VOA标准英语 Pakistan President Signs Accord for Islamic Law in N

Pakistan's president has signed a controversial agreement approving Islamic courts in part of the country's troubled northwest. While lawmakers supported the measure in a unanimous vote, there are concerns it allows the Taliban to expand its influence and further undermine the government.
　
President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad, 13 Apr 2009

President Asif Zardari's formal approval of the deal for Islamic law in the Malakand area brought swift praise from regional lawmakers and mediators who signed off on the agreement in February.

Ameer Izzat, a spokesman for hardline cleric and former militant² Sufi Muhammad who acts as the mediator¹ between Taliban forces and the government, said the signed deal would soon lead to peace in the troubled Swat valley.

He said with this announcement many fighters have already put down their weapons. He said when the courts begin to fully³ function, all of the armed men will put down their weapons and start to live a normal life.

U.S. officials and Pakistani human-rights activists⁴ have expressed concern about the arrangement since it was first tentatively implemented⁵. They say it allows the Taliban's growing influence in the northwest, further erodes⁶ government authority, and undermines basic rights for people living in the region.

Army analyst⁷ and retired⁸ general Talat Masood said after the government failed to militarily defeat the Swat Taliban during the past year, the militants⁹ effectively forced officials into accepting a deal on their terms.

"They really had the upper hand. They dictated¹⁰ the entire terms of the agreement, so it is a complete capitulation on the part of the government and the establishment of Pakistan," he said.

Masood said the people of Swat have welcomed the deal largely because they believe it is one of their last hopes for peace in the region.

Parliament lawmakers unanimously approved a resolution backing the measure on Monday, despite some members' earlier criticism of the measure.
　
Taliban activists are seen near a mosque¹¹ in Buner, which was closed after the Taliban took it over on 11 Apr 2009

Fears that the Taliban will now use Malakand division and the Swat valley as a power base to extend their reach increased last week when militants attacked local forces in Buner, a neighboring district.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told reporters in Islamabad that with the Malakand peace agreement signed, officials hope militants in Buner will stop fighting. He also defended the peace deal as a component¹² of a larger ideological¹³ standoff with the Taliban.

"We hope the situation in Buner will improve in the days to come. The struggle is much broader, because the government is fighting the mindset of the militants. Tthat mindset is prevalent in every village in Pakistan," he said.

For now, officials are waiting to see if Taliban fighters follow through on pledges to lay down their weapons. Minister Kaira said if they do not, the government will take action.

Swat mediator Sufi Muhammad told a private Pakistani TV channel that he expected militants will honor their pledges. As for Buner, he claimed the militants there are in fact locals and once Islamic law is implemented, they will put down their weapons and return to their homes.

1 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

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 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 erodes   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的第三人称单数 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The sea erodes the rock. 海水侵蚀岩石。
• The sea erodes the land. 海洋侵蚀陆地。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 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。

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

10 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

12 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

13 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。