VOA慢速英语--缅甸安全部队向抗议者开火 造成数人死亡

Myanmar Security Forces Fire on Protesters, Killing¹ Several

Myanmar security forces opened fire on protesters against military rule again on Wednesday. The shooting came a day after calls for restraint and offers to solve the crisis from neighboring countries.

The Associated Press reported at least eight people were killed Wednesday including a 14-year-old boy. The United Nations' Human Rights Office said security forces also killed at least 18 protesters last Sunday. And Reuters has reported that at least 40 people have been killed since February 1 when the military seized control and removed Myanmar's elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Witnesses told Reuters that security forces used real bullets with little warning in several towns and cities. "It's horrific, it's a massacre². No words can describe the situation and our feelings," youth activist³ Thinzar Shunlei Yi told the news agency.

A spokesman for the military rulers did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. Myanmar is a majority Buddhist⁴ country with a small Christian⁵ community.

Security forces in Yangon, the country's main city, detained about 300 protesters, the Myanmar Now news agency reported. Video posted on social media showed lines of young men with their hands on their heads. It shows them getting into army trucks as police and soldiers stand guard.

One video taken from a security camera showed police beating members of an ambulance crew. Police can be seen kicking the three crew members and hitting them with their guns.

In the central town of Myingyan, social media reported the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy. In Mandalay, the country's second-biggest city, police and soldiers chased around 1,000 teachers and students with tear gas as gun shots could be heard.

The violence came a day after foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) urged restraint. Myanmar is an ASEAN member. The Southeast Asian neighbors, however, did not unite behind a call for the release of Suu Kyi and a return to democracy.

The Myanmar military claimed that its action came after reports of fraud in the November 8 election were ignored. Suu Kyi's party had won a large majority and the election commission said the vote was fair.

Words in This Story

restraint –n.(formal) a way of limiting, controlling or not taking action

massacre –n. the violent killing of many people

ambulance –n. a vehicle used for taking hurt or sick peole to the hospital especially for emergencies

fraud –n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person

1 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

2 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。