2006年VOA标准英语-Protests Erupt in Pakistan After Troops Attack

By Ayaz Gul
Islamabad
31 October 2006
 
In Pakistan, thousands of angry tribesmen and Islamic party activists¹ have protested against Monday's military strike on an Islamic school near the Afghan border that authorities say killed at least 80 suspected militants³. 

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Protesters in Islamabad condemn⁴ bombing of Pakistani tribal⁵ area, Oct 31, 2006
  
The biggest rally was held in the Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where Pakistani gunship helicopters carried out the attack against a religious school.

Witnesses say that more than 10,000 armed tribesmen gathered in the main town of Khar Tuesday to denounce the military action, alleging⁶ those killed were innocent students and teachers.

Protesters chanted "Down with America" and "Down with Musharraf", referring to Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.

A female protester, Rakhshanda Naz, in the provincial⁷ capital, Peshawar, believes the Pakistani government carries out these attacks under pressure from the United States.  

 
Rubble⁸ of a house in Chingai village after Pakistan military airstrike, Oct. 30, 2006 
  
"Most of the time they hit civilians⁹ and innocent civilians to just show their efficiency to prove we are good partners in the war against terror," she said.

Pakistani authorities have dismissed allegations that Monday's military strike against the Islamic school killed innocent people. They say the compound was concealing¹⁰ a training camp for terrorists.

Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad Tuesday, President Musharraf again strongly defended the action. 
 

President Pervez Musharraf  
  
"Anyone who is saying that these people were innocent Taleban is telling lies," General Musharraf said. "We were watching them since the last six or seven days. We knew exactly who they are, what they are doing. They were all militants using weapons doing military training within the compound."

Pakistani and U.S officials have denied as baseless reports that the attack was carried out by U.S. forces.

The scene of Monday's air strike lies across the border from Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar, where coalition¹¹ troops are hunting al-Qaida and Taleban militants.

A large number of these militants are believed to have taken shelter in the Pakistani tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.

Military officials in Pakistan, a close U.S. ally in the war against terrorism, reject allegations that these militant² forces are moving back and forth¹² to carry out attacks inside Afghanistan.

Protest rallies were also held in several towns of Pakistan's northwestern frontier province, which borders Afghanistan and is governed by an alliance of major Islamic parties.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

5 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

6 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

7 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

8 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

9 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。

10 concealing   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

11 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

12 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。