2006年VOA标准英语-Massive Protests Continue in Pakistan Over

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
15 February 2006

Tens of thousands of protesters held massive demonstrations² and sparked riots in the Pakistani city of Peshawar Wednesday, attacking Western businesses and other buildings. Police squared off against violent protesters across the country as anger at controversial cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad continues to rise. At least three people are reported to have died in the latest protests. Pakistani leaders have again sharply condemned³ the European drawings.

-------------------------------------------------

Pakistani paramilitary troops arrive to control situation as protestors chant anti Denmark slogans during protest rally  
  

Bullets, smoke and tear gas filled the air over Peshawar Wednesday.

Witnesses say at least one young boy was shot and killed as thousands of protesters clashed with police.

Outraged⁴ crowds chanted anti-western slogans and burned Danish flags to protest the editorial drawings first published in Denmark more than five months ago.

The demonstrations are turning more overtly⁵ political with local religious parties increasingly targeting the United States and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, a key U.S. ally in the war on terror. 

 
Burned KFC building in Peshawar
  
Roving groups in Peshawar, capital of the conservative Northwest Frontier Province, set fire to several movie theaters and businesses based in Western countries, including a KFC fried chicken restaurant.

Wednesday's protests are by far the biggest yet in Pakistan over the drawings.

Local authorities in Pakistan are downplaying the violence, blaming the extreme reaction on a small minority of the population.

Akram Durrani, the Northwest Frontier Province chief minister, says he has no intention of calling in the military to help control the situation.

Schools and universities in the city have been closed as local police struggle to impose order.

Similar protests erupted in eastern Pakistan.

In Lahore, witnesses say at least one man was killed when more than a 1,000 people battled police outside Punjab University.

A massive demonstration¹ in Lahore Tuesday left two people dead. 

 
Pakistani protesters burning Danish, US flags
  
For weeks, Muslims around the world have been protesting to express anger at the cartoons, which were printed in a Danish newspaper last year. Most Muslims find any depiction⁶ of the Prophet Muhammad to be offensive.

Wednesday evening Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf sharply condemned the drawings.

"Whether it is an extremist or a terrorist or a moderate Muslim, all of us are one on this issue of condemning⁷ this blasphemous⁸ act," he said.

The president addressed the issue following discussions with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, who is in Pakistan for a three-day state visit.

The two leaders also reviewed ways to improve cooperation on the war on terrorism and strengthen security along their shared border.

In recent days Afghan leaders have accused Pakistan of not doing enough to stop cross-border attacks by Taleban rebels.

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 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。

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

5 overtly   

ad.公开地

参考例句：

• There were some overtly erotic scenes in the film. 影片中有一些公开色情场面。
• Nietzsche rejected God's law and wrote some overtly blasphemous things. 尼采拒绝上帝的律法，并且写了一些渎神的作品。

6 depiction   

n.描述

参考例句：

• Double rhythms, resounding through the lyric depiction and connecting with each other, indicate the thespian place of mankind and the cognition of the writer to this thespian place. 这双重旋律互为表里，表明了人类的某种悲剧性处境以及作家对这种悲剧性处境的感受和认识。
• A realistic depiction of scenes from everyday domestic life. 日常家居生活的写实画。

7 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 blasphemous   

adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的

参考例句：

• The book was declared blasphemous and all copies ordered to be burnt.这本书被断定为亵渎神明之作，命令全数焚毀。
• The people in the room were shocked by his blasphemous language.满屋的人都对他那侮慢的语言感到愤慨。