VOA标准英语2014--Cambodia Tensions Escalate Amid Protest Ban 柬埔寨紧张局势升级之际抗议禁令

 

Cambodia Tensions Escalate¹ Amid Protest Ban 柬埔寨紧张局势升级之际抗议禁令

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia has banned anti-government demonstrators from holding protests after last week’s deadly clashes with police that left four people dead. But as striking garment workers vow² to continue their vigil, and the political opposition³ keeps up its campaign against the government, many worry more conflict is likely.

With increasing frequency since July’s election, masses of protesters have publicly voiced dissent⁴ in Cambodia. Garment workers demand a doubling of the minimum wage. The opposition says the government rigged the last election. In each case, demonstrators are notably⁵ uncowed by state security forces.

“You see that people now, they are no longer afraid," said Sam Rainsy, chief of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. "Of course, when they kill people, after a few days there's still some fear. But they cannot kill everybody, everywhere, all the time.”

Rights advocate Ou Virak says the dramatic change is partly due to age. Cambodia’s once war-weary public has been replaced by a younger generation more eager to assert and defend its rights.

“Well for one, it's just demographic shift," Virak said. "We have the post-Khmer Rouge⁶ generation. These are people who were born in the 1980s, who haven't lived much through the communist days. Many of these young people are more willing to challenge authority, willing to speak their mind. And young people are more ambitious.”

Amid the demographic changes, many of the country’s political players are older and criticized for being out of touch. Virak says that has led to a leadership gap for the government as well as the opposition.

“The two parties bring back all of the politics to things that they know, and therefore are comfortable with," he said. "But when they're looking at politics of the future, they're not comfortable with it. And they're not going to be happy in actually looking forward, where they're always happy to look backward.”

For the most part, the government had shown unusual restraint in dealing⁷ with the varied⁸ protests. That changed earlier this month when a mixture of garment strikes and opposition protests brought a heavy-handed reaction.

“This government, particularly Hun Sen, has been in power for decades," Virak said. "He knows how to fight wars, he knows how to be in armed battles, but he doesn't…  They're not ready to deal with peaceful movements. And the sad reality of that part is that they only respond the way they know how, and that is turn it back into a warzone.”

For now, with the ban on protests, the capital city is quiet. But the opposition is regrouping in the provinces and says it's planning to hold rallies here once again. 

1 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

2 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

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 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。

5 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

6 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

7 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。

8 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。