VOA标准英语2011--UN Human Rights Council Condemns Syria

UN Human Rights Council Condemns² Syria

The U.N. Human Rights Council has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution condemning³ Syria for grave and systematic⁴ human-rights violations⁵. The resolution also calls for an international investigation⁶ into possible crimes against humanity.
The resolution to condemn¹ Syria has passed by a vote of 33 in favor, four against and nine abstentions.
Polish representative to the United Nations Cezaru Lusinski introduced the resolution, saying it was a clear response to the ongoing⁷ grave and systematic human-rights violations in the Syrian Arab Republic.
"The continued violence, of lack of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, it decides to urgently dispatch an independent, international Commission of Inquiry⁸ to investigate violations of international human rights law in the Syrian Arab Republic and where possible to identify those responsible with a view of ensuring that perpetrators of violations are held accountable," said Lusinski.
The resolution was passed despite the objections of Russia, China, and Cuba. Russia called it one-sided and politicized. China said the right way to protect human rights is through respect and dialogue, not through accusations⁹. The Syrian representative called the resolution political and unbalanced.
But Amnesty International Representative in Geneva Peter Splinter dismisses these as minority views. He tells VOA the outcome of the vote shows cross-regional support for the resolution. He notes even the four Arab members of the Council voted to condemn Syria's actions.
"In this year of the Arab Spring, there are many things that are surprising. But, I suspect, Syria is their neighboring country, they must be very concerned, when large numbers - we are talking over 2,000 people - are killed by their own government, that must be a concern for any neighboring government," said Splinter.
The resolution strongly condemns arbitrary executions, excessive use of force and the killing¹⁰ and persecution¹¹ of protesters and human-rights defenders¹² in Syria. It accuses Syria of arbitrary detention¹³, enforced disappearances¹⁴, torture and ill treatment of detainees, including children. It calls for the Syrian authorities to immediately put an end to all human-rights violations.
Splinter says the resolution sends a clear message from the International community that the Syrian government cannot get away with such behavior.
"The Commission of Inquiry, when it reports, that will be an important accountability tool," added Splinter. "That will be something that the U.N. system and we hope eventually the International Criminal Court will be able to use to hold accountable the Syrian officials who are responsible for giving the orders that are leading to the large numbers of killings¹⁵ of Syrians."
Splinter agrees the U.N. Human Rights Council has no stick with which to force Syria to cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry or to stop the killings and persecution of its own people. But he says the moral voice of the Council carries weight, which commands respect and often leads to an improvement in human rights.

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

5 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

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 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 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

9 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

10 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。

11 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

12 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》

13 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

14 disappearances   

n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案

参考例句：

• Most disappearances are the result of the terrorist activity. 大多数的失踪案都是恐怖分子造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. 间谍活动、叛党卖国、逮捕拷打、处决灭迹，这种事情永远不会完。 来自英汉文学

15 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。