2006年VOA标准英语-Burma's Military Ignores International Pre

By Scott Bobb
Bangkok
11 January 2006

Despite growing international pressure, Burma's military government has postponed¹ a visit by a special representative of Southeast Asian nations to discuss its plan to bring democracy to Burma.

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The international community appears to be growing more impatient with Burma over declining living standards, health and nutrition and continued political repression² amid promises of reform.

December proved a watershed³ month.

For the first time ever, the United Nations Security Council held a briefing on what was termed the deteriorating⁴ situation in Burma.

In another first, Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - ASEAN - used their summit to formally urge Burma to release political prisoners and provide tangible⁵ proof that it is moving toward democracy.

ASEAN decided⁶ to send Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, to Burma to check on reforms. But it is not yet clear when he'll be allowed to go. Syed said at the summit that ASEAN wants to support Burma, also known as Myanmar.

"We are trying to help Myanmar," he said. "And Myanmar has to help us in order to be able to convince the international community on the state of affairs in terms of democracy."

For several years, Burma's military leaders have promised democratic reforms - but have refused to set a timetable. They are drafting a new constitution using a carefully staged convention - which reconvened in early December.

Lieutenant-General Thein Sein, convention chairman and third-ranking official in Burma, says the convention is part of a seven-point plan to bring what he called disciplined democracy to Burma.

"This convention is the first and most crucial step in the transition to democracy. To get a genuine and disciplined democracy we have to follow these steps," he said. "There is no other way."

The 1,000 delegates, who are attending the convention, support the process. One of them, Win Win, explains why.

"We need a constitution and everybody is trying to achieve that goal," he said. "We haven't had a constitution for years."

But many key political leaders have been left out of the process. The opposition⁷ National League for Democracy, or N.L.D., is boycotting⁸ because its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is under house arrest.

The party won the 1990 elections but was never allowed to govern.

An N.L.D. spokesman, Nyan Win, says the National Convention, or N.C., is not representative of the Burmese people. "All the members of the N.C. [National Convention] are handpicked by the government, not according to the people's will." He says the military is controlling the convention in order to find a new way to legitimize its hold on power.

The national convention has so far has completed about half the constitution. Critics say it guarantees the military a major role in government and excludes many dissidents from politics.

In addition, a government-sponsored civic⁹ group called the Union for Solidarity¹⁰ and Development Association is gaining influence. It claims 22 million members or nearly half the Burmese population. Some believe it is to become the pro-military political party.

Its leader, Major-General Htay Oo, acknowledged the possibility at a recent news conference. "As public opinion changes and the situation changes in our country, our association can also change," he said. "But we will do what is best for the public."

Meanwhile, critics say years of economic decline due to mismanagement and international sanctions, could lead to social unrest.

Independent politician Win Naing, whose party has been banned in Burma, says however that Burmese still remember with fear the mass demonstrations¹¹ of 1988 that brought a crackdown in which thousands were killed or imprisoned¹².

"The trauma¹³ of 1988 is still here," he said. "So the people are waiting patiently, trying to tolerate everything as much as possible, and they are waiting for the right time and the right movement, which they are not sure when they are coming."

Nevertheless, the Burmese government says it will proceed with its seven-point plan. And it blames the slow pace of the process on obstacles placed by what it calls jealous elements inside and outside the country.

As for the international community, it is not clear what next steps may be taken next to spur Burma to improve human rights while moving toward democracy.

Patience may be running out. Just this past week, the U.N. special envoy¹⁴ to Burma, Razali Ismail, resigned after not being allowed to visit Burma for two years. Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed has hinted Burma's lack of response to diplomacy¹⁵ could lead to more punitive¹⁶ international sanctions.

1 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

2 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。

3 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

4 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

5 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 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。

8 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

9 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

10 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

11 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

12 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

13 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

14 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

15 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

16 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。