VOA标准英语2013--US Rally Highlights Worldwide Rights Struggle

 

US Rally Highlights Worldwide Rights Struggle

They began at the embassy of the Dominican Republic, calling for answers to the 2009 disappearance¹ of rights activist² Juan Almonte. Witnesses say police kidnapped him. Authorities call him a fugitive³.

Barbara E. Joe, Amnesty USA's volunteer Caribbean coordinator⁴, said that in more than 20 years with Amnesty, this is not the first Dominican disappearance she has seen. 

"Where is Juan Almonte? We want to know. His wife wants to know, his children [want to know]. He has six children living in the Dominican Republic. They have a lawyer looking, and it's just a complete blank," said Joe.

Speaking out

Then it was on to the Romanian Embassy. The issue here: housing, specifically, for the ethnic⁵ Roma minority, hundreds of whom have faced forced evictions.

Eighteen-year-old Belen Medina said no one should suffer such discrimination.

"Housing is a fundamental right. And I think that we can also see this, this could be anyone else, this could be another group, and that I don't believe it's okay in this day and age to ignore the plights⁶ of any people, no matter what their ethnicity or race is," said Medina.

Next up, the embassy of Sudan, whose president, Omar al-Bashir, faces two arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court for genocide and other crimes in the war-torn Darfur region - charges he denies.

Targeted messages

Ned Laskowski, president of the Save Darfur coalition⁷ in the western U.S. city of Seattle, said, "What we want to continue to give to the people in Sudan, and Darfur in particular, is a message of hope, that we're here, we haven't given up on them, and they shouldn't give up on themselves."

At the Indonesian Embassy, that message even attracted attention from inside. Here the focus turned to Papuan rights advocate Filep Karma.

"He was at a peaceful rally, speaking for the Papuan people," said Amnesty volunteer Claudia Vandermade. "He [Karma] raised a flag that the Indonesian government has called illegal, and for that, he received a 15-year sentence for peaceful expression. And we consider him to be a prisoner of conscience who needs to be immediately and unconditionally⁸ released."

Championing human rights

Finally, after a stop to promote gay rights, most went on to the embassy of Zimbabwe, championing human rights defenders⁹ like themselves.

Sarah Hager, Amnesty USA's Zimbabwe specialist, said it is scary to know the risks other activists¹⁰ face.

"To stand here today with police monitoring our activity and have no fear about it... I had no fear coming here today, whereas if you're a member of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, and you go to protest, you know that there's a good chance you're going to be beaten that day," said Hager.

It is for that reason Hager said that she and other activists came to show their solidarity¹¹, in the same spirit that inspired the first "Get on the Bus Day" in New York 17 years ago. 

1 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

2 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

3 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

4 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 plights   

n.境况，困境( plight的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Considering the plights in reality, Zhuang Zi viewed spiritual freedom as the ultimate ideal of life. 庄子立足于现实的种种困境，以实现人生的逍遥游为最高境界。 来自互联网

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 unconditionally   

adv.无条件地

参考例句：

• All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
• It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分

9 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》

10 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》

11 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。