VOA标准英语2012--Jailed Activists Mostly Left Out of Burma's Latest Prisoner Amnesty

Jailed Activists² Mostly Left Out of Burma's Latest Prisoner Amnesty

Burma's President Thein Sein has won international praise for recent political reforms and engagement with opposition³ leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But the country's traditional prisoner amnesty this week was a disappointment for those hoping for the release of all jailed activists and political dissidents.

Crowds gathered outside Burma's Insein prison this week to await
inmates⁴ who gained release after their sentences were commuted⁵. Few of the estimated 1,500 political prisoners were among them.

Last October, authorities released some 200 prisoners of conscience. Labor⁶ Activist¹ Su Su Nway was among them. She has returned to the same work that got her arrested in the first place.

"What I am doing is working to eliminate forced labor," she said. "Before I was sent to jail, that is what I was doing, too. I'm doing that again, and also working against farmland seizures⁷."

Despite the government's opening that encourages activists like Su Su Nway, opposition leaders in Burma say they do not expect quick reforms and favor a pragmatic approach for dealing⁸ with the government.

"We want to all [political prisoners to] be free, but we don't expect all because the government make[s] changes in every respect - slowly, slowly, slowly so we don't want to expect all [will be] free," the activist said.

The newly formed National Human Rights Commission for the first time was recently allowed to inspect Insein Prison where many political prisoners are held.

Commission Chairmain Win Mra says even though the group is independent, it must work within the law and does not directly contradict the government's position that there are no political prisoners in Burma.

"There is a lot of emphasis being put on what is termed as 'prisoners of conscience', but the government says there are no prisoners of conscience. The commission of human rights addresses all prisoners who can contribute towards the democratization process," said Win Mra.

Following this week's prisoner release, pro-democratic parties are now looking forward to April by-elections as another small step toward political reform.

1 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。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 commuted   

通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. 他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• The death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. 死刑可能減为无期徒刑。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。