亚洲—缅甸担任东南亚联盟轮值主席国受阻

Southeast Asian Politicians Take Action to Block Burma

from Heading ASEAN

缅甸担任东南亚联盟轮值主席国受阻

 

A group of Singapore legislators have formed a parliamentary caucus¹ to push for reforms in Burma. The Singaporeans join growing numbers of politicians around Southeast Asia who want Burma to either reform, or withdraw from the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year.

 

The formation last week of the Singapore legislators' Burma caucus ramps² up the pressure on military government in Rangoon to change - or back away from the leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

 

Peresa Kok is an opposition³ member of parliament in Malaysia, and takes note of the growing calls for Burma to improve its human rights performance and allow democratic reforms.

 

Peresa Kok: Singapore MPs have mentioned the issue of Burma in their parliament and the foreign minister has also answered questions on Burma. And for the Philippines - the resolution on Burma has been passed by both houses.

 

In Thailand, more than 80 senators have backed calls for Burma to pass up its turn to take ASEAN's rotating chairmanship next year. Last week, Indonesia's parliament passed a resolution calling on the government to boycott⁴ ASEAN meetings if Burma takes the helm.

 

Several Malaysian politicians plan to present a resolution on the issue for a vote when Parliament reconvenes later this month.

 

Among other things, these regional politicians are growing frustrated⁵ with the continued detention⁶ of Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who turns 60 this month.

 

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for most of the past 15 years. The military refused to give up power after her party, the National League for Democracy, won national elections in 1990, and has placed thousands of NLD supporters under arrest.

 

The military, which has ruled for more than 40 years, has opened a national convention to draft a new constitution, which Rangoon says will pave the way for general elections.

 

But progress on drafting the constitution has been slow, and the NLD and some ethnic⁷ minority groups have no voice in the convention. As a result, many regional political analysts⁸ fear any new constitution will merely solidify⁹ the military's grip on power.

 

Since its early days in the 1960s, ASEAN has followed a strict policy of not interfering¹⁰ in its members' internal affairs. But Burma is testing that policy, as many regional leaders and business people fear that Rangoon's resistance to change could hurt crucial relations with the United States and the European Union.

 

Both have threatened to boycott ASEAN meetings next year if Burma takes the chair.

 

Some political analysts think the creation of the Singapore parliamentary caucus could signal a new push against Burma. Singapore's government has long supported Rangoon and Singapore businesses invest heavily in Burma. But while visiting Rangoon in March, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong reportedly warned that developments in Burma could affect all of ASEAN.

 

Debbie Stothard, the coordinator¹¹ for the rights group the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma.

 

Debbie Stothard: The launch of the Singaporean caucus marks something of a coming of age for the ASEAN regional caucus, many people thought that it would be extremely difficult to launch a Singapore parliamentary caucus on Burma.

 

Ms. Stothard hopes the Singapore caucus will encourage conservative lawmakers throughout the region to support their own national caucuses¹² on Burma.

 

Debbie Stothard: We do not expect Singaporean parliamentarians to take a position that's going to be in radical¹³ opposition or confrontation¹⁴ with their own government, Government MPs are pretty much close to the government line.

 

Soe Aung, a spokesman for the exiled National Council of the Union of Burma, says the different parliamentary caucuses highlight the growing frustration¹⁵ within ASEAN over Burma.

 

Soe Aung: The caucuses were set up because not only the awareness¹⁶ of the people in their countries on Burma but also the governments realize they cannot adhere only to the ASEAN cardinal¹⁷ principles of non-interference.

 

One factor that may fuel to the ASEAN push for Burmese reforms is that in the past two decades many of the 10 countries have undergone extensive reforms, increasing democracy and allowing greater political and economic freedoms. Having made these changes at home, many politicians are reluctant to be associated with a repressive regime.

 

The issue of Burma's ASEAN chairmanship is expected to take center stage next month, during the group's annual foreign minister's meeting in Laos - which U.S. and EU officials attend. Several ASEAN governments reportedly are seeking a face-saving compromise that will allow Burma to gracefully¹⁸ back out from taking the chair.

 

Ron Corben for VOA news, Bangkok.

 

注释：

caucus [5kC:kEs] n.（政党的）领导人秘密会议，核心小组会议

Burma [5bE:mE] n. 缅甸

Association of Southeast Asian Nations 东南亚联盟（东盟）

Rangoon [rAN5^u:n] n. 仰光（缅甸首都）

take note of 注意到

take the helm 掌握权力

reconvene [5ri:kEn5vi:n] vt. 重新集合，重新召集

detention [di5tenFEn] n. 拘留，禁闭

NLD 缅甸全国民主联盟

pave the way 为……铺平道路

solidify [sE5lidifai] v.（使）团结，巩固

cardinal [5kB:dinEl] adj. 主要的，最重要的

interference [7intE5fiErEns] n. 冲突，干涉

reluctant [ri5lQktEnt] adj. 勉强的，不愿意的

take the chair 做主席，主持会议

1 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

2 ramps   

resources allocation and multiproject scheduling 资源分配和多项目的行程安排

参考例句：

• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。
• He has the upper floor and ramps are fitted everywhere for his convenience. 他住在上面一层，为了他的方便着想，到处设有坡道。

3 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。

4 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

5 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》

6 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。

10 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

11 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

12 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

13 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

14 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

15 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

16 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。

17 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

18 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。