Head off：阻止，拦截

12月21日，印尼和东帝汶共同宣布成立一个联合委员会的计划，希望能就1999年东帝汶独立全民公决事件引起的大暴乱达成谅解。在那次暴乱中，印尼暴徒杀害了大约1000名东帝汶人。外电报道如下：Indonesia and East Timor announced plans on Tuesday to create a joint commission in hopes of putting behind them a 1999 rampage in which Indonesian gangs killed about 1,000 East Timorese.

In setting up a Commission on Truth and Friendship, the two countries hope to head off a parallel initiative by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is weighing his own expert commission to review whether justice was done after the 1999 violence, their foreign ministers said after talks with Annan.

The violence, carried out by gangs supported by elements in the Indonesian army, was triggered by a referendum in which East Timor voted to break free from Jakarta after 24 years of brutal military rule.

Head off表示“阻止，拦截，使之转变方向或退回”例如：head off the flock of sheep（上前拦截这群羊）。此外，off one's head表示“过于兴奋，精神失常”。