VOA常速英语2018--美国称宗教少数群体遭迫害成全球性问题（在线收听）

In late December of last year, the Trump Administration unveiled its National Security Strategy. One of the priority actions to be undertaken by the United States as part of this new plan is the advancement and protection of religious freedom and religious minorities around the globe.

去年12月末，特朗普政府公布了其国家安全战略。这项新计划中提到，美国即将进行的主要动作之一就是促进并保护全球的宗教自由和宗教少数群体。

Vice President Pence in his remarks at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians said, Protecting and promoting religious freedom is a foreign policy priority of the Trump administration. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback also said religious freedom is the most important foreign topic today, in his remarks at the United States Institute of Peace.

副总统彭斯在保护受迫害基督徒世界峰会上讲话时表示，保护并促进宗教自由是特朗普政府一项主要的外交政策。负责国际宗教自由事务的无任所大使塞缪尔 布朗巴克(Samuel Brownback)也表示，宗教自由是当今最重要的国际话题，这是他在美国和平研究所讲话期间提到的。

If there is one common thread that connects repressive regimes the world over, it is their oppression of minority religious groups. Persecution, repression, and discrimination are a daily reality for members of religious minority communities in too many countries around the world. Believers and non-believers alike are targeted for violence; their human rights are limited or sometimes entirely restricted.

如果说世界上各个压迫性政权有什么共通之处的话，那就是：他们都压迫宗教少数群体。迫害、压迫、歧视是世界上许多国家的宗教少数群体成员每天都要面临的现实。无论是有信仰的人还是与其相似的无信仰者都成为暴力攻击的目标；他们不是享有有限的人权，就是什么人权都没有。

The United States' response to such violations and abuses of religious freedom is based on the 20-year-old International Religious Freedom Act, which introduced the promotion and protection of religious freedom as a foreign policy priority for the United States.

美国对违背和践踏宗教自由所做出的回应是基于已有20年历史的《国际宗教自由法》。该法案提出将提升并保护宗教自由作为美国一项主要的外交政策。

Over the past several years, The State Department has provided strategic guidance to its embassies and consulates about how to consistently advocate for rights of members of minority communities and promote their equal treatment in society. Recognizing the importance of preserving cultural heritage, the State Department has developed a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution to train church and other leaders of minority faith communities on how to protect ancient places of cultural significance.

过去数年来，国务院为其驻扎各地的大使馆和领事馆提供了战略方针，内容是关于怎样持之以恒地倡导少数社群成员的权利，以及怎样提升他们在社会上的待遇以实现平等。由于认识到了保护文化遗产的重要性，所以国务院已经与史密森学会建立了伙伴关系，以培训教堂以及其他宗教少数群体的领袖，内容与保护具有文化重要性的古代遗址有关。

The Department has also worked with the Organization of American States to recruit countries in our hemisphere to join these efforts to combat persecution in other regions.

国务院还与美洲国家组织合作，招募西半球的国家加入这项工作，以打击其他地区的宗教迫害行为。

Nonetheless, there are an increasing number of actors who continue to attack members of religious minority groups and undermine religious diversity. In response, we must stay committed to emphasizing the universal importance of this fundamental freedom. We can achieve lasting results by building and protecting environments where everyone can enjoy freedom of religion or belief.

然而，还是有越来越多的人在继续攻击宗教群体的成员，在继续破坏宗教多样性。作为回应，我们必须坚定致力于强调宗教自由这项基本自由的普遍重要性。我们可以实现持之有效的成果，方式是保护我们所构建的环境，让这个环境里的每个人都能享有宗教自由或宗教信仰。