2006年VOA标准英语-Nepalese Government Enforces Curfew

By Patricia Nunan
New Delhi
20 January 2006

The government of Nepal has imposed a dawn to dusk curfew across the capital and put opposition¹ leaders under house arrest to stop an anti-government rally from taking place. The crackdown comes almost a year after the king took full control of the government.

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Riot policemen stand guard after royal government imposes curfew  
  

Police and soldiers were posted every few hundred meters in central Kathmandu Friday, as troops in armored personnel carriers with mounted machine guns patrolled the streets of the virtually empty capital to enforce the all-day curfew.

In other parts of the city, troops surrounded the homes of prominent opposition leaders, who had been trying to organize a massive rally against the government of King Gyanendra.

The politicians are the latest among scores of opposition members to be detained since the government launched its latest crackdown Thursday.

Leaders of several political parties had planned the demonstration² to protest against King Gyanendra's plans to hold local elections next month, a move they say is intended to legitimize his seizure³ of power last year.

On February 1, King Gyanendra dismissed parliament, arrested opposition leaders, and imposed restrictions⁴ on the media and civil liberties. He justified⁵ his actions by saying Nepal's squabbling political parties had failed to stop a communist insurgency⁶ wracking the countryside.

The move was widely condemned⁷ by the international community. The United States, the United Kingdom and India suspended military aid to Nepal.

But Suhas Chakma, the director of the Asian Center for Human Rights says the international community did not go far enough. He is calling on major powers to impose travel restrictions on the king and members of his government.

"This government survives, all said and done, with foreign aid," Chakma said. " So if there is a policy decision taken by the government to impose visa restrictions and other concurrent⁸ measures are taken, I am sure the change will come through."

King Gyanendra says the municipal council elections, planned for February 8, will pave the way for the restoration of democracy in Nepal. He has promised to hold parliamentary elections next year.

Prior to the king's takeover, the tiny Himalayan kingdom had been locked in a three-way power struggle between political parties, the king, and communist insurgents⁹ fighting to overthrow¹⁰ the monarchy¹¹.

Now, the insurgents, called Maoists, and the opposition parties have formed a loose alliance to call for the restoration of democracy. But the Maoists are still threatening to use violence against government forces in order to disrupt next month's elections.

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 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

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 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

6 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

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 concurrent   

adj.同时发生的，一致的

参考例句：

• You can't attend two concurrent events!你不能同时参加两项活动！
• The twins had concurrent birthday. 双胞胎生日在同一天。

9 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

10 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

11 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。