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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Istanbul 2-345315
09 February 2008
Turkey's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party has succeeded in changing the country's constitution to ease a ban on Islamic head scarves worn in universities. But the move is proving controversial, with opponents of the reform saying it threatens the secular1 foundation of Turkey. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
Turkey's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of two constitutional amendments2 that ease the ban on Islamic head scarves in universities. But the reform is dividing the country.
As deputies were voting, tens of thousands of people demonstrated close to parliament in support of the head scarf ban.
One woman tells VOA her way of life is being threatened.
"They want to change the regime," she said. "They want Turkey to turn into a moderate Islamic state from a secular one. But we are here as Turkish citizens and we will use our democratic rights until the very end...."
Although Turkey's population is overwhelmingly Muslim, it has been a strictly3 secular state since 1923. Easing the head scarf ban in universities has fueled concern that the majority Justice and Development party is trying to undermine secularism4. But Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking earlier this week, denied any secret agenda, saying the party is only ending discrimination against religiously dressed women.
He said Turkey is taking an important step and "everyone should know we don't have any other goal than to end the victimization of the girls who are locked out of our universities."
Opponents of the head scarf ban claim hundreds of thousands of women were barred from university since the measure was introduced in 1980.
Prime Minister Erdogan made ending the head scarf ban a key policy in last July's general election which his party won in a landslide5.
He has been under pressure from his conservative base to ease the restriction6. The latest opinion polls show a majority of the people favor lifting the ban and six out of 10 women wear headscarves.
But although the constitutional amendments passed, it remains7 unclear whether universities will open their doors to Islamically dressed women. And women will continue to be banned from wearing the headscarf in government buildings.
Leading figures of the judiciary have condemned8 Saturday's vote, and the reform is likely to be challenged in the Constitutional Court.
Analysts9 fear that the controversy10 could put Turkey's government in direct confrontation11 with the country's highest court.
1 secular | |
n.牧师,凡人;adj.世俗的,现世的,不朽的 | |
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2 amendments | |
(法律、文件的)改动( amendment的名词复数 ); 修正案; 修改; (美国宪法的)修正案 | |
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3 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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4 secularism | |
n.现世主义;世俗主义;宗教与教育分离论;政教分离论 | |
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5 landslide | |
n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票;一面倒的胜利 | |
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6 restriction | |
n.限制,约束 | |
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7 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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8 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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9 analysts | |
分析家,化验员( analyst的名词复数 ) | |
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10 controversy | |
n.争论,辩论,争吵 | |
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11 confrontation | |
n.对抗,对峙,冲突 | |
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