2007年VOA标准英语-UN Human Rights Chief Voices Concern About Viol

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
13 September 2007

In a speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council, High Commissioner¹ Louise Arbour expressed her concerns about serious rights violations² in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran and Burma. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva where the Council began a three-week session on Monday.

Louise Arbour, 09 Sep 2007

In her speech, the U.N.'s Chief Human Rights Official, Louise Arbour, flagged several issues of particular concern. She said it was up to members of the U.N. Council to do what they can to bring the perpetrators of gross violations to account.

Arbour, a former U.N. war crimes prosecutor³, is adamant⁴ that those who commit crimes should be punished. Last year, she visited the Democratic Republic of Congo. She said the trip focused primarily on the question of impunity⁵.

She expressed her dismay that since her visit, no progress has been made in getting justice for the many victims of human rights abuse.

"I continue to be concerned with the lack of progress in the DRC," said Arbour. "None of the perpetrators of the serious crimes committed during the first six months of 2007 have been arrested and brought to justice. Interference by military and political authorities in the administration of justice is prevalent, particularly in high-profile cases. Recent trials raise serious questions about the independence of the judiciary."

In July, Arbour's office issued a report accusing Congolese soldiers and police of having used excessive and indiscriminate lethal⁶ force to suppress clashes in western Bas-Congo province. In January and February, 105 people were reportedly killed during demonstrations⁷ there.

Arbour visited Iran earlier this month. Government restrictions⁸ on dissent⁹ are reportedly increasing there. In meetings with government officials, the High Commissioner said she told them they have to protect the right to peaceful public expression. She said she expressed particular concern about the execution of juveniles¹⁰.

Iran's tough Islamic law applies the death penalty for crimes such as murder, rape¹¹, adultery, armed robbery and drug smuggling¹², even to young people.

During her speech, Arbour expressed dismay at the suppression of peaceful protest in Burma. She once again urged the authorities to release detainees and political prisoners and to ensure respect for fundamental rights.

During the session, the 47-member Council will examine the human-rights records of a number of countries and look at global phenomena¹³ such as torture, disappearances¹⁴, arbitrary arrest and extra-judicial executions.

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

3 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

4 adamant   

adj.坚硬的，固执的

参考例句：

• We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
• Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

5 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

6 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

9 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

10 juveniles   

n.青少年( juvenile的名词复数 )；扮演少年角色的演员；未成年人

参考例句：

• Do you think that punishment for violent crimes should be the same for juveniles and adults? 你对暴力犯罪的惩罚对于青少年和成人应一样吗？ 来自生活英语口语25天快训
• Juveniles Should we not exactly in need of such strength and conviction? 少年的我们难道不正是需要这种力量和信念吗？ 来自互联网

11 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

12 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

13 phenomena   

n.现象

参考例句：

• Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
• The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

14 disappearances   

n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案

参考例句：

• Most disappearances are the result of the terrorist activity. 大多数的失踪案都是恐怖分子造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. 间谍活动、叛党卖国、逮捕拷打、处决灭迹，这种事情永远不会完。 来自英汉文学