VOA慢速英语--缅甸昂山素季面临军政府的新指控

Police in Myanmar brought a new charge against detained, former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer said Tuesday. The move might mean that she could be held without limitation or trial.

Military officials who removed Aung San Suu Kyi from office and seized power on February 1 appear to be increasing their crackdown on the opposition¹.

Aung San Suu Kyi was first charged with illegally owning communications equipment called walkie-talkies. Military officials used the charge to detain her. The new charge accuses her of violating coronavirus restrictions², her lawyer told reporters. He met earlier with a judge in a court in the capital, Naypyitaw. The lawyer also said he has not seen her since her arrest.

The charge can lead to three years in prison. But, because of changes to the law introduced by the military last week, she could be detained without limitation or agreement from the court.

The move comes over two weeks after the military took power in a coup³ that surprised many. The international community had been hopeful that Myanmar was moving toward democracy. Since the takeover, the military has increased efforts to stop protests, including blocking the internet and reacting to demonstrations⁵ with violence.

On Monday, security forces pointed⁶ guns at a group of 1,000 demonstrators in the city of Mandalay. Local reporters said the police also shot rubber bullets into a crowd, injuring a few people.

Protests continued Tuesday in Yangon, the country's largest city. Police blocked off the street in front of the Central Bank. Protestors targeted the bank because of the belief that the military wants to remove money from it.

Buddhist⁷ monks⁸ demonstrated outside the Yangon United Nations office. Around 3,000 demonstrators, mainly students, returned to the streets of Mandalay Tuesday. They carried posters of Aung San Suu Kyi and demanded a return to democracy. The protests are continuing even though there is an order banning groups of more than five people.

The Global New Light of Myanmar is a state-owned newspaper. It reported about a meeting of the State Administration Council, which is the new military government. It also reported that new leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said officials "are handling the ongoing⁹ problems with care."

On Sunday and Monday nights, the military ordered a block on the internet, as it had done before. It has also prepared a new law that would make many online activities illegal, but is not yet in effect. There is widespread belief that the government is building a firewall system of internet control to permit it to watch or block online activity.

The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper also reported that the new military government discussed acting⁴ against a "parallel government." Some elected lawmakers of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party have formed an opposition democratic government.

The takeover began on February 1, when the military stopped Parliament from taking their seats. Members of Suu Kyi's party formed a committee, declaring themselves the true representatives of Myanmar's people and asking for international support.

The United States and other governments have denounced the military's actions. They have urged the military to return power to the elected government and release Aung San Suu Kyi and other lawmakers.

Neighboring China has not denounced the military's actions however. Some protesters have accused China of helping¹⁰ the military leaders. China is Myanmar's main weapons supplier.

On its Facebook page, the Chinese embassy's ambassador to Myanmar, Chen Hai, said his country has good relations with both Aung San Suu Kyi's party and the military. He said accusations¹¹ that China was helping Myanmar's military block the internet were untrue. He also called accusations that Chinese soldiers were on Myanmar's streets "ridiculous."

Words in This Story

crackdown – n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not permitted, often by military or law enforcement officials

coup – n. a sudden attempt by a small group of people, often military members, to seize and takeover the government of a country often involving violence

parallel – adj. similar but following separate paths

ridiculous – adj. extremely silly or unreasonable

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 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。

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

8 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

11 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。