VOA标准英语2010年-Thai Protest Leaders Press for Ceasefi

Anti-government protesters build barricades¹ around the perimeter² of their encampment, 14 May 2010

Thai Government Concerned Over Rising Casualties, Blames Militias³ for Violence
Leaders of an anti-government protest in Thailand are asking for a ceasefire to end violence that has killed 10 people and wounded more than 100 others.

 

Explosions and gunfire rang throughout the Thai capital Friday as clashes continued between anti-government protesters and soldiers.

Soldiers used rubber bullets, tear gas, and live ammunition⁴ to disperse⁵ demonstrators who set fire to a bus and rubber tires.

Most of those killed in the fighting were protest guards who have been responsible for the demonstrators' security.

At least three journalists were among the wounded, including a Canadian cameraman who was severely⁶ injured.

Sean Boonpracong is a spokesman for the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship, the main organizer of the protest. He blamed soldiers for the violence and said it needed to end.

"With so much uncertainty⁸, UDD has proposal to make to the government…that peace is our aim. And, we would like to see a ceasefire," Boonpracong said.

Boonpracong says the government should also end the emergency decree that has allowed the deployment⁹ of soldiers.

An Army spokesman said they had no plan to clear the demonstrators but would try to keep them contained.

Thai authorities say the protesters have used weapons against soldiers and intend to attack the public as well."

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn spoke⁷ on national television late Friday.

"The Royal Thai government is very confident that we are able and willing and committed to stabilize¹⁰ the situation. And, the situation will be very much under control very soon," said Panitan.

The government Thursday ordered soldiers to seal off the area to pressure the protest to end.

The protesters, mainly from the countryside, say the government is illegitimate and are demanding it step down and allow new elections.

For two months they have occupied a central Bangkok commercial district, forcing hotels and businesses to shut down.

More than 35 people have been killed since the protest began in March.

The latest clashes erupted after a General supporting the demonstrators was shot Thursday night, apparently¹¹ by a sniper.

Protest leaders accuse the government of ordering the attack. Thai authorities have denied they were responsible and say all cases of violence will be investigated.

 

1 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

2 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

3 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

4 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

5 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

6 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

9 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

10 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

11 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。