2006年VOA标准英语-Burma Opposition Rejects Government Media

By Scott Bobb
Bangkok
08 May 2006

The pro-democracy opposition¹ in Burma has dismissed claims in the government-controlled news media of mass resignations from the party. The response follows expressions of concern that the military junta² may be planning to shut down the party.

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Burma  
  

A spokesman for the opposition National League for Democracy, Nyan Win, Monday denied reports in the Burmese media that hundreds of local party leaders had resigned in recent weeks.

"They (government officials) are making pressure on N.L.D. (members) to resign from the League, but some of them are a fake because they are not N.L.D. members," Win said.

He says in other cases, resignation letters that members have reportedly signed have not been received by the party's national headquarters.

In recent weeks, the Burmese media almost daily have been reporting resignations by local N.L.D. officials, who are reported to condemn³ the party for criticizing the state, maintaining ties to exiles, insurgents⁴ and terrorists, and refusing to participate in developing the country.

The reports have led to fears that the junta may be planning to ban the N.L.D. by withdrawing the party's official registration⁵.

The party won parliamentary elections in 1990, but was never allowed to take power. More than 100 senior party leaders are currently in prison and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been under house arrest since a major crackdown three years ago.

Spokesman Nyan Win says if the Burmese government wanted to ban the N.L.D., it could do so any time. He believes the government merely wants to keep the party weak.

An independent politician who is a frequent government critic, Win Naing, notes that the campaign against the N.L.D. has been going on for years, but he does not believe the party will be banned.

"The SPDC would like to keep N.L.D. as long as possible, at least as a showcase. It needs the N.L.D. to present to the world that it has opposition in Burma," he said.

Nevertheless, the reports are causing concern in the region. The special Burma envoy⁶ of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, last week warned that closing the N.L.D. would make it difficult for Burma to claim that it is moving toward democracy.

The Secretary of ASEAN's inter-parliamentary caucus⁷ on Burma, Teresa Kok of Malaysia, says that action against the N.L.D. would not diminish its support.

Aung San Suu Kyi   
  
"Even if that happens, I believe the N.L.D. members and the people in Burma, they will still recognize the N.L.D. and Aung San Suu Kyi to be their leaders," she said.

She adds that international pressure for political reform in Burma will not decline either.

Burma, a member of ASEAN, has been under increasing pressure to move toward multi-party democracy. It has announced a "road map" to democracy and has convened⁸ a national convention that is drafting a constitution. But critics note that major political figures, including N.L.D. delegates, have been excluded. They say the process is aimed mainly at legitimizing the military's hold on power.

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 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。

3 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。

4 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

7 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

8 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。