VOA标准英语2009年-2 Years Later, Burmese Recall Their Saffro

By Than Lwin Htun
Washington
25 September 2009

At the end of September two years ago, Burma's military government ordered troops to crush pro-democracy demonstrations¹ led by Buddhist² monks⁴. As the second anniversary of the demonstrations approaches, security forces in Burma's largest city, Rangoon, are on high alert to prevent a repeat of the Saffron Revolution, named after the robes worn by the monks who led the movement. But as we learn in the following report, some of which contains video smuggled⁵ to VOA from inside Burma, the country's pro-democracy forces want to ensure that the Burmese people, and their government, remember what happened two years ago.  Kaye Lin of VOA's Burmese Service narrates⁶ the story.

Security is tight in the city of Rangoon and the streets are quiet, very different from how they were two years ago, when tens of thousands of people marched in the streets calling for an end to military rule. At the forefront of the demonstrations were Buddhist monks, who chanted prayers, or metta, for the success of the demonstrations. 
 
"All peacefully get together and march. With metta meditation⁷, we will help each other. I will also be there," said a monk³. 

The demonstrations of 2007 reached their peak toward the end of September, and people began to hope that Burma would find a peaceful way to democracy.

But that hope ended the 26th of September, when the military government ordered its troops to use whatever force was necessary to end the demonstrations.  The troops were joined by baton-wielding members of Swan Ar Shin, a pro-government militia⁸.

Scenes of the brutality⁹ were shown around the world, including the death of a Japanese journalist who was shot at close range. The government said 37 people were killed in the protests, but opposition¹⁰ leaders say the figure is far higher. Some monks arrested in 2007 have yet to be released.

This September, anxious to prevent a repeat of the 2007 demonstrations, the government has placed security forces around potential trouble spots, including the Shwe Dagon Pagoda¹¹, one of the many Buddhist temples that is being watched. 

One monk, in an interview smuggled to VOA, says the government has restricted the movement of the monks, especially the younger ones. For his safety, we have blurred¹² his face. 

"Monks are not able to go on their trips as they wish. Their identity documents are checked and we are questioned and interrogated¹³ very often.  We're not free. The younger monks have a difficult time," said a young monk. 

Those monks who are given permission to travel report that government agents always follow them.

But for all the government's efforts, Burma's pro-democracy movement has survived. A group of monks who call themselves the "All Burma Monks Alliance" has issued two demands to the government: It must apologize for its treatment of the monks and it must release all the monks who have been imprisoned¹⁴ since September 2007.

The alliance has set a deadline of October 3 for the government to meet its demands. If it does not, the alliance is urging all the monks in the country to reject alms and donations from the authorities, which is a subtle form of moral punishment in the Buddhist way.  And the campaign has gained support. As above, this monk's comments were smuggled to VOA.

"We have to listen to and to live in discipline under our leaders and senior abbots. In my soul, my heart is always with the monks who are ready to protest for the people," he said.

In Rangoon, supporters of democracy say the city is calm, but that it is an uneasy calm. They also say the city will not live in fear or silence forever.

 

1 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

2 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

3 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

4 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

6 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

7 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

8 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

9 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

10 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。

11 pagoda   

n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇

参考例句：

• The ancient pagoda is undergoing repairs.那座古塔正在修缮中。
• The pagoda is reflected upside down in the water.宝塔影子倒立在水里。

12 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 interrogated   

v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• He was interrogated by the police for over 12 hours. 他被警察审问了12个多小时。
• Two suspects are now being interrogated in connection with the killing. 与杀人案有关的两名嫌疑犯正在接受审讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。