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美国关切巴林动荡局势

The United States is increasingly concerned about unrest in Bahrain ahead of the trial of a leading opposition¹ activist² later this month. There has been little progress in a national dialogue that was agreed to following violent demonstrations³ in 2011. Considering Bahrain is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, it's a worrisome issue for Washington.

就在一位巴林反对派活动人士领袖本月晚些时候将面临审判的前夕，美国越来越关切巴林的动荡局势。在2011年暴力抗议事件之后有关各方同意举行对话，但进展很少。巴林是美军第五舰队司令部的所在地，因此巴林的动荡是华盛顿非常担忧的问题。

Violence following the funeral of a Bahraini opposition activist is the latest setback⁴ to a national dialogue that was to have settled differences between the government and its opponents.

巴林政府与反对派之间为解决分歧而举行全国性对话的最近一次挫折，是一位巴林反对派活动人士葬礼所引发的暴力事件。

"We are disappointed by recent events that have happened on the ground and eroded⁵ the prospects⁶ of dialogue in Bahrain," said U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

美国国务院发言人莎琪说：“最近发生的事件让我们感到失望，这伤害了巴林对话的前景。”

The Obama administration is aware of the detention⁷ and death of  31-year-old dissident Yousif Ali al-Nashmi, Psaki said. He was arrested in August on charges of taking part in illegal protests, although the Bahrain Center for Human Rights disputes that.

莎琪说，奥巴马政府已经注意到31岁异议人士优素福?阿里?阿尔纳什米被拘留、之后死亡的事件。他在今年8月由于非法参与抗议活动而被逮捕，不过巴林的人权中心并不认同这种说法。

He died several days after his release this month following what human rights groups say was abuse in detention.

阿尔纳什米这个月在被释放几天之后死亡，人权团体说，他在拘留期间曾被虐待。

Last month, President Obama compared sectarian tensions in Bahrain to the violence in Iraq and Syria.

美国总统奥巴马上个月把巴林的派系紧张和伊拉克与叙利亚的暴力事件，做了比较。

Bahrain is a majority Shi'ite country but is ruled by a Sunni royal family.

巴林是一个什叶派穆斯林占人口多数的国家，由逊尼派王室统治。

However, the government of King Hamad bin⁸ Isa al-Khalifa claims there is no comparing Bahrain with Syria and Iraq, where sectarian tensions have fueled violence.

不过，巴林国王哈马德的政府说，不能把巴林和叙利亚、伊拉克相提并论，那两个国家的派系紧张助长了暴力。

A foreign ministry⁹ statement said "terrorist extremist groups" are targeting security forces and that Bahrain is responding "within the rule of law."

巴林外交部的一份声明指出，恐怖主义极端团体把目标对准了安全部队。巴林政府的回应是依据法治。

The opposition is demanding more jobs, more democracy, and the release of all political prisoners.

Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute feels Washington has missed an opportunity with Bahrain's Shi'ites, who make up 70 percent of the population but are not proportionately represented in politics.

华盛顿智库卡托研究所分析家班多说，华盛顿错失与巴林什叶派交往的机会。什叶派占巴林人口的百分之70，但是在政治上，却没有足够的代表权。

"The U.S. has done very little on behalf of Shia in Bahrain, where the majority are struggling for some greater say in their government," said Bandow.

班多说：“美国并没有为巴林的什叶派做太多的事。这些人占巴林的人口多数，希望争取更多的发言权。而巴林政府得到沙特阿拉伯的支援。”

Psaki said the Obama administration is urging Bahrain's government to uphold freedoms of assembly and expression and for all parties to reaffirm their commitment to nonviolence.

莎琪说，奥巴马政府敦促巴林政府确保有关各方的集会与言论自由，致力于非暴力。

"There’s more that all parties can do to move things forward. So I don’t know if there’s a specific obstacle as much as there’s more that needs to be done," said Psaki.

她说：“为了向前推动对话，巴林的有关各方能做更多努力。我不知道是否有具体障碍。但是各方能做出更多努力。”

Former U.S. Ambassador Adam Ereli claims Washington's "middle-ground" is not working.

前美国驻巴林大使埃雷利说华盛顿的“中间立场”并不管用。

"Nobody knows what the U.S. position is. In Bahrain they say, 'Look, we support a democratic process. Don't use violence.' But we don't condemn¹⁰ the opposition. We don't declare support for the regime. Nobody knows what side we're on," explained Ereli.

他说：“没有人知道美国的立场是什么。我们支持巴林的民主过程，不动用武力。但是我们并没有谴责反对派；我们也没宣布支持当权者。没有人知道，美国支持那一边。”

Opposition groups suspended their participation¹¹ in the national dialogue over last month’s detention of activist Khalil Marzouq, who is charged with using his leadership position in a legal political organization to incite¹² violence. Amnesty International calls him a prisoner of conscience. His trial is set to begin October 24.

上个月在活动人士哈利勒?马尔祖克被拘留期间，反对派暂不出席全国性对话。马尔祖克被指控利用他所带领的一个合法政治组织内煽动暴力。大赦国际称他为一位良心犯。他的审判日期定为10月24日。