VOA标准英语2010年-World Leaders Ponder Talking to Taliba

NATO's new strategy in Afghanistan is part military offensive, part training the Afghan security forces, part fostering civil society and part talking with at least some members of the Taliban, to entice¹ them to join the government side.  But, talking to the Taliban has some Afghan women worried.

Assiya Majgan Amini is a schoolteacher.  But, on Wednesdays she's in a West London studio to host a radio show for Afghans living in the UK and beyond.

"It's called the Afghan Variety Show. It includes everything - anything and everything to do with Afghanistan, Afghan people the Afghan community here in the UK and outside," said Assiya Majgan Amini.

That might be a discussion about news from Afghanistan, music, films or community events.  People call in with comments or just to ask questions.

"Can I just take this call," she said.

Or as this caller - who wanted to know if there were ladies-only hours at the local swimming pool.

Another issue that has raised much discussion - beyond the radio show is whether the already limited rights that Afghan women now have could be eroded².

It was a major topic at a one-day international conference on Afghanistan in London last month and comments by Afghan President Hamid Karzai has some worried.

"We must reach out to all our countrymen, especially our less enchanted³ brothers," he said.

And that reaching out means talking to at least some members of the Taliban to entice them to lay down their arms, join the government side and re-integrate into society.

It's increasingly seen as necessary to bring peace and progress to Afghanistan.

But the brutal⁴ repression⁵ under Taliban rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 has not been forgotten, says Barbara Roberson, professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic history at London's Global Policy Institute. 

Professor Barbara Roberson

"One can absolutely understand why women are worried about this dilution⁶ - in their terms - of bringing in some Taliban, turned-Taliban, into the government," said Barbara Roberson.

The Taliban imposed strict prohibitions⁷ on women, including the head to toe cover of the "burka", no access to schools or jobs, not allowing them to go outside without a male relatives.  Women were not to be seen nor heard.

The fall of the Taliban in 2001 brought some change. Girls are now free to go to school, women have more access to health care and the judiciary. Their rights are part of the Afghan constitution.

But, that means little says Zarghona Rassa, head of the British Afghan Women's Association

"The problem is not the constitution, it is the implementation," said Zarghona Rassa. "We need, again, proper governance systems in place and monitoring systems"

At the London conference, President Karzai seemed eager to re-assure that human rights would not be bartered⁸ away.

"We will pursue our peace and reconciliation⁹ goals as we remain committed to the principles of the rights of all Afghan men and women," said Karzai.

Also speaking at the conference, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was more direct.

"I also believe very strongly, as is apparent in what I say about this issue that women have to be involved at every step of the way in this process," said Hillary Clinton.

It's about basic human rights, says activist¹⁰ Zarghona Rassa.

"We are not talking even about women - just basic fundamental human rights," she said. "To be able to work outside their house without fear, to be able to go and study, to be able to go work , and to be able to travel even if they are wanted outside the country. That is what we need, nothing more."

Women's rights have always been hard to come by in the staunchly tribal¹¹ society of Afghanistan, say experts.  Only in major cities have they ever managed to break out to get an education and jobs, even in the best of times.

Professor Roberson says unfortunately the Karzai government has not brought enough improvements.

"It's a fact that they still have to struggle for those rights and many feel they're quite tenuous¹² - what they've managed to achieve," she said.

Back at the London studio, Assiya Majgan Amini agrees, but she says there is also a growing awareness¹³ that women cannot be left out.

"I think society, even outside the country, among Afghans themselves - they have realized that without the women in the country operating in government posts and so on Afghanistan will not succeed," she said.

Amini says she hopes her show may be a small step in that direction.

 

1 entice   

v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿

参考例句：

• Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。
• I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白，为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。

2 eroded   

adj. 被侵蚀的，有蚀痕的 动词erode的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea. 峭壁表面逐渐被海水侵蚀。
• The stream eroded a channel in the solid rock. 小溪在硬石中侵蚀成一条水道。

3 enchanted   

adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
• He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。

4 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

5 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。

6 dilution   

n.稀释，淡化

参考例句：

• There is no hard and fast rule about dilution.至于稀释程度，没有严格的规定。
• He attributed this to a dilution effect of the herbicide.他把这归因于除草剂的稀释效应。

7 prohibitions   

禁令，禁律( prohibition的名词复数 )； 禁酒； 禁例

参考例句：

• Nowadays NO PARKING is the most ubiquitous of prohibitions. 今天，“NO PARKING”（禁止停车），几乎成了到处可见的禁止用语了。
• Inappropriate, excessive or capricious administration of aversive stimulation has led to scandals, lawsuits and prohibitions. 不恰当的、过度的或随意滥用厌恶性刺激会引起人们的反感、控告与抵制。

8 bartered   

v.作物物交换，以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The local people bartered wheat for tools. 当地人用小麦换取工具。
• They bartered farm products for machinery. 他们用农产品交换机器。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

10 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。

11 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

12 tenuous   

adj.细薄的，稀薄的，空洞的

参考例句：

• He has a rather tenuous grasp of reality.他对现实认识很肤浅。
• The air ten miles above the earth is very tenuous.距离地面十公里的空气十分稀薄。

13 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。