Bomb Injures More Than 30 in Kathmandu, Nepal

 

By Patricia Nunan

More than 30 people have been injured in a bomb blast in Nepal's capital Kathmandu. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion has fallen on the country's Maoist rebels.
 
Officials say three men entered a building complex still under construction in Nepal's capital, planted a bomb and then left.
 
Minutes later, the bomb exploded, injuring scores of nearby construction workers and pedestrians¹.

Officials say they suspect the men are members of Nepal's Maoist insurgency², which has been fighting to overturn the country's monarchy³ since 1996.
 
More than 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting and violence, mostly in the countryside. But in recent months, the Maoists have also threatened the capital, planting small bombs and once blockading it for several days. Yuvraj Ghimre, editor Nepal's weekly news magazine, Samay, says the Maoists changed tactics to increase fear.
 
"It doesn't prove that their strength has gone up, but it will certainly create a sense of terror among the ordinary people," he said.
 
Formal peace talk between the government and the Maoists collapsed⁴ more than a year ago. But the two sides agreed to and honored a 10 day ceasefire in October coinciding with a religious festival, suggesting that they are capable of negotiations⁵. But Mr. Ghimre says, at the moment, neither side seems interested in peace talks.
 
"Both sides are saying that they want a negotiated settlement to the problem," he explained. "But no side has come forward to substantiate⁶ their public plea through action. They haven't come forward for any peace dialogue."
 
Nepal's situation is complicated by political turmoil⁷ in the capital, putting King Gyanendra at odds⁸ with numerous opposition⁹ parties. The king has pledged to hold parliamentary elections in April next year, but it remains¹⁰ unclear whether he will keep his promise.

Patricia Nunan, VOA News, New Delhi.

注释：
Kathmandu 加德满都，尼泊尔首都
suspicion 怀疑
Maoist 毛派
pedestrian 行人
insurgency 叛乱
blockade 封锁
tactics 战术，策略
go up 增长
collapse 失败
ceasefire 停火，停战
substantiate 证实
turmoil 骚动，混乱
parliamentary 议会的

 

1 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 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

3 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。

4 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

5 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。

6 substantiate   

v.证实；证明...有根据

参考例句：

• There is little scientific evidence to substantiate the claims.这些主张几乎找不到科学依据来证实。
• These theories are used to substantiate the relationship between the phenomenons of the universe.这些学说是用来证实宇宙现象之间的关系。

7 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

8 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？

9 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。

10 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。