2006年VOA标准英语-UN Urges Nepal to Hold Those Responsible for Pr

By Patricia Nunan
New Delhi
21 September 2006 

affiliated1 students union activists2 gather to demand date for constituent3 assembly elections in Katmandu, September 18, 2006 " src="/upimg/allimg/070428/0844260.jpg" width="148" border="0" /> Nepal Maoist affiliated students union activists gather to demand date for constituent assembly elections in Katmandu, September 18, 2006

The United Nations in Nepal is calling for greater accountability for those responsible for the deaths of 18 protesters in anti-government demonstrations⁴ in April. The protests brought about the restoration of democratic freedoms that had been suspended by King Gyanendra, whose role in the crackdown is also under investigation⁵. 

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United Nations human rights officials say the Nepal government created the conditions that led to the deaths of 18 demonstrators when it tried to ban anti-government protests.

Tens of thousands of protesters defied the ban in April in a series of protests demanding that King Gyanendra bring back democratic freedoms he had revoked⁶ in 2005. Police and military personnel responded, the U.N. says, with excessive force.

Kieran Dwyer, a spokesman for the U.N. human rights office, says a lot of that violence may have been avoided had the government respected the protesters rights to peaceful assembly.

"The government was hell-bent on preventing the demonstrations from occurring in the first place," said Dwyer. "So the demonstrations occurred in the context of a crackdown, so that the security forces were trying to enforce curfews, enforce blanket bans on demonstrations. So you automatically had the context of confrontation⁷."

The demonstrations eventually forced King Gyanendra to relinquish⁸ control of the government and the armed forces. Nepal is now ruled by an interim⁹ government, which will remain in place until elections for a new Constituent Assembly can be held, most likely next year.

The Office of the High Commissioner¹⁰ of Human Rights in Nepal released its findings about the April protests in a report Thursday. It urges the interim government to respect the rights of demonstrators, Dwyer says, because protests and marches continue to take place as Nepal readies itself for elections.

The report may be used by Nepalese officials investigating who was responsible for the violence and the protesters' deaths.

Investigators¹¹ have said they will call King Gyanendra in for questioning - a move that would set a precedent¹² for a country that until April saw the monarch¹³ as largely above the law.

The U.N. was not able to determine who gave the orders to fire on protesters. But it calls on Nepal to hold those officials accountable, no matter how senior they are.

"We have not, in our report, interviewed the king. And we have not made determinations at the highest levels who was making decisions," noted¹⁴ U.N. human rights office spokesman. "We were unable to determine that ourselves. But we have made the point that in determining accountability, [the] chain of command and those responsible for ordering excessive use of force should be held accountable."

So far, no date has been given for the questioning of King Gyanendra.

1 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

2 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》

3 constituent   

n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的

参考例句：

• Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
• Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。

4 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。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

7 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

8 relinquish   

v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手

参考例句：

• He was forced to relinquish control of the company.他被迫放弃公司的掌控权。
• They will never voluntarily relinquish their independence.他们绝对不会自动放弃独立。

9 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。

10 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

11 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

13 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。