2007年VOA标准英语-Anti-Musharraf Protests in Pakistan Show No Sig

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
03 April 2007

Pakistan's suspended chief judge has appeared before a judicial¹ panel in the capital, as a political street battle over his fate enters its fourth week. From Islamabad, VOA Correspondent Benjamin Sand reports that lawyers and political activists² continue taking to the streets in the thousands, protesting the suspension and calling for the Pakistani president to resign.

opposition3 parties take part in an anti government rally at the Supreme4 Court in Islamabad, 03 Apr 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070530/0847500.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Lawyers and activists of Pakistani opposition parties take part in an anti government rally at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, 03 Apr 2007

Hundreds of protesters squared off with security forces outside the Supreme Court building in Islamabad.

Thousands more joined similar demonstrations⁵ in major cities across Pakistan.

President Pervez Musharraf suspended Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on March 9 over unspecified allegations of abuse of power.

That sparked a firestorm of political protest that, more than three weeks later, shows no sign of dissipating.

Outside the Supreme Court Tuesday, opposition politician Raja Muhammad Asad Khan insisted that Mr. Musharraf must step down.

"He calls it a democracy, but this is not a democracy," he said. "This is not even a sham⁶ democracy. We are living in the worst kind of dictatorship, where the chief justice of Pakistan is handled like a common criminal."

Chaudry was inside the building, appearing before a three-judge panel that is reviewing the case against him, and will determine whether his suspension was valid⁷. The hearing was adjourned⁸ until April 13, and there is no indication when a decision might come.

President Musharraf insists he acted constitutionally in suspending Chaudry, and has promised to abide⁹ by the panel's decision.

The president's critics say Mr. Musharraf acted out of self-interest. They say a legal challenge might be made to Mr. Musharraf's plans to run for re-election, and that challenge might have ended up with Chaudry, a notoriously independent judge who has ruled against the president in the past.

Political analysts¹⁰ here say the current political storm may be the greatest challenge Mr. Musharraf, an army general, has faced since taking power in a military coup¹¹ in 1999.

Few experts think the controversy¹² will actually topple the embattled president. But many say it has given the opposition some needed ammunition¹³ against him, and will likely keep him on the defensive¹⁴ for at least the next few months.

1 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。

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 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

7 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

8 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

9 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

12 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

13 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

14 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。