2006年VOA标准英语-Indonesian Government Reduces Sentences for Bal

By Chad Bouchard
Jakarta
17 August 2006

 
The ruins of a nightclub destroyed by an explosion in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, Oct. 13, 2002 
  
Twelve Indonesian prisoners convicted of helping¹ the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings had their sentences reduced in celebration of the country's independence day. Many of the 202 people killed in the attack were foreign tourists, including 88 from Australia. Political experts say the move may further complicate² relations between the two nations.

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The Indonesian government commuted³ sentences for 12 people convicted of participating in the 2002 plot to bomb two night clubs in Bali.

Indonesia traditionally hands out sentence reductions on August 17 to honor its independence from the Netherlands.
 

Abu Bakar Bashir (File photo)   
  
In 2005, Islamist militant⁴ Abu Bakar Bashir's 30-month sentence for taking part in the bombing conspiracy⁵ was reduced, sparking protest among Australian citizens and its leaders.

Close to half of the victims in those blasts were from Australia.

The prisoners receiving reductions are serving time on charges such as burglary to fund the attack, and sheltering those directly involved in the conspiracy.

Antony Bergin, research director for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, says that despite the relatively⁶ minor⁷ role the prisoners played, the move will lead Australians to think Indonesia is soft on terrorism.

"I do not think the public in Australia will readily understand that these remissions are part of a normal cycle of remissions given to the Indonesian prisoners. Rather they will be seen as specifically singling out the Bali bombers⁸, and I think that while that may be unfortunate, that will be the political and public reception of this news," he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer released a statement indicating frequent appeals to Indonesia to stop automatic sentence reductions for terrorists have not been answered.

Simon Quayle was in the Sari club in October 2002 when a car bomb ripped through the building. He says though he respects Indonesia's justice system, the sentence reductions are frustrating⁹.

"I can understand if they did a magic thing, for example gave some information and it stopped another terrorist attack, and a reward for that is. 'Yes, great, fantastic, well done, and we will reduce your sentence on this independence day.' But if it is just a day, and we want to give these terrorists a reward because it is a significant day - yeah - I do not really like it, I do not really appreciate it, and it is quite disappointing," said Simon Quayle.

The prisoners, who were serving sentences of between five and 16 years, each received a four-month reduction in their penalty. The move means one of the convicted Islamists, Puryanto, was freed immediately.

Three key figures in the Bali attack are on death row and are scheduled to be executed by firing squad¹⁰ later this month.

More than 30 people have been imprisoned¹¹ in connection with the bombings, most of them linked to the group Jemaah Islamiyah. Abu Bakar Bashir is considered the group's spiritual leader.

About 54,000 prisoners around the country had their sentences reduced.

Among them was Schappelle Corby, an Australian woman convicted of drug smuggling¹², who had her 20-year sentence reduced by two months. The Corby case also caused friction¹³ between Australia and Indonesia, because many Australians thought her sentence was too harsh and believed the young woman's assertion that baggage handlers placed the drugs in her luggage without her knowledge.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

3 commuted   

通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. 他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• The death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. 死刑可能減为无期徒刑。

4 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

5 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

8 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

11 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。

12 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

13 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。