VOA标准英语2014--缅甸反对派对选举仍持怀疑态度

 

With Myanmar Elections on Horizon, Protest Leader Still Skeptical 缅甸反对派对选举仍持怀疑态度

CHANG MAI, THAILAND—

In August 2007, students and opposition¹ activists³ took to the streets of Myanmar, also known as Burma, to protest rising fuel and food prices.

In the weeks that followed, thousands of monks⁵ joined the massive grassroots uprising that became known as the Saffron Revolution.

While the country's political opening has since been hailed for loosening the military's tight grip on power, some critics, including U Gambira, one of the monks who became a public face of the movement, says little has changed.

Now based in northern Thailand, Gambira, who says he was forced to leave the monkhood in 2012, spends his time teaching fellow migrants. Ever the political activist², though, the former monk⁴ stays in touch with colleagues across the border where citizens are preparing for 2015 elections.

That upcoming contest, he says, won't be the product of genuine reforms.

“Many countries, including the U.S. and the EU (sic), have given the time for the Burmese government to reform the country, [but] ... they haven’t done any real reform yet," he said. "It’s all lies. The junta⁶ says they will reform, [but] just to protect their own businesses and control.”

Since the country's 2010 election, Myanmar officials have established a national human rights coalition⁷, passed less restrictive labor⁸ and media laws, and embarked⁹ on a series of reforms targeting reconciliation¹⁰, partial economic liberalization and political democracy.

Those efforts have been rewarded. The United States announced it would begin easing travel and financial sanctions in 2011, and later in 2012 announced a "targeted easing" of the ban on U.S. financial services and investment in the country. In April of 2013 the European Union lifted the last of its travel, financial and individual sanctions in response to Yangon's reform program.

In 2014, Myanmar also assumed chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The government has also released more than 1,300 political prisoners since reforms began — most notably¹¹ releasing pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest. But rights groups say the government's efforts will be incomplete if it does not amend¹² or remove oppressive laws that have allowed the government to continue detaining its critics.

Rights groups estimate around 40 political prisoners are still in prison in Myanmar, with roughly another 200 people awaiting trial, including many who were recently charged with violating a new protest law.

Gambia himself spent four years in prison under brutal¹³ conditions — he was originally sentenced to 68 years for involvement in the 2007 uprising — only to be freed as part of a mass pardon just prior to U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2012 visit.

He has since been re-arrested three times, most recently for taking part in a Mandalay copper¹⁴ mine protest.

“I was forced to disrobe. I am not really happy and I didn’t want to leave the monkhood, but the army put a lot of pressure on me," he said. "They searched every monastery¹⁵ that I went to and told head abbots to not allow me to stay.”

The blacklisting forced Gambira to depart Myanmar for Thailand, where he has joined critics who say Yangon policies are worsening religious and ethnic¹⁶ divisions, and undermining the reforms that have drawn¹⁷ praise abroad.

Critics point to recent government investigations¹⁸ of journalists and publications in particular.

The ruling party and military have also rejected an opposition move to repeal¹⁹ a constitutional amendment²⁰ that bars anyone from becoming president if they have a spouse²¹ or children who are foreign nationals. The measure is widely believed to be directed at Aung San Suu Kyi, whose sons have British and American citizenship²².

For Myanmar, the coming year will test whether critics like Gambira have reason for pessimism²³, or whether authorities can conduct a free and fair election without turmoil²⁴ in the streets.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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》

4 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

5 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 junta   

n.团体；政务审议会

参考例句：

• The junta reacted violently to the perceived threat to its authority.军政府感到自身权力受威胁而进行了激烈反击。
• A military junta took control of the country.一个军政权控制了国家。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 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。

9 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

10 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

11 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。

12 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

13 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

14 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

15 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。

16 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

17 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

18 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

19 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

20 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

21 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

22 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

23 pessimism   

n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者

参考例句：

• He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。
• There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。

24 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。