VOA常速英语2007年-Draft Copy of Much-Awaited ASEAN Charter Leaked

By Naomi Martig
Hong Kong
11 November 2007

A draft copy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation's much awaited charter has been leaked to the media, just days before member organizations are to sign the document at a summit in Singapore. As Naomi Martig reports from VOA's Asia News Center in Hong Kong, the charter establishes councils to handle political, economic and social issues within the region, and sets other specific criteria¹ on how it will function.

The ASEAN draft charter first obtained by a Thai media group shows the 40-year old organization intends to hold on to its principle of non-interference in the affairs of member states.

The charter does call for the creation of a human rights body, but the 30-page document gives only two paragraphs to the topic.

Jenina Chavez is a senior associate with Focus on the Global South, a non-governmental organization based in Bangkok that offered ASEAN recommendations for the charter. She says an agreement on what its human rights body should look like appears to be lacking.

"It says that it will establish a human rights body and nothing more. So it wasn't as specific or as clear as we would have wanted," said Chavez.

Chavez says that if ASEAN is to establish itself as an influential² regional body, it must protect the rights of those living in the region.

"Only four ASEAN countries have national human rights institutes, that's only Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia," continued Chavez. "The six others do not have that. And we were hoping that a regional human rights body is a mechanism³ by which those who do not have access to national human rights courts and national human rights commissions will now have recourse to a regional one."

ASEAN has been under pressure to do more to address human rights abuses, particularly in Burma. A recent crackdown on pro-democracy activists⁴ there led to the arrest of nearly three thousand people. At least ten people were killed.

One article of the draft charter says that member states can be referred to consultation⁵ and negotiation⁶ proceedings⁷, and unresolved matters can also be presented at summits as a last resort.

The charter provides a stronger role for ASEAN's secretary-general, and mentions the possible creation of ASEAN missions within international organizations.

The draft does not mention issues such as penalties for breaking rules, or whether a member nation can be kicked out for not abiding⁸ by policies.

The charter is to be signed on November 20 at a summit in Singapore. Calls to ASEAN officials to verify the authenticity⁹ of the draft were not returned.

ASEAN was founded by Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines in 1967. Its membership was later augmented¹⁰ by Brunei, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

1 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

2 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 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》

5 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

6 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

7 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

8 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。

9 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。

10 Augmented   

adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• 'scientists won't be replaced," he claims, "but they will be augmented." 他宣称：“科学家不会被取代；相反，他们会被拓展。” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. 由于发表的时间选得好，这篇报导的影响更大了。