VOA常速英语2014--US Slams Unremitting Crackdown on Human Freedoms 美国批评多国加紧限制人民自由

 

US Slams Unremitting Crackdown on Human Freedoms 美国批评多国加紧限制人民自由

STATE DEPARTMENT — The United States says too many governments are "tightening¹ their grasp" on basic human freedoms. The finding comes from the State Department's release of its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Those named as the worst actors in the world come as no surprise.

华盛顿 — 美国国务院星期四(2月27日)公布的人权报告谈到了世界各地的人权状况。报告认为，太多的政府对人的基本自由“加紧控制”。美国之音记者塞尔丁从美国国务院发来的报道说，一些国家出现在世界人权状况最差的国家名单中也不足为怪。

The United States says nowhere was the disregard for human rights more blatant² or horrible than Syria, where on April 21, 2013, the government dropped sarin gas on a suburb of Damascus.  More than 1,400 Syrians died, including 426 children.

美国说， 世界上公然或者最可怕的无视人权的地方非叙利亚莫属，叙利亚政府2013年4月21日在大马士革的郊区施放沙林毒气。造成1400多名叙利亚人死亡，其中包括426名儿童。

"We know that countries that deny human rights and human dignity challenge our interests as well as human interests," said Secretary of State John Kerry.

国务卿克里说：“我们知道，那些否认人的权利和人的尊严的国家是在挑战我们的利益，也是挑战人类的利益”。

The State Department reports also targeted other well-known human rights violators, like North Korea, slammed earlier this month by the United Nation's for what is described as Nazi-like crimes.

国务院报告也点名批评了其他人所共知的人权践踏国，例如朝鲜。联合国本月初抨击了它所说的朝鲜像纳粹一样的罪行。

And despite ongoing³ negotiations⁴ with Iran over its nuclear program, Acting⁵ Assistant Secretary for Human Rights Uzra Zeya says problems remain there, too.

虽然伊朗正在就其核计划与国际社会展开谈判，但是，负责人权事务的美国代理助理国务卿泽雅说，伊朗人权问题仍很严重。

"Torture, political imprisonment⁶, executions in the absence of due process which have gone up under this government, harassment⁷ of ethnic⁸ and religious minorities and limits on free expression," said Zeya.

她说：“酷刑、政治监禁、没有正当程序的执行死刑 ，骚扰少数民族和宗教少数派以及对言论自由的限制，在这个政府的统治下都在增加。”

In many places, the report said hopes for improvement were dashed by stubborn repression⁹, like in China, where the government announced the end of its re-education camps, but cracked down on dissent¹⁰ on the Internet and on basic freedoms in Tibet, where 26 people set themselves on fire in protest.

在许多地方，该报告称，由于当局坚持实行高压措施，使局面改善的希望破碎，比如中国，政府一方面宣布结束劳教， 一方面却对在互联网上发表不同意见的人士和西藏的基本自由进行镇压。西藏有26人自焚抗议。

In Egypt, where hopes had risen with the Arab Spring, the State Department criticized the killings¹¹ and torture that came with the military's continued crackdown on protesters.

在阿拉伯之春曾带来希望的埃及，国务院批评埃及军队在继续对抗议示威者进行镇压过程中实施的杀戮和酷刑。

In Africa, officials noted¹² grave concerns in South Sudan and in the Central African Republic, where Muslims and Christians¹³ engaged in a cycle of killings, disappearances¹⁴, rape¹⁵ and torture.

在非洲，美国官方对南苏丹和中非共和国表示严重关注，在那里，穆斯林和基督徒冤冤相报，杀戮、失踪、强奸和酷刑层出不穷。

There is also alarm at the rate of sexual violence and discrimination against gays and lesbians in places like Uganda and Russia, where new laws make harassment easier and more dangerous.

在像乌干达和俄罗斯等国家，性暴力以及针对男女同性恋者的歧视也令人警觉，在那里新的法律使骚扰的发生更容易，也更危险。

"We join with many other nations in reaffirming our commitment where speaking one’s mind does not lead to prosecution¹⁶ and where professing¹⁷ one’s love does not lead to persecution¹⁸, a world where practicing one’s faith does not lead to imprisonment," said John Kerry.

克里国务卿说：“我们与许多其他国家共同重申我们的承诺，表达个人内心想法不应受到起诉，表达个人爱情不应导致迫害，奉行自己的信仰不应遭致监禁。”

The State Department reports even raise concerns about worker's rights, noting the garment factory fire in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,000 people.

美国国务院的报告甚至提出对劳工权益的关注，并指出孟加拉国制衣厂大火造成了一千多工人死亡。

"Despite documenting so much abuse and repression, U.S. officials insist there is hope pointing to the bravery of people in place like Ukraine, who took to the streets to stand up for change."

尽管报告记录了这么多侵权和镇压，美国官员坚持认为存在希望。他们指出乌克兰的例子。那里的人民拿出勇气，走上街头支持变革。

As for places where standing¹⁹ up remains²⁰ a challenge, like Venezuela, Secretary Kerry said those who struggle will not be alone.

在委内瑞拉等国，挺身而出的人仍然面临挑战。国务卿克里说，他们的抗争不会是孤立无援的。

“The United States of America will continue to speak out, without a hint of arrogance²¹ or apology, on behalf of people who stand up for their universal rights," he said.

克里说：“为了那些为他们自己的普世权力挺身而出的人，美国将继续仗义执言，不带一丝的傲慢和负疚。”

 

The diplomat²² saying reports like these on human rights abuses will help ensure those responsible will be held accountable.

克里国务卿说，像这样的记录侵犯人权的报告将有助于确保追究那些侵犯人权者的责任。

1 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

2 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 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。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

7 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

8 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

9 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

10 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

11 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

14 disappearances   

n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案

参考例句：

• Most disappearances are the result of the terrorist activity. 大多数的失踪案都是恐怖分子造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. 间谍活动、叛党卖国、逮捕拷打、处决灭迹，这种事情永远不会完。 来自英汉文学

15 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

16 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

17 professing   

声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉

参考例句：

• But( which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 只要有善行。这才与自称是敬神的女人相宜。
• Professing Christianity, he had little compassion in his make-up. 他号称信奉基督教，却没有什么慈悲心肠。

18 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

19 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

20 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

21 arrogance   

n.傲慢，自大

参考例句：

• His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
• Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。

22 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。