2006年VOA标准英语-Nepalese Police Keep Protesters from Royal

By Patricia Nunan
Kathmandu
22 April 2006

Riot policemen stand guard as pro-democracy protesters shout slogans, within a mile from the royal Narayanhiti Palace in Kathmandu   
  

Nepalese police fired tear gas and dozens of people were injured, as thousands of pro-democracy protesters tried to approach the royal palace in the heart of Kathmandu.  The demonstrations¹ came as leaders of a coalition² of political parties rejected King Gyanendra's offer of a partial return to democracy.

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Nepali police fired tear-gas Saturday to stop pro-democracy demonstrators from pushing through a security cordon³ near the royal palace.
 
The protesters, marching for the 17th straight day, defied a curfew and shoot-on-sight orders issued to police.  This was the first time they reached the center of the capital.
 
As they marched, leaders of an alliance of political parties formally rejected an offer by King Gyanendra to allow the formation of an interim⁴ government. Opposition⁵ politician Minendra Rijal says this was done partly to prevent violence.

Injured protesters lie as police baton⁶ charge pro-democracy protesters  
  
"If people get the feeling that political parties have let them down, if they feel like we left them mid-stream, they might turn violent," he said.

The opposition has been demanding a full return to democracy, which the king suspended 15 months ago.

Nepal has been mired⁷ in political deadlock⁸ since King Gyanendra took control of the government. He says he had to act, because the parties failed to bring stability to the country, which is battling a communist insurgency⁹.
   
The king had stood firm until Friday, when he reversed his position in a televised address.  He called on the opposition coalition to suggest an interim prime minister, who would head a council of ministers to rule Nepal, until parliamentary elections could be held next year.
 
While protesters and the political alliance rejected the offer as too little too late, the offer won praise from India and the European Union.  Finnish Charge d'Affaires Pauli Mustonen was among three EU ambassadors to Nepal to meet with opposition party leaders Saturday.

"We have expressed that we hope that this would lead to a process that would provide an end to the violence and a restoration of full democracy and dialogue for peace," he said.  "Our visit today was to promote that objective."

Opposition parties are demanding the immediate¹⁰ restoration of parliament.

1 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。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 cordon   

n.警戒线，哨兵线

参考例句：

• Police officers threw a cordon around his car to protect him.警察在他汽车周围设置了防卫圈以保护他。
• There is a tight security cordon around the area.这一地区周围设有严密的安全警戒圈。

4 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

5 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。

6 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

7 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。