2007年VOA标准英语-US Official Calls on Maoists in Nepal to Renoun

By Liam Cochrane
Kathmandu
02 June 2007

A U.S. government official has called for an end to Maoist violence in Nepal, where the country's former rebels are making a jerky transition from armed insurgents¹ to mainstream² politicians. Liam Cochrane has more from Kathmandu.

Nepalese Maoist rebels train at a camp in Makwanpur, south of Kathmandu (File)

2006 was a year of hope for Nepal, but Barry Lowenkron, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy, human Rights and labor³, says the peace process is being undermined by the actions of some of the former Maoist rebels.

Lowenkron, who spent the past four days in Kathmandu assessing the political and human rights situation, was especially critical of actions by the Young Communist League, or YCL.

The YCL is led by former Maoist fighters, and has attacked several government offices in the countryside since the Maoist leadership signed a peace agreement and entered the government. Last week, YCL members threw stones at a United Nations vehicle carrying the U.S. ambassador to Nepal.

Lowenkron said Saturday that there is no room for violence in a democracy.

"To me, their actions indicate they have yet to make the strategic decision to abandon violence, to abandon coercion⁴, to abandon intimidation⁵ and to seek their success in a political arena⁶ that is peaceful," he said.

Lowenkron congratulated Nepal's Prime Minister, G.P. Koirala, for his leadership in securing an approximate date for constituent⁷ assembly elections. The elections are now scheduled some time in late November or early December, and the winners will write a new constitution and decide on the fate of Nepal's monarchy⁸.

But Lowenkron warned that there was still much work yet to be done before Nepal's transition, from a decade-long civil war that killed 13,000 people to a peaceful and inclusive democracy, is complete.

"The message of my government is clear: one cannot have ballots⁹ and bullets in a democratic process," he said.

Lowenkron also called for full investigations¹⁰ into the 937 people who disappeared during Nepal's conflict and remain unaccounted for.

1 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

2 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 coercion   

n.强制，高压统治

参考例句：

• Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions.既不诱供也不逼供。
• He paid the money under coercion.他被迫付钱。

5 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。

6 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

7 constituent   

n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的

参考例句：

• Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
• Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。

8 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

9 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。