美国国家公共电台 NPR--Deadly antigovernment protests are spreading across Peru

Deadly antigovernment protests are spreading across Peru

Transcript¹

Anti-government protests have killed at least 47 people in Peru over the past month. Just this week, 17 civilians² and a police officer died in clashes and the unrest is spreading.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Anti-government protests are spreading across Peru, and at least 48 people have been killed over the past month during clashes with security forces, including 17 civilians and a police officer just this week. The unrest began after the ouster of leftist president Pedro Castillo in December. Protesters are calling on the new president, Dina Boluarte, to resign. They want new elections, a new constitution and the release of Castillo. For the latest, we're joined by journalist Simeon Tegel from Peru's capital, Lima. Good morning.

SIMEON TEGEL: Good morning.

FADEL: So let's start with the violence that we saw this week. Some are referring to it as a massacre³. What happened?

TEGEL: So there were protests in Puno, which is a impoverished⁴, largely Indigenous⁵ region up on the Bolivian border around Lake Titicaca, which had voted heavily for Pedro Castillo last year. Seventeen people and one - 17 civilians, I should say, and one police officer have been killed. Most of the civilians, it looks like, were killed by live rounds fired by the police. Some of them may include protesters who were behaving violently, but we also know that the dead include a doctor who was treating an injured protester, a street vendor⁶ and a teenage girl who'd been on her way to an animal shelter where she was volunteering. So Amnesty International are calling the use of force by the police unnecessary, disproportionate and arbitrary.

FADEL: Now, Peru's top prosecutor⁷'s office has launched an inquiry⁸ against the president, several cabinet members over allegations of genocide. What's the latest on that? What do we know?

TEGEL: So that inquiry or investigation⁹ was launched only a couple of days ago. It's still in the earliest phases. But I have to say that in Peru, there's quite a bit of skepticism about it. The notion that cabinet ministers and President Boluarte may be legally - criminally, even - responsible for homicide, amongst other things, is serious. What doesn't appear to have any foundation is the notion of genocide. No one's arguing that there's been any systematic¹⁰ attempt to wipe out a ethnicity. And I was talking to one lawyer yesterday who believes that the genocide charge in the investigation has put - has been put there deliberately¹¹ by the chief prosecutor to actually undermine the investigation. So it allows the chief prosecutor, according to him, to pose as a hero investigating this, knowing that really the investigation's not going to go anywhere.

FADEL: Because the government has excused the violence as necessary, correct?

TEGEL: That's right. The - I mean, there's been a lot of back-and-forth and debate about this within Peru. But the government has been arguing that the protesters are terrorists. And critics are saying that really that's absurd, and it's based on racism¹² and really a misunderstanding by decision-makers in Lima of what's going on up in the Andes.

FADEL: Let's take a step back to the larger reasons these protests started at all. Remind us why Castillo's ouster sparked these demonstrations¹³.

TEGEL: So he was really Peru's first president who wasn't basically from the white upper classes, or at least an honorary member of those, but someone who came from the rural underclass. And a lot of poor, marginalized Peruvians really put a lot of hope in his presidency¹⁴ and are feeling very betrayed right now.

FADEL: What is causing the violence, all of these deaths that we're seeing?

TEGEL: I think it's that frustration¹⁵, but also the police response, which has been heavy-handed and, according to experts, is violating basic international human rights standards.

FADEL: And how has Peru's government responded to the protesters' demands, if they've responded at all?

TEGEL: The one area where they have conceded is in bringing elections forward. They were due to be held in 2026. They will now be held in 2024. But a lot of people here think that even that's not going to work. The protesters want immediate¹⁶ elections, and if this goes on for much longer, the government may be forced to concede that as well.

FADEL: And it's been going on for a month. Do you see these protests subsiding¹⁷ at all?

TEGEL: I think that's probably unlikely, in part because of the police response, which has just outraged¹⁸ a lot of the protesters and a lot of people in Peru. Even if they die down now, in the next few days or couple of weeks, I think Peru is just simmering right now and could boil over again at almost any point, at least while this government is in power.

FADEL: And how are the protests affecting the rest of the country when people are trying to get to work and feed their kids and do their daily lives, you know, and live?

TEGEL: Well, it's having a big impact outside of Lima. In Lima, where Pedro Castillo was very unpopular, we haven't really felt it very much, but in a lot of parts of Peru, especially in the Andes, it's having a major impact. People can't get to work, or their work is - you know, if - it's not opening, their places of work. A lot of roads are blockaded. So it's having a real impact. And as ever, that impact is being felt most by the poorest.

FADEL: Simeon Tegel is a journalist based in Lima, talking to us about the latest on the protests in Peru. Thank you so much for your reporting.

TEGEL: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

6 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

7 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

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 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。

10 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。

11 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

12 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

13 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。

14 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。

15 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

16 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。

17 subsiding   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的现在分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• The flooded river was subsiding rapidly. 泛滥的河水正在迅速退落。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gradually the tension was subsiding, gradually the governor was relenting. 风潮渐渐地平息了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

18 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。