VOA慢速英语--拉贾帕克萨兄弟将再次控制斯里兰卡政坛

One brother is considered likely to become Sri Lanka's president in elections this weekend. Another brother is thinking about seeking the prime minister's job after parliamentary elections early next year.

Two other brothers shape policies for their Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party. One of them may become the speaker in parliament. Three members of the family's next generation are also active in politics.

The Rajapaksas are back at the center of Sri Lankan politics, and some of the country's citizens are worried.

The four brothers are famous for the defeat of Tamil rebels as well as moving the island nation away from the West and towards China.

While there are no opinion studies of likely voters, former defense¹ secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the favorite to win the presidential election on Saturday. His chief opponent is Sajith Premadasa, a government minister.

Gotabaya led the military operations against Tamil Tiger rebels when his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa was president. Gotabaya has faced legal action in Sri Lanka and the United States over reports of staged killings³ of Tamil separatists, critics and journalists during the war.

Both brothers deny the accusations⁴ and say they are a part of a Western plot to interfere⁵ in the nation of 22 million. Sri Lanka has long had conflict between the majority Sinhalese Buddhists⁶ and minority ethnic⁷ Tamils. In recent months, the Sinhalese have also targeted the island's Muslim community.

Mahinda Rajapaksa lost the 2015 presidential election to Maithripala Sirisena. Out of office, the family's influence decreased.

Last April, attackers bombed hotels and churches, killing² more than 250 people nationwide. The Easter Sunday bombings nearly destroyed Sirisena's presidency⁸. He has announced he will not seek re-election.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks. The bombings have increased public support for the Rajapaksas and their politics of Sinhalese nationalism.

Mahinda is barred by law from seeking another term as president, so he is campaigning for his brother, Gotabaya.

Another brother, Basil, oversees⁹ the party's finances. He also makes agreements with competing groups, while a fourth brother and former speaker, Chamal, campaigns in the family stronghold in the south of the island.

Family prospects¹⁰

Currently, Mahinda is the leader of the opposition¹¹ in parliament. He is the clear choice for prime minister when parliamentary elections are held next year, said Keheliya Rambukwella, the Gotabaya campaign's spokesman.

Chamal Rajapaksa would be the choice for parliament speaker, a position he held in the past, political experts say. In all, seven members of the family are involved in politics, and some of the others could also end up in parliament.

"We are going to see family rule again, and all the excesses that came up with it the last time," said Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne.

The state-operated newspaper Sunday Observer wrote in an editorial that it was "afraid" of a Gotabaya presidency and appealed to voters to make the "right choice."

"A wrong choice will send the country...toward authoritarianism¹²," it said.

Gotabaya's spokesman dismissed warnings about family rule, saying the candidate was quite clear: ability will be the only consideration for top political jobs.

"When Gotabaya comes to power, he will appoint people with qualification to the positions," Rambukwella said.

During the election campaign, Gotabaya has been talking about the need to strengthen national security. He repeatedly has spoken about the Easter Sunday attacks.

At a campaign event in central Sri Lanka, Gotabaya said he had raised special-forces to stop extremism, drug traffickers and criminals during his time as defense secretary. He added that the power of these troops had been weakened since he left office.

Words in This Story

staged – adj. produced for public effect

journalist – n. a news reporter or media worker

excess – adj. an amount that is more than the usual or necessary amount

dissent¹³ – n. to publicly disagree with an official opinion, decision, or set of beliefs

editorial – n. a commentary in a newspaper or magazine that gives the opinions of its editors or publishers

authoritarianism – n. expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws; not permitting personal freedom

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

4 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

5 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

6 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

9 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

10 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

11 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。

12 authoritarianism   

权力主义，独裁主义

参考例句：

• Modern authoritarianism is a vestige of traditional personal rule. 现代独裁主义则是传统的个人统治的残余。
• In its latter days it was a byword for authoritarianism, incompetence, and corruption. 在后期，它是独裁、无能和腐化的代号。

13 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。