Nigerian Rebels Declare Ceasefire in Delta
尼日利亚激进组织宣布单方面停火
Nigeria's leading militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, has declared a unilateral ceasefire in the oil-rich region.
尼日利亚主要的激进组织--尼日尔三角洲解放运动宣布在这个盛产石油的地区实行单方面停火。
MEND warned in its statement that it would end the ceasefire if the military attacks its positions again. It also warned that other groups outside its direct command may not respect the ceasefire.
尼日尔三角洲解放运动在声明中警告说，如果军方再次袭击解放运动的据点，这个组织将中止停火协议。该组织还警告说，其他不受它直接指挥的组织有可能不遵守这一停火的决定。
The group declared war on the oil industry a week ago in what it said was a response to ground and air strikes by the Nigerian military against one of its bases in Rivers state, one of three states that form the core Delta.
尼日尔河三角洲解放运动一个星期前对石油工业宣战。该组织说这是对尼日利亚军队对这个组织在尼日尔河流州一个基地进行地面和空中袭击所做的回应。尼日尔河流州是组成尼日尔三角洲核心区的三个州中的一个。
MEND said its decision to halt attacks was taken after a plea by community leaders. One of the region's most influential leaders with strong ties to the rebels, Edwin Clark, has held talks with government officials to resolve the crisis. Clark told VOA that militancy in the oil-rich region is a legitimate cause of action.
尼日尔三角洲解放运动说，他们是在社区领导人要求之下才决定实行单方面停火的。这个地区最具影响力的领导人之一就是克拉克，他和叛乱分子有紧密联系。为了解决当前的危机，克拉克和政府官员举行了会谈。克拉克对美国之音说，在这个盛产石油地区，战斗是正当的行动。
"I call them [militants] freedom fighters because they are fighting for their own survival, for their existence in a country which we call Nigeria," said Clark.
他说：“我把激进分子称为自由战士，因为他们是在为自己的生存而战，是在我们称为尼日利亚这个国家里生存而战。”
Royal Dutch Shell, whose facilities suffered the most during the siege, declared on Saturday that it would not be able to meet its contractual obligations on oil deliveries due to militant attacks.
荷兰皇家壳牌公司星期六宣布，因为激进分子的攻击，公司将不能兑现合同里关于输送石油的义务。这家公司的设施在受到围攻期间受害最大。
Oil and gas accounts for 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with 140 million people.
石油和天然气占尼日利亚外汇收入的90%。尼日利亚有1亿4千万人口，是非洲人口最多的国家。
Rebels claim the oil wealth of Nigeria does not sufficiently benefit the local population.
叛乱分子声称，尼日利亚的当地民众没有充分受惠于石油财富。
