美国有线新闻 CNN 印度新法引不满 农民抗议愈演愈烈

First today, there's a standoff taking place in India between the nation's government and the nation's farmers. This country is often called the world's largest democracy. It has the world's second largest population with 1.3 billion people, and more than half of those people make their living in agriculture. India is very heavily reliant on farming. So, what's this disagreement over?

今天首先来关注印度政府和农民之间的对峙。印度常被称为世界上最大的民主国家。该国是世界第二人口大国，人口达到13亿，其中一半以上人口以务农为生。印度高度依赖农业。那分歧是什么？

The Indian government passed three new laws last Fall that many farmers don't like. They concern the prices of certain crops. For decades, the Indian government required farmers to sell the foods they grew at state auctions¹ and the government guaranteed a minimum price that farmers would get for those foods. Last year, the government decided² to allow farmers to sell their crops anywhere like grocery stores or to buyers in other states.

去年秋天，印度政府通过了三项新法律，但农民并不喜欢这些法律。他们对某些农作物的价格感到担心。数十年来，印度政府要求农民通过联邦拍卖会出售他们种植的食物，政府保证农民的最低销售所得。去年，政府决定允许农民像杂货店一样在任何地方出售他们的作物，或者卖给其他联邦的买家。

They no longer need to go through state auctions, but they also won't be guaranteed the minimum price anymore. India's government says this will increase market competition and potentially the farmer's income.

他们不再需要通过联邦拍卖销售，但他们也没有了最低所得的保障。印度政府表示，这将增加市场竞争，并可能增加农民收入。

But if there's a lot of supply, the growers might not get as much money for their crops. And some farmers are concerned that if large companies get involved in the new buying and selling structure, they could also drive crop prices down below what used to be the minimum. Large protests welled up soon after the laws were passed, and they've gotten bigger since. Witnesses say they've been mostly peaceful, but some marches did turn violent in New Delhi. And police used water cannons³ and teargas to keep demonstrators from entering the capital. Negotiations⁴ have been going on for months between the Indian government and the leaders of more than 30 farmers unions. But so far, they haven't found a compromise. And some protesting farmers say they're not going anywhere until the new laws are eliminated.

但如果有大量供应，种植者的销售所得可能会减少。有些农民担心如果大公司加入新的买卖结构，可能会使作物价格跌破以往的最低水平。法律通过后，大规模的抗议活动便随即爆发，而且从那时起，抗议规模一直不断扩大。目击者表示，抗议活动基本上是和平的，但新德里的一些游行确实演变为了暴力活动。警方使用高压水枪和催泪瓦斯阻止示威者进入首都。印度政府和30多个农民工会的领袖已经进行了数月的谈判。但迄今为止，他们尚未达成妥协方案。一些参加抗议的农民表示，在新法被取消之前，他们不会放弃。

1 auctions   

n.拍卖，拍卖方式( auction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They picked up most of the furniture at auctions in country towns. 他们大部分的家具都是在乡村镇上的拍卖处买的。 来自辞典例句
• Our dealers didn't want these cars, so we had to dump them at auctions. 我们的承销商都不要这些车子，因此我们只好贱价拍卖。 来自辞典例句

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。