VOA没有用--缅甸军方禁止集会 抗议活动仍在继续

Military Rulers in Myanmar Ban Gatherings¹ as Protests Continue

Myanmar's military rulers on Monday ordered a curfew and banned gatherings in the country's two largest cities. The move follows days of protests against the military overthrow² of the government last week.

The first government orders covered Yangon and Mandalay, but measures for other parts of the country were also expected.

Gatherings of more than five people were banned, along with motorized processions. Curfews were set from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. The military said the measures were ordered to stop unlawful actions.

On Monday, police fired a water cannon³ at demonstrators in the capital, Naypyitaw. Protests were also reported Monday in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, as well as Mandalay and other places.

The protesters are demanding that the military return power to the democratically elected government.

"We do not want the military junta⁴," said Daw Moe, a protester in Yangon. "We never ever wanted this junta. Nobody wants it. All the people are ready to fight them."

The military seized power on February 1, the day newly elected lawmakers were supposed to take their seats in Parliament. The generals said they acted because of wrongdoing in the November election. They accused the country's ousted⁵ leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, of not investigating election wrongdoing. Myanmar's election commission has dismissed both claims.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, or NLD, won the November elections easily, with the military-backed party receiving little support.

The military declared a one-year state of emergency after it seized power. Suu Kyi has been restricted to her home since being removed from office.

State media reported on the protests for the first time Monday and claimed the demonstrations⁶ were endangering the country's security.

"Democracy can be destroyed if there is no discipline," said a Ministry⁷ of Information statement read on state television station MRTV. "We will have to take legal actions to prevent acts that are violating state stability, public safety and the rule of law."

The country's new military leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, said in a televised speech that his government planned to hold new elections and hand over power to the winner. He added that the military was prepared to form a "true and disciplined democracy" that would be different from past periods of military rule.

Myanmar's history includes a long and bloody⁸ struggle for democracy.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters gathered at Yangon's Sule Pagoda⁹, the center of past public uprisings against military rule in 1988 and 2007. The military used deadly force against demonstrators to end both of those uprisings.

Suu Kyi's party has asked for international recognition as the rightful representative of the people.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners is a human rights organization based in neighboring Thailand. The group says that at least 165 people, mostly politicians, have been detained in Myanmar since last week's military overthrow.

Words in This Story

procession – n. a line of people or vehicles that moves forward slowly as part of a ceremony or public event

junta – n. a military government that has taken power in a country by force

stability – n. the quality of not being likely to change or move

discipline – n. the control of a person's behavior using rules and punishments

1 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

2 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

3 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

4 junta   

n.团体；政务审议会

参考例句：

• The junta reacted violently to the perceived threat to its authority.军政府感到自身权力受威胁而进行了激烈反击。
• A military junta took control of the country.一个军政权控制了国家。

5 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

6 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。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

9 pagoda   

n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇

参考例句：

• The ancient pagoda is undergoing repairs.那座古塔正在修缮中。
• The pagoda is reflected upside down in the water.宝塔影子倒立在水里。