VOA慢速英语2015 持不同政见者被逮捕后,美国防御古巴政策

 

AS IT IS 2015-01-10 US Defends Cuba Policy After Dissident Arrests 持不同政见者被逮捕后,美国防御古巴政策

Dissidents in Cuba are criticizing Cuban officials for detaining several activists² last week. The dissidents say the detention³ shows what they call the “fallacy” – mistaken belief – of U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. They also say his decision to ease some restrictions⁴ between the countries is a mistake.

The Cuban activist¹ group “Ladies in White” is demanding the release of political prisoners and improved human rights. Berta Solar is head of the group. She says she and others do not believe President Obama’s decision will bring freedom.

She says Mr. Obama “thought this would favor the Cuban people, but that is not the case.” In her words, “everything that comes out of this renewal⁵ of ties will benefit the Cuban government and not the Cuban people.”

Dissidents say the arrest of Cuban performance artist Tania Bruguera is an example of the continuing repression⁶. Cuban officials arrest her and about 50 others last week for planning an event in Havana’s Revolution Square. They wanted to use the event to push for freedom of expression. Officials later released her and some of the other activists.

The United States condemned⁷ the detentions⁸. But State Department official Jen Psaki was asked this week to defend the new U.S. policy.

“One of the reasons why we moved forward with the change in policy is because we want to empower Cuban citizens, to give them greater ability to promote positive change going forward. And a critical focus of our announced actions include continued strong focus on improved human rights conditions, of which we know that the situation in Cuba remains⁹ poor.”

The State Department announced on Tuesday that Cuba has freed some of the 53 people the United States considers political prisoners. The Cuban government agreed to their release as part of the effort to improve relations between the countries.

Critics of normalizing ties include leading lawmakers of the two main U.S. political parties. They say Mr. Obama got little in return from Cuba in exchange for easing some of the years-old economic restrictions.

The Washington Post newspaper published an editorial on U.S. relations with Cuba. It said the detention of Tania Bruguera shows that the president should have demanded protections for pro-democracy activists in return for better relations.                                                      

In Cuba, dissidents like Elizardo Sanchez feel disheartened.

He says “We do not see any sign that the government is willing to make the reforms the country needs. So everything will continue more or less the same as it has been in previous years.”

January first marked 56 years since Fidel Castro came to power and launched the Cuban Revolution. Today, many Cubans are waiting to see if the new U.S. policy will have any effect on their daily lives or on the Cuban government.

Words in This Story

dissidents - n. individuals who strongly disagree with their government

mistake - n. a wrong action or decision; an action done without the knowledge that it was wrong

release - n. freedom; permission to go

freedom - n. not in prison; independent; not limited by rules; without cost

disheartened – v. to lose hope, enthusiasm, or courage

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 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

6 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 detentions   

拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校

参考例句：

• Teachers may assign detention tasks as they wish and some detentions have been actually dangerous. 老师可能随心所欲指派关禁闭的形式，有些禁闭事实上很危险。
• Intimidation, beatings and administrative detentions are often enough to prevent them from trying again. 恐吓，拷打和行政拘留足以阻止请愿者二次进京的脚步。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。