VOA标准英语2008年-Communications Break Down in Kashmir

For the Indian residents in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir it is becoming increasingly difficult to get timely information from local media about what is happening there. Amid large demonstrations¹ calling for independence, unregistered local TV channels have been ordered not to broadcast news. The economic blockade and curfews have led to some newspapers ceasing publication. And, mobile phone messaging has been switched off, under government order, since the beginning of this month. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman has details from New Delhi.
　

Indian paramilitary soldiers carry a signboard to use it as a barricade2 during a curfew in Srinagar, 24 Aug 2008

Communications are becoming increasingly limited for the people of the disputed region of Indian Kashmir. Economic blockades and curfews have restricted movements of goods and people. More newspapers there shut down Monday, as staff could not reach their offices and publications are unable to circulate in the Kashmir Valley.

Unlicensed local cable television channels have been ordered to stop news broadcasts. They are accused of inflaming³ the public.

Text messaging on mobile phones has not worked since the beginning of the month.

India's Supreme⁴ Court has upheld a state ban on cell phone short messaging services, because they were allegedly being used to aggravate⁵ violence by spreading rumors⁶ about the ongoing⁷ protests.

But countering the rumors through local media is proving difficult.

The executive editor of the Kashmir Times in Jammu, Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal, says an economic blockade on the highway linking Jammu and Srinagar has taken its toll⁸ on the region's newspaper industry.

"It's more than a month that half a dozen newspapers have not hit the newsstands," he said. "A few bigger newspapers who could manage to get some materials are just surviving. They have cut down the pages. They have cut down the circulation. It's becoming extremely difficult to circulate the newspapers in the current situation in Kashmir Valley."
　

Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard near barbed wires and tin wall set up as a barricade during curfew in Srinagar, 25 Aug 2008

For reporters who still have a viable⁹ outlet¹⁰, getting the story is increasingly risky¹¹. Some of the journalists covering Sunday's protests in Srinagar were beaten by police, even though they were carrying passes allowing them to be on the streets during the curfew.

Sunday, authorities banned local unlicensed cable television channels from broadcasting news and public affairs programming. India's Jammu and Kashmir State government says the broadcasts reflect the views of extremists and inflame¹² tensions between Muslims and Hindus.

Broadcast journalism¹³ professor S.R. Chari of the Indian Institute of Mass Communications says that was a correct regulatory decision.

"The government had given the freedom for them to go on, even without having been licensed," he said. "But, at this juncture¹⁴, they now feel those people could be restricted, which I think is fair enough for the government to say that since 'you are not registered' they are restricting those people."

Authorities in Srinagar in April ordered cable operators to stop relaying four popular TV channels from Pakistan.

There could be negative ramifications¹⁵ from the increasing communications restrictions¹⁶, according to Shahid Rasool, head of the Media Education Research Center at Kashmir University.

"That is going to create more problems in terms of the rumors that get spread," he said. "And, rumors travel very fast from mouth to mouth, one village [to] another village. That can really create difficulty for administration."

The professor says that has Kashmiris increasingly compelled to seek outside information sources in Hindi, Urdu and English.

"People will rely more on Pakistan radio and BBC and Voice of America," Rasool said. "In fact, myself, yesterday heard Voice of America's Urdu service to get what's happening in Kashmir."

The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors has announced that VOA's Hindi language radio one-hour daily broadcast will cease at the end of next month.
　

A protester shouts slogans against Jammu and Kashmir state leaders during a protest in Jammu, 25 Aug 2008

The Kashmir Valley has been the scene of large demonstrations over the past two weeks, rekindling¹⁷ long-festering calls for independence from India. Mass demonstrations began after the state government announced in July it would donate some land for rest facilities for Hindu pilgrims to the valley. The decision was rescinded¹⁸ following large protests from Muslims. The reversal inflamed¹⁹ Hindu activists²⁰.

Claims over predominately Muslim Kashmir have led to three major wars between India and Pakistan, since the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947, when British colonial rule ended.

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 barricade   

n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住

参考例句：

• The soldiers make a barricade across the road.士兵在路上设路障。
• It is difficult to break through a steel barricade.冲破钢铁障碍很难。

3 inflaming   

v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• And, by inflaming the liver, hepatitis can adversely affect dozens of life processes. 而肝脏的炎症又会对数十种生命过程产生有害影响。 来自辞典例句
• Your throat are inflaming. 你的喉部发炎了。 来自互联网

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 aggravate   

vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火

参考例句：

• Threats will only aggravate her.恐吓只能激怒她。
• He would only aggravate the injury by rubbing it.他揉擦伤口只会使伤势加重。

6 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

9 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

10 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

11 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

12 inflame   

v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎

参考例句：

• Our lack of response seemed to inflame the colonel.由于我们没有反应,好象惹恼了那个上校。
• Chemical agents manufactured by our immune system inflame our cells and tissues,causing our nose to run and our throat to swell.我们的免疫系统产生的化学物质导致我们的细胞和组织发炎，导致我们流鼻水和我们的喉咙膨胀。

13 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

14 juncture   

n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头

参考例句：

• The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。
• It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。

15 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

17 rekindling   

v.使再燃( rekindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There might be a rekindling of the kind of nationalistic fervour of yesteryear. 过去的国家主义狂热可能再次被点燃。 来自互联网
• Bryant and O'Neal on the floor at the same time, rekindling memories both good and bad. 科比和奥尼尔在地板上在同一时间，死灰复燃的回忆有好有坏。 来自互联网

18 rescinded   

v.废除，取消( rescind的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Rescinded civil acts shall be null and void from the very beginning. 被撤销的民事行为从行为开始起无效。 来自互联网
• They accepted his advice and rescinded the original plan. 他们听从了他的劝告，撤销了原计划。 来自互联网

19 inflamed   

adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His comments have inflamed teachers all over the country. 他的评论激怒了全国教师。
• Her joints are severely inflamed. 她的关节严重发炎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 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》