2006年VOA标准英语-Egyptian Judges Stage Sit-In

By Challiss McDonough
Cairo, Egypt
25 May 2006

Egyptian pro-reform judges stand in front the Supreme¹ Court house during an anti-government protest in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, May 25, 2006   
  
At least 300 pro-reform judges in Egypt stood in silent protest outside the high court to demand an end to government interference in the judiciary.  Several other peaceful protests took place in Cairo, a change from previous weeks, when police violently broke up several demonstrations³ and arrested hundreds of reform activists⁴. 

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After their silent protest on the steps of the High Court, the judges, wearing ceremonial red sashes, marched to the Judges' Club, passing by another demonstration² on the steps of the Journalists' Syndicate next door.

The judges' protest might have been silent, but the crowd of 200 other demonstrators erupted into cheers and wild applause when the judges arrived.

The protesters were out to show their support for the reformist judges, who have been waging a battle for judicial⁵ independence.  The judiciary has become a symbol for Egypt's reform movement.

For the first time in more than a month, activists were able to chant slogans denouncing the government, without being attacked, beaten or detained by police and hired thugs.

An Egyptian demonstrator chants anti government slogans in front of Egyptian riot police during a pro-judges protest outside the Supreme Court house in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, May 25, 2006  
  
The protest was raucous⁶, but peaceful.  There were at least five times as many riot police as there were protesters, as well as several-hundred of the plainclothes agents, who were blamed for much of the violence against demonstrators in recent weeks.  But this time, they let the protests continue.

Thursday's demonstration also coincided with the first anniversary of a referendum, when voting was marred⁷ by violence against opposition⁸ activists.

Fuad Kamel of the Kifaya movement says, "I came here today to commemorate⁹ the slaughter¹⁰ of the 'black day', the 25th of May, 2005, the black day of the referendum."

The police cordon¹¹ surrounding the demonstration was four officers deep, and there were scores of heavy transport vehicles full of reinforcements lining¹² the streets of downtown.

For several hours, they refused to let anyone leave the steps of the building, trapping the protesters and several journalists in the blazing sun. 

One protester directly addressed the security officers.

Hesham el-Bastawisy, left, a judge on Egypt's highest court who went public with accusations¹³ of fraud during parliament elections, leaves the hospital after suffering a heart attack in Cairo Egypt, Tuesday, May 23, 2006  
  
"Shame on you", he tells the officers over and over.  "Shame on you, this is not patriotism¹⁴.  This is not protecting Egypt's security."  Then he says to the police, "You are the greatest danger to Egypt's security.  You are the real danger."

Police arrested hundreds of demonstrators over the past month, during protests and sit-ins in support of two judges who were taken before a disciplinary hearing, after going public with allegations of fraud in last year's parliamentary election.  The vicious crackdown provoked criticism of the Egyptian government by the United States and the European Union.

Several hundred of the detained activists, mostly members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood¹⁵, remain in jail.  But a number have been released during the past few days. 

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 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。

3 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。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

6 raucous   

adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的

参考例句：

• I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
• They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

7 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

8 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。

9 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

10 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

11 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。

12 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

13 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

14 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

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。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

15 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。