VOA标准英语2008年-Philippine Government Drafts Constitutional Ame

By Douglas Bakshian
Manila
09 January 2008

The Philippine government is drafting a constitutional amendment¹ that would authorize² the establishment of a federal homeland for Muslims in the south of the country. The proposed amendment is part of a complex peace process between the government and a major Muslim rebel group. Douglas Bakshian reports from Manila.

 

Last November, an important agreement was reached between the Philippine government and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The two sides agreed on the size of a proposed homeland for the country's Muslims in the south of the country.

This definition of what is called "the territory" is part of larger peace negotiations³ between the government the MILF, and was due to be formalized on December 15.

But the MILF objected to what it called "extraneous⁴" material in a government draft of the agreement. This included a provision for congressional approval of any peace deal.

The MILF says it fears Congress may weaken any peace deal reached by the negotiators, as happened to a 1996 peace agreement with another rebel group, the Moro National Liberation Front.

Jesus Dureza, President Gloria Arroyo⁵'s adviser⁶ on the peace process, says the government has concluded that establishing a Muslim homeland requires an amendment to the constitution.

 

"The cabinet, with the president, had agreed that if it even takes amending⁷ the constitution to establish a federal Muslim governance unit in the southern Philippines, then we should push through that track. That is where we are today," he said.

 

Dureza says he hopes a definitive⁸ draft will be ready by the end of the month. He says the Arroyo administration believes it can generate bipartisan support in Congress for the amendment.

Despite the Muslims' distrust of Congress, chief MILF negotiator Mohagher Iqbal says there is still room for maneuver⁹.

Iqbal says the group might be able to live with congressional approval of an amendment specifically establishing a Muslim homeland. But he says Congress cannot be given authority to alter the terms of a broad peace agreement between the rebels and the government.

 

"It has to be something that whatever is done through constitutional processes would not derogate¹⁰ any of the prior agreements between us and the government," Iqbal said. " If it can be worded like that, I think it's worth examining. "

 

The latest round of peace talks has gone on for three years, and the November agreement on territory was hailed as a breakthrough. Both sides say they do not want to lose the momentum¹¹ of the talks.

A separatist insurgency¹² by the concentration of Muslims in the south of this predominately Catholic country has been running for 40 years, and has claimed more than 120,000 lives.

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 extraneous   

adj.体外的；外来的；外部的

参考例句：

• I can choose to ignore these extraneous thoughts.我可以选择无视这些外来的想法。
• Reductant from an extraneous source is introduced.外来的还原剂被引进来。

5 arroyo   

n.干涸的河床，小河

参考例句：

• She continued along the path until she came to the arroyo.她沿着小路一直走到小河边。
• They had a picnic by the arroyo.他们在干枯的河床边野餐过。

6 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

7 amending   

改良，修改，修订( amend的现在分词 )； 改良，修改，修订( amend的第三人称单数 )( amends的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Amending acts in 1933,1934, and 1935 attempted to help honest debtors rehabilitate themselves. 一九三三年，一九三四年和一九三五年通过的修正案是为了帮助诚实的债务人恢复自己的地位。
• Two ways were used about the error-amending of contour curve. 采用两种方法对凸轮轮廓曲线进行了修正。

8 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

9 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

10 derogate   

v.贬低，诽谤

参考例句：

• Such conduct will derogate from your reputation.那样的行为有损你的名誉。
• The parties may not derogate from or vary the effect of this article.各当事人不得减损本条或改变其效力。

11 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

12 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网