VOA标准英语2011--Human Rights Divides Commonwealth

Human Rights Divides Commonwealth¹

 

Commonwealth leaders meeting in Australia are divided over the appointment of an independent commissioner² for the rule of law and human rights across the group of former British colonies. An internal review has recommended that the organization appoint an impartial³ monitor to help members deal with issues of human rights, but the proposal is not likely to be adopted.

Commonwealth leaders meeting in western Australia agreed to give foreign ministers more power to intervene if member states deprive their citizens of human rights or threaten the judiciary or the media. Other powers agreed to would allow members to investigate allegations of vote rigging and the jailing of political leaders.

However, it is not likely that the group of former British colonies will appoint an independent human rights commissioner to ensure that early diplomatic solutions can be found to sensitive issues.

Rich countries such as Australia, Britain and Canada favor a stronger action to protect human rights, but many developing nations resent outside influence.

Some members consider the move intrusive⁴ or unnecessary. But former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser says it would be a mistake to abandon the idea.

Country leaders from left, Canadian PM Stephen Harper, British PM David Cameron, Australian PM Julia Gillard, and Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Australia, October 29, 2011.

"It's not something that's aimed at third world countries, because especially since 9/11 some of the developed countries I believe have transgressed⁵ quite seriously in relation to human rights in the so-called fight against terrorism, in attitudes to refugees and sometimes in relation to their attitudes towards indigenous⁶ peoples," said Fraser. "So it's not only going to be African countries that would be subject to reports, Australia would be subject to report, Canada would, and I think that would be good."

One area of agreement has been over the British monarchy⁷. The leaders of the 16 Commonwealth countries, who have Queen Elizabeth as their head of state, have agreed to scrap⁸ outdated⁹ succession laws. New legislation will allow the daughters and sons of future British monarchs¹⁰ to have equal right to the throne.

Britain's prime minister, David Cameron, said the old laws were at odds¹¹ with modern countries, and needed to be changed.

Other topics of discussion have included piracy¹² off Somalia, forced marriage and efforts to eradicate¹³ the viral disease, polio.

There were also calls for Sri Lanka, the host of the next Commonwealth leaders' summit in 2013, to properly investigate war crimes committed during its civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels.

The Commonwealth summit comprises the leaders of 53 countries, most of them former British colonies. Fiji was suspended from the organization following a military coup¹⁴.

Delegates will also discuss the entry of a new member, South Sudan, which recently gained independence after splitting from its northern neighbor.

The Commonwealth meeting concludes in Perth Sunday.

1 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

2 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3 impartial   

adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的

参考例句：

• He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
• Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

4 intrusive   

adj.打搅的；侵扰的

参考例句：

• The cameras were not an intrusive presence.那些摄像机的存在并不令人反感。
• Staffs are courteous but never intrusive.员工谦恭有礼却从不让人感到唐突。

5 transgressed   

v.超越( transgress的过去式和过去分词 )；越过；违反；违背

参考例句：

• You transgressed against the law. 你犯法了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His behavior transgressed the unwritten rules of social conduct. 他的行为违反了不成文的社交规范。 来自辞典例句

6 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

7 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。

8 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

9 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

10 monarchs   

君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Monarchs ruled England for centuries. 世袭君主统治英格兰有许多世纪。
• Serving six monarchs of his native Great Britain, he has served all men's freedom and dignity. 他在大不列颠本国为六位君王服务，也为全人类的自由和尊严服务。 来自演讲部分

11 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

12 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

13 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

14 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。