VOA标准英语2009年-Thousands of Indonesians Protest Corru

In cities across Indonesia thousands of demonstrators held rallies and marches to mark International Anti-Corruption² Day. One rally turned violent with protesters throwing rocks and the police using tear gas.

Brian Padden | Jakarta 09 December 2009
 

An Indonesian protester burns a defaced portrait of Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani who the protesters claim to be involved in last year's 6.76 trillion rupiah (US$715 million) bank scandal during an anti corruption protest in Jakarta, 9 Dec. 2009

Though activists³ predicted that hundreds of thousands would march Wednesday against corruption in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, only a few thousand turned up.

Most were students protesting the latest corruption scandal in the country. It involves allegations that a $600 million government bailout was given to Century Bank on condition that some of the money be used to fund the president's re-election campaign. The legislature is investigating the bailout and the possible roles played by Vice⁴ President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani in orchestrating a deal.

The government denies the charges.

Many of the demonstrators, like Ridwan Laodabone with a Muslim student organization, already consider the vice president and finance minister guilty. 
 
He says he wants the president to fire those two officials.

Jakarta University student Adi Prasetyo says Indonesia should follow China's example of executing some corrupt¹ officials. 

He says those involved in corruption should be shot to death.

Thousands more demonstrated in other cities and towns across the country. Most rallies were without incident but in Makassar in South Sulawesi, students armed with rocks and wooden planks⁵ clashed with anti-riot police.

The news media report that police fired tear gas to break up the crowd after protesters tried to storm the provincial⁶ governor's office. There was no immediate⁷ report of injuries or arrests among the 2,000 protesters.

On Saturday President Suslio Bambang Yudhoyono was critical of some anti-corruption activists, saying they are politically motivated and want only to discredit⁸ and topple his presidency⁹. But in a nationally televised speech on Tuesday he praised the anti-corruption movement. 

He calls for everyone to celebrate and join the rallies in an orderly and peaceful manner.

The president's popularity has been hurt by allegations of corruption. In addition to the Century Bank scandal, police charged anti-graft officials from the Corruption Eradication¹⁰ Commission with bribery¹¹ and blackmail¹². Prosecutors¹³ later dropped all charges. Critics allege¹⁴ that the police acted to discredit and intimidate¹⁵ the anti-corruption organization.
 

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

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 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

6 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

9 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

10 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

11 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

12 blackmail   

n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓

参考例句：

• She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
• The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

13 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

14 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

15 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。