2006年VOA标准英语-Thai, Malaysian Leaders Seek Peace in Southern

18 October 2006

Thailand's Prime Minister Gen. Surayud Chulanont, right, and his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi, Oct. 18, 2006

Thailand's prime minister has met with Malaysian leaders and pledged to peacefully end an insurgency¹ in Thailand's southern provinces. While there are signs of optimism over the peace initiative, bloodshed has continued in the area bordering Malaysia.

-----

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont wrapped up his meetings in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia's leaders by saying he intended to talk with a wide range of people to end the insurgency in Thailand.

Since early 2004, a violent Muslim insurgency in the region bordering Malaysia has claimed more than 1,500 lives.

This week alone more than a dozen people have been killed - both Buddhists³ and Muslims.

Bringing an end to the violence has become a priority since army chief General Sondhi Boonyaratglin, himself a Muslim, took control of the government last month in a bloodless coup⁴.

The new pledge to find a peaceful solution follows initiatives by former prime ministers, Malaysia's Mahathir Mohammad and Thailand's Anand Panyarachun, during the past year.

Mr. Mahathir has been quoted as saying that community leaders in southern Thailand think the stage has been set for talks between insurgent⁵ leaders and Thai authorities.

Somchai Homla-or from the Thai Law Society says that initiative laid the groundwork for talks.

"This has paved the good way for the government under General Surayud to follow," he said. "I really support this initiative and the talk or the dialogue between the two sides in order to bring peace to the southernmost provinces of Thailand."

There has been low-level contact between Thai military commanders and people close to the insurgency. But former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted⁶ in the coup, rejected the idea of formal talks.

Pakorn Preeyakorn, secretary-general of the Islamic Center of Thailand, says the new effort stands in contrast to Mr. Thaksin's policy.

"During the time of the Thaksin government, the southern problem was mishandled by him, [he] took a hardline stance against the insurgents," he said. "People were abducted⁷ and killed, causing more anger and hardship against government officials."

Muslims account for a majority of the population in the three most southern provinces, although Thailand's overall population is overwhelmingly Buddhist².

There have been longstanding complaints of discrimination against Muslims in the provinces, which are among the country's poorest.

The recent violence has largely been blamed on radical⁸ Muslim groups influenced by teachings from the Middle East.

1 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

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 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

6 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

7 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

8 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。