VOA标准英语2008年-Vietnamese Groups, Lawmakers Voice Concerns Ahe

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
19 June 2008

Vietnamese-American groups, human rights organizations, and members of Congress are urging President Bush to make human rights in Vietnam a priority in his talks next week with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill.
　

Nguyen Ngoc Bich, National Congress of Vietnamese Americans, Congressman1 Chris Smith (left)

Activists² and representatives of human rights organizations joined members of Congress in a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol.

Nguyen Ngoc Bich, of the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans, reads a statement on behalf of nearly a dozen groups, criticizing Vietnam's communist leadership:

"The current Vietnamese government headed by Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung, being appointed by the Communist Party of Vietnam, does not represent the true voice and interests of the vast majority of the Vietnamese people since it is not a government voted into power through free and fair elections," said Nguyen Ngoc Bich.
　

Binh Nguyen, Non-Violent Movement for Democracy in Vietnam and Congressman Chris Smith

The White House has already said President Bush will stress human rights and freedoms of speech, religion and assembly when he welcomes Vietnam's prime minister, along with bilateral³ matters and a key focus on trade relations.

However, as with the last visit of a Vietnamese leader, lawmakers are making the case that the president has not done enough to help ease repression⁴ of political activists and religious leaders in Vietnam.
　

Representative Loretta Sanchez

California Democrat⁵ Loretta Sanchez:

"The government of Vietnam has harassed⁶, has put under house arrest, and has sentenced countless⁷ peaceful democracy advocates to prison, all of whom were not afforded a legal and fair trial, and this is unacceptable," said Congresswoman Sanchez.

Republican Congressman Chris Smith joins Sanchez and others in saying Vietnam has not made the human rights and political reforms many hoped it would under PNTR, Permanent Normal Trade Relations, with the United States.

"It looked on the surface, as if some of the more egregious⁸ government abuse was abating⁹ and a season of modest reform [was] possible," said Congressman Smith. "That illusion, well meaning but naive¹⁰ as it was, has been shattered by arrests and re-arrests of some of the most noble and courageous¹¹ Vietnamese democracy advocates on Earth."

In particular, Smith mentions Pham Hong Son, jailed for posting a democracy essay on the Internet, and attorneys Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong, sentenced for pro-democracy activities.
　

Maran Turner, Acting12 Executive Director Freedom Now

Maran Turner, of Freedom Now, sums up the charges against Pham Hong Son, Nguyen Van Ly, and Nguyen Dan Que, serving jail terms of between 30 months and 20 years.

"Their crimes? Translating and emailing an article entitled What is Democracy? Sending an email critical of the government's restrictions¹³ of media freedom from an Internet café," said Maren Turner. "And providing testimony¹⁴ about religious freedoms in Vietnam to the U.S. government."

Leonard Leo is a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which visited Vietnam in 2007:

"We saw firsthand the backsliding which has taken place since Vietnam received the trade and aid that it so very much wanted," said Leonard Leo. "Problems continue to persist, it is very serious."

The commission says Vietnam should be designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) regarding violations¹⁵ of religious freedom. Congressman Smith says it should be identified as Tier 3, among serious violators. He is also frustrated¹⁶ that Congress has failed to pass the Global Online Freedom Act, dealing¹⁷ with government's use of the Internet to suppress dissent¹⁸, and the Vietnam Human Rights Act.
　

Sophie Richardson, Advocacy Director (Asia), Human Rights Watch

Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch says President Bush must also press the Vietnamese leader on Hanoi's cracked down on writers and journalists.

"By agreeing to welcome Prime Minister in Washington, the Bush administration assumes a particular responsibility to speak frankly¹⁹ and publicly about Vietnam's ongoing²⁰ criminalization of peaceful expression," said Sophie Richardson.

Congressman Frank Wolf is a sharp critic of Bush administration efforts on Vietnam human rights issues:

"History is watching the Bush administration," said Congressman Wolf. "History is watching President Bush next week. History is watching Secretary Condoleeza Rice next week. And history is watching what the American ambassador [to Vietnam] does. As now they get an F, a solid F, without any question."
　

Congressman Frank Wolf

Democrat Zoe Lofgren is sponsoring a resolution calling for the end of PNTR unless human rights situation in Vietnam improved.

"I would beg the president of the United States to show some leadership when he meets with the Communist regime in the coming days," said Zoe Lofgren. "The status quo is not acceptable."

At the same time, members of Congress have recognized Bush administration help in obtaining freedom for some Vietnamese-Americans detained in Vietnam.

Vietnam and the United States held their annual human rights dialogue in May, with U.S. officials raising concerns about freedom of expression and religion, saying Washington was pleased with progress in several areas.

1 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

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 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

4 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。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

7 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

8 egregious   

adj.非常的，过分的

参考例句：

• When it comes to blatant lies,there are none more egregious than budget figures.谈到公众谎言，没有比预算数字更令人震惊的。
• What an egregious example was here!现摆着一个多么触目惊心的例子啊。

9 abating   

减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼）

参考例句：

• The storm showed no signs of abating. 暴风雨没有减弱的迹象。
• The recent public anxiety about this issue may now be abating. 近来公众对这个问题的焦虑心情现在也许正在缓和下来。

10 naive   

adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的

参考例句：

• It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。
• Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。

11 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

12 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

13 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

14 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

15 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

16 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

18 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。

19 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

20 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。