VOA标准英语2008年-Thousands Mourn Killed Protestors in Indian Kas

Tens of thousands of Muslims took to the streets of Indian administered Kashmir Saturday to mourn the death of a separatist leader. For VOA, Shanawaz Khan has this report from Srinagar in India-administered Kashmir.

Protesters traveled from Kashmir's main town Srinagar to the hometown Pampur of Sheikh Abdul Aziz who, along with 21 others, was killed by police this week in street battles.
　
Kashmiri Muslims shout pro-freedom slogans as an Indian Army vehicle passes by during a protest rally in Pampur, some 15 kilometers south of Srinagar, 16 Aug 2008

Police kept their distance from Saturday's demonstration¹ to avoid triggering another clash.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Friday for an end to the protests and violence, saying "all issues can be resolved only through dialogue and peaceful means."

At least 500 people were wounded in clashes this week between Kashmir Muslim protesters and Indian security forces.

Aziz was killed on Monday along with four others in police firing while leading a march to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan administered Kashmir, to protest a so-called economic blockade of the Muslim-dominated Kashmir Valley by right wing Hindu groups of Jammu province.

The unrest was triggered by the state government's decision in June to donate land to a Hindu shrine². Kashmir Muslims staged mass protests, forcing the government to revoke³ the transfer, which angered Hindus in Jammu province who launched protests and enforced a blockade of Kashmir Valley.

Separatist leader and Kashmir's main cleric Mirwaiz Umar says the issue has moved beyond land transfer.

"Now it is beyond land transfer," he said. "Now people are saying that anytime fundamentalists in India or in other regions of Jammu can cause an economic blockade in Kashmir. People are demanding that they have a birth right to trade with other side of Kashmir. Why can't we look for alternative market if we can have."

In India's capital, New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Friday for an end to the violence, saying divisive politics will lead the country nowhere. He said it is his conviction that all issues can be resolved only through dialogue and peaceful means.

Kashmir is divided between Pakistan and India, and claimed by both. The dispute has led to two of the three wars between the nuclear-armed rivals. Islamic separatists have been fighting for Kashmir's independence from India, or for the region's merger⁴ with Pakistan.

 

1 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。

2 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

3 revoke   

v.废除，取消，撤回

参考例句：

• The university may revoke my diploma.大学可能吊销我的毕业证书。
• The government revoked her husband's license to operate migrant labor crews.政府撤销了她丈夫管理外来打工人群的许可证。

4 merger   

n.企业合并，并吞

参考例句：

• Acceptance of the offer is the first step to a merger.对这项提议的赞同是合并的第一步。
• Shareholders will be voting on the merger of the companies.股东们将投票表决公司合并问题。