2007年VOA标准英语-UN General Assembly Passes Declaration on Indig
时间：2019-01-07 作者：英语课 分类：2007年VOA标准英语（九月）
United Nations
13 September 2007
The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a non-binding declaration on the rights of native peoples, despite opposition 1 from the United States and three other countries. From U.N. headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.
United Nations Assembly
The 143 members of the General Assembly voted for the declaration that outlines the rights of some 370 million indigenous 2 people worldwide.
Only the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia - all nations with large native populations - voted against the text, expressing concerns over some provisions, including those on self-determination and rights to land and resources. Eleven nations abstained 3 from the vote.
The passage of the Declaration creates no new rights and does not place indigenous people in a special category, but it does lay out their rights in a number of areas including culture, employment and language, while prohibiting discrimination against them.
Latin American delegates, like Connie Taracena from Guatemala's U.N. Mission, welcomed the Declaration, saying it will benefit their region which has a large indigenous population. "My message to the indigenous people is that this is a great opportunity to celebrate and this really opens the door for a great future."
But representatives from several indigenous groups criticized the countries that did not support the measure. Phil Fontaine, leader of the Assembly of First Nations from Canada, says his country's vote against the Declaration is a blight 4 on its human rights record.
"Canada can no longer present itself as one of leading proponents 5 and defenders 6 and protectors of human rights. It was able to do that until this moment. You cannot pick and choose the human rights that you will defend. It is clearly a slap in the face of indigenous peoples and a huge disappointment for us," he said.
Canada objected to the measure saying it lacks clear guidance for implementation 7, and conflicts with the existing Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - which the government believes already protects the rights of native peoples.
Last year the General Assembly deferred 8 adopting the Declaration after African countries raised objections to language on self-determination and the definition of "indigenous" people. After the language was amended 9 this year, they threw their support behind it.
- 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。
- 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。
- Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
- They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The apple crop was wiped out by blight.枯萎病使苹果全无收成。
- There is a blight on all his efforts.他的一切努力都遭到挫折。
- Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
- Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句
- The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》