2007年VOA标准英语-Protests Spread in Burma; Government Urged to E

By Luis Ramirez
Bangkok
24 August 2007

Reports from Burma say protests over a doubling of fuel prices appear to be spreading beyond the main city, Rangoon, to other parts of the country. Witnesses say security forces have fanned out across Rangoon to prevent further demonstrations¹, which analysts² say could threaten the military's control of the country. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from our Southeast Asia bureau in Bangkok.

Demonstrators march on Insein road in northern Rangoon suburb to protest massive fuel price hikes, 22 Aug 2007

The new reports of unrest in Burma come as international concern has mounted over the military rulers' decision to halt peaceful protests this week. Security forces have arrested scores of activists³, some of them dragged and beaten in the streets.

Witnesses on Friday said security forces, including plain-clothes police agents, patrolled the streets of Rangoon looking for new protests.

The protests this week bring memories of 1988, when thousands of people demonstrated against the military government, demanding democratic change. The military used guns and tanks to crush the demonstrations, killing⁴ about 3,000 people.

The latest demonstrations are over the doubling of fuel prices, which has caused transportation costs to skyrocket in the impoverished⁵ country.

Tadzrul Tahir is the Southeast Asia Program officer for Forum⁶ Asia, a Bangkok human rights group that follows events in Burma. He says the protests this week, while small in comparison, have parallels to those of 1988.

"The uprising was prominently demanding democracy and it become a movement of the people demanding the basic rights of the people," said Tahir. "I think the impact of the fuel price increase will go beyond the '88 movement or the pro-democracy moment because the impact will finally hit the ordinary people. And this is not just an increase in oil prices, but also an increase in ordinary consumer items, like rice, sugar and oil."

He notes that in decades past, similar economic crises and price increases contributed to uprisings that drove out long-time rulers in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Members of the international community - long critical of the government's human rights record - are calling for dialogue to quell⁷ the unrest.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is following events in Burma with concern. He urged the authorities to exercise maximum restraint in responding to the demonstrations and also called on both sides to avoid provocation⁸. He called for a constructive⁹ dialogue toward national reconciliation¹⁰.

Earlier this week, the United States called for the release of dissidents arrested in the demonstrations and urged Burma's leadership to engage in meaningful dialogue with members of democratic movements.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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》

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

7 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

8 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

9 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

10 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。