2007年VOA标准英语-ASEAN Facing Credibility Test Over Pressing Bur

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
08 January 2007

 
Residents take photos in front of the International Convention Center (CICC) main venue¹ of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in the central Philippines city of Cebu, 10 Dec 2006
As the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations prepare for their annual summit in the Philippines this week, they will confront the problem of Burma. The summit was rescheduled for this week after the host Philippine government canceled the gathering² in December because of a typhoon. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok, analysts³ expect little real progress in persuading Burma's military government to ease its grip on power.

For the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Burma is an increasingly difficult issue, as international pressure mounts against its government.

But Burma's military, in power for over 40 years, shows no sign of allowing major political reform.

And ASEAN states are divided over Burma, which joined the group in 1997. Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand have pressed Burma to speed up reforms. Others, such as Vietnam and Laos, both one-party states, are more reticent⁴ to push for change.

 
Surayud Chulanont (4 Jan 2006)
Thailand's interim⁵ prime minister, Surayud Chulanont, a retired⁶ general, says Burma's military needs to set a clear timeframe on political reform. The Thai interim government, installed after a bloodless coup⁷ in September, says it will hold national elections by the end of 2007.

"For Thailand, we have a timeline to draft our new constitution and move on the path to democracy, but for the Burmese we don't see any indications on the timeline yet so we have to be very careful," he said.

Three years ago, Burma's government announced a plan of gradual changes eventually leading to elections. But so far only modest progress has been seen, and the national convention drafting a new constitution has yet to complete its task.

The U.S. and European Union have imposed economic sanctions on Burma and called on it to improve human rights and release political prisoners, especially opposition⁸ leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

 
U.N. Security Council
In September Burma was listed for debate at the U.N. Security Council.

John Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., calls Burma a threat to international peace and security because of the rising number of Burmese citizens displaced from their homes, as well as drug and human trafficking over Burma's borders.

Sunai Pasuk, a Thai representative for U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, thinks the U.N. debate will add pressure on ASEAN.

He said, "Given the upcoming possible action in the U.N. Security Council, ASEAN's common credibility is now at risk because if Burma cannot improve its behavior in the near future the entire ASEAN community will have to face growing pressure from the international community as well."

Despite international protests, ASEAN allowed Burma to join, and the group's officials argued that membership would encourage reform.

 
Aung San Suu Kyi (1989 photo)
Instead, the Burmese government continues to detain most opposition leaders and has toughened controls on international aid organizations.

Debbie Stothardt, spokeswoman for the Alternative ASEAN Network, thinks the group may gain some leverage⁹ over Burma. ASEAN is preparing a new charter, which among other things, is expected to call for promoting democracy and protecting human rights.

She said, "For most human rights activists¹⁰ in ASEAN we're counting on the fact that the discussions on the ASEAN charter will be an opportunity to ensure that Burma is very much high up on the agenda."

A Burmese pro-democracy advocate, Naing Aung, from the Asian Network for Free Elections, notes that while ASEAN will not press very hard on Burma, it did not stand in the way of this year's debate at the United Nations.

"It is hard to expect that ASEAN will be more actively¹¹ involved in solving the Burmese problem. But [ASEAN] are not giving any protection to Burma in terms of the United Nations level," he said. "They no longer protect Burma anymore."

Several experts say that ASEAN leaders are not likely to push publicly on Burma at their annual summit, being held in the Philippines.

What is more, the analysts fear that rising international pressure, especially from the West, will drive Burma closer to China. Burma does considerable trade with China - selling timber and other natural resources that China's booming economy needs.

Experts say that as long as China trades with Burma, the military government may be able to withstand pressure to change for years.

1 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 reticent   

adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的

参考例句：

• He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
• He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。

5 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 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。

8 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。

9 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

10 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》

11 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。