigate or charge soldiers who commit violations.

美國國務院在2016年表示，尼日利亞政府幾乎沒有采取步驟調(diào)查或是指控觸犯罪行的士兵。

And in 2015 Amnesty International accused Nigeria's military of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The group accused Nigeria of the unauthorized killings of an estimated 8,000 Boko Haram suspects.

而在2015年，大赦國際指責尼日利亞軍隊犯下了戰(zhàn)爭罪和危害人類罪。該組織指責尼日利亞未經(jīng)批準殺害了約8千名博科圣地組織嫌犯。

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari promised to investigate the suspected abuses after he won office in 2015.

尼日利亞總統(tǒng)布哈里在2015年當選后承諾調(diào)查這些涉嫌違規(guī)的行為。

However, no soldier has yet been charged.

然而沒有士兵被起訴。

Nigeria's military has denied the allegations.

尼日利亞軍方否認了這些指控。

Politically strategic

政治戰(zhàn)略

Despite concerns about human rights abuses in the country, selling the aircraft to Nigeria helps the U.S. achieve some of its goals.

盡管擔心該國侵犯人權(quán)，但是向尼日利亞出售戰(zhàn)機有助于美國實現(xiàn)它的一些目標。

The sale would improve the U.S. relationship with Nigeria, which is Africa's largest economy.

這筆交易將會改善美國同非洲最大經(jīng)濟體尼日利亞的關(guān)系。

The country is also in a strategic geographic position. The north of Nigeria sits on the edge of the Sahel, an area that bridges North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The Sahel has a desert-like climate and is not well governed. Experts warn that Islamic extremists like Boko Haram may expand their influence here.

該國也處于戰(zhàn)略地理位置。尼日利亞位于非洲薩赫勒地區(qū)邊緣，該地區(qū)連接了北非和撒哈拉以南非洲地區(qū)。薩赫勒地區(qū)擁有類沙漠氣候并且統(tǒng)治不力。專家警告說，像博科圣地組織這類伊斯蘭極端主義分子可能會在這里擴大他們的影響力。

J. Peter Pham is vice president of the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC and the head of its Africa Center. Pham says that no country in Africa is more important for American interests than Nigeria.

J·彼得·范( J. Peter Pham)是位于華盛頓特區(qū)的大西洋理事會的副主席，也是該理事會非洲中心的負責人。范表示，對美國利益來說，非洲沒有哪個國家比尼日利亞更加重要。

In Trump's interests, too

同樣符合川普利益

The aircraft deal also supports Trump's political goals. The U.S. president has said he wants to support nations fighting Islamic extremism.

這起戰(zhàn)機交易也支持了川普的政治目標。川普曾表示要支持打擊伊斯蘭極端主義的國家。

Trump also wants to increase U.S. manufacturing and create well-paid jobs for Americans. The aircraft he plans to sell Nigeria is made in Jacksonville, Florida.

川普還希望提升美國的制造業(yè)，并為美國人創(chuàng)造高收入就業(yè)機會。他計劃賣給尼日利亞的戰(zhàn)機是在佛羅里達州杰克遜維爾市制造的。

After Congress is officially informed of the sale, lawmakers have 30 days to reject the deal.

在國會得到正式通知之后，議員們有30天時間來否決這筆交易。

However, a rejection is not likely. Many U.S. lawmakers support the sale, even if they are uncomfortable with the actions of the Nigerian military.

然而這筆交易不太可能被否決。許多美國議員支持這筆交易，即便他們對尼日利亞軍方的行動不滿。

Senator Ben Cardin said this week that he is not trying to block the deal. But, he added, "There is progress that needs to be made in protecting the civilian population."

參議員本·卡丹(Ben Cardin)本周表示，他并未試圖阻止這筆交易。但他補充說，“在保護平民方面需要取得進展。”

I'm Phil Dierking.

菲爾·德爾金報道。