2007年VOA标准英语-Ethiopia Named Biggest Backslider on Press Free

By Katy Migiro
Nairobi
02 May 2007

Ethiopia tops a list of countries where press freedom has deteriorated¹ over the last five years, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports. The U.S.-based media advocacy group says the Ethiopian government has jailed 18 journalists and shut down eight newspapers in its recent crackdown on the press. Katy Migiro in Nairobi has more on the report for VOA.

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Ethiopian journalists hold placards and lighted candles as they shout slogans during a demonstration at the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi, 2 May 2006

Ethiopia is the world's worst "backslider" on press freedom, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists' latest analysis.  It says that journalists in Ethiopia operate in a repressive climate where they face intimidation³ and expulsion.

Two other African countries, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are among the top "backsliders" on press freedoms.  Other nations in that category are Russia, Cuba, Pakistan, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Morocco and Thailand.

In Ethiopia, the Committee reports, 18 journalists have been jailed for their work and at least 15 are facing the death penalty for alleged⁴ anti-state crimes. Eight newspapers have been banned.

The Committee links the Ethiopian government's campaign against the independent press to the disputed 2005 elections in which the ruling party won a third consecutive⁵ term.  Riots over the election results ended with the jailing of more than 100 opposition⁶ leaders and journalists on charges of conspiring⁷ against the government.

Ethiopian government spokesman Zemedkun Tekle dismisses the CPJ's criticisms as inaccurate⁸. He says it was necessary to take some journalists to court because they were behaving as though they were above the law.

"We are not going to accept [that] kind of statement [by the CPJ], because it hasn't really happened," he said.  "This statement doesn't show the reality in our country. In order to respect the rule of law, some steps have been taken, some newspapers have been taken to court because of their threat on the constitutional order. The press freedom in Ethiopia is getting stronger and stronger."

The CPJ says the remaining private media outlets⁹ now practice self-censorship to avoid being shut down. This has led to a surge in Internet reporting. The CPJ says Websites critical of the government, such as Ethiopian Review, are now being blocked.

Tekle denied this is the government's doing.

"It's not true," he added.  "No need of blocking Web sites from the government's side, because this is a democratic country.  The constitution guarantees freedom of expressing one's opinion so it is purely¹⁰ baseless allegation."

The CPJ says its list of 10 countries where press freedom has deteriorated over the past five years reflects a mixture of relatively¹¹ open countries that have turned increasingly repressive and traditionally restrictive nations where press conditions have worsened.

1 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

4 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

5 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

6 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。

7 conspiring   

密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
• John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

8 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

9 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

11 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。