VOA标准英语2009-ASEAN, Donor Countries Seeking Guarantees Fr

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations says countries donating to Burma's cyclone¹ recovery efforts are seeking re-assurances of cooperation from Burmese authorities. Donor² nations and aid groups are worried Burma may reduce access to the country after the military-ruled government eliminated a mechanism³ for fast-track visa processing for foreign aid workers.

Representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met with donor countries and international organizations Wednesday in Bangkok.

The group of more than thirty participants discussed aid efforts for Burma's recovery from last year's devastating⁴ cyclone Nargis.
　
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Surin Pitsuwan (File)

After the meeting, ASEAN's Secretary-General, Surin Pitsuwan, told journalists they were concerned about the effectiveness of aid to Burma, also known as Myanmar. He said Burmese authorities are now requiring aid groups to go through slow, bureaucratic⁵ channels to operate in the isolated⁶ country.

"We would like to seek clarification and new assurance from the government of Myanmar that from now onward⁷ we will have full support, full access, and we will have full coordination⁸ in order to deliver our international assistance into Myanmar or into the delta⁹," said Surin Pitsuwan.

Surin said delivery of aid was good for the first six months after the cyclone when the so-called tripartite core group was coordinating¹⁰ access. But after the emergency relief efforts turned to recovery plans, Burmese authorities eliminated that part of the group's coordinating role and the processing of foreign aid worker applications began to slow down.

Surin said donors¹¹ also noted¹² that Burma's prosecution¹³ of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was affecting donor sentiment.

"They certainly mentioned the fact that it has not helped the enthusiasm of their constituencies to engage more actively¹⁴, more fully," said Surin Pitsuwan. "There might be some delay, there might be some reservation, that the issue is not separate from the deliberation and the consideration on further engagement."

However, Surin said donors did not make the release of the Nobel Peace Prize winner a condition for further aid.

Aung San Suu Kyi is now on trial in Burma and is expected to be sentenced to up to five years in prison. The trial is widely viewed as a sham¹⁵ designed to keep the democracy icon¹⁶ locked up.

ASEAN last month issued its strongest statement to date joining international calls for her release and criticizing Burma's military government.

ASEAN has traditionally taken a more subtle approach towards its troublesome member-state.

The regional grouping said this strategy helped it negotiate the successful delivery of cyclone relief aid to Burma. The military government had initially¹⁷ refused foreign help for several weeks, which critics say could have prevented numerous casualties.

About $300 million in relief aid has been sent to the Irrawaddy Delta so far, and agencies are seeking another $700 million for recovery efforts.

An estimated 140,000 people were killed and more than two million affected¹⁸ by the massive storm.

1 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

2 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

5 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

6 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

7 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

8 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

9 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

10 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

11 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 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。

14 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

15 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

16 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

17 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

18 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。