2007年VOA标准英语-UN Says Situation of Human Rights Defenders in

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
12 June 2007

The United Nations says Indonesia must take concrete steps to protect human rights defenders² and counter what it says is the culture of impunity³ often enjoyed by the authorities. But, as VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports from Jakarta, a top U.N. official acknowledges that the situation of rights defenders in Indonesia has improved compared to the recent past.

Hina Jilani (2005 file photo)

Hina Jilani, the special representative of the U.N. Secretary General on the situation of human rights defenders, said Tuesday Indonesia has taken some steps to protect human rights defenders.

 

The steps include strengthening the legal and institutional framework for the promotion⁴ of human rights, such as a 2002 constitutional change that guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms. She also mentioned the establishment of several commissions to deal with various aspects of human rights, such as preventing violence against women.

But Jilani says the lack of coordination⁵ and cooperation between these institutions has limited the impact of human rights work on the community.

 

"I note that there is a resistance to changing attitudes and institutional culture which has made it difficult for these institutions to make a full commitment to eliminate impunity for human rights violations," said Jilani. "In light of my discussions with authorities in Jakarta and the provinces, I observe that there is even less commitment to removing impunity for past abuses."

Jilani cites as an example the murder of a prominent human rights defender¹, Munir Said Thalib, who was poisoned in 2004 while en route to Europe on a plane belonging to Indonesia's national airline, Garuda.

An independent investigation⁶ implicated⁷ senior officials of the country's shadowy spy agency, but the government never took any action or fully⁸ released the report.

Last October, the Supreme⁹ Court acquitted¹⁰ the only person convicted in the case so far, Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, an off-duty pilot accused of slipping arsenic¹¹ into Munir's drink.

 

Jilani says Munir's case is a test for the government to prove it is serious in protecting human rights defenders.

"I remind the government that this case represents the situation of the human rights community in general and is a test of the government's will to protect defenders in the country," said Jilani. "I fear that any lapses¹² in the conclusion of this case would make all human rights defenders throughout the country insecure."

 

Jilani notes the situation for human rights defenders in Indonesia's Papua province, which is in the midst of a low-level separatist insurgency¹³, is particularly grave. She said one human rights defender who tried to help her during her visit there had been threatened by the security forces.

Jilani, who has been in Indonesia for the last week, will prepare a detailed¹⁴ report on her Indonesian visit to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

1 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

2 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

4 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

5 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

6 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。

7 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 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。

10 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

11 arsenic   

n.砒霜，砷；adj.砷的

参考例句：

• His wife poisoned him with arsenic.他的妻子用砒霜把他毒死了。
• Arsenic is a poison.砒霜是毒药。

12 lapses   

n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句
• He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句

13 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

14 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。