VOA标准英语2013--Human Rights Trial in Guatemala Could Set Global Precedent
时间：2019-01-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2013年(四月)
Human Rights Trial in Guatemala Could Set Global Precedent 1
Chanting “justice, justice,” protesters in Guatemala City reacted angrily to the suspension of the trial earlier this month.
The protesters, mainly indigenous 2 people, want the 86-year-old former dictator punished for the massacres 3 of Mayan Indians during the early 1980’s that were part of a US-backed “scorched earth” campaign against leftist guerrillas.
An estimated 200,000 people were killed in the 36-year conflict that ended in 1996, most of them victims of Guatemala’s security forces.
General Rios Montt seized power in a 1982 coup 5 and presided over the bloodiest 6 period of the war during his 17-month rule.
Jose Miguel Vivanco heads the Americas program at Human Rights Watch. “The military tactics that he used during that period were clearly in violation 7 of the basic standards of humanitarian 8 law by not making any effort in distinguishing combatants from the civilian 9 population,” he said.
Montt went on trial in March on charges of genocide for allegedly targeting an entire Mayan community in the country’s highlands in a campaign to wipe out support for leftist rebels.
At least 17-hundred people were killed, according to prosecutors 10 and witnesses.
As the Rios Montt trial drew to a close, it was suspended over procedural issues that could annul 11 the process. Defense 12 lawyers, who argued the general did not order the killings 13, welcomed the move.
“It's a very important precedent for the country in an important case such as this one," said defense lawyer Danilo Rodriguez.
Furthering human rights initiatives
But others say the maneuvering 14 reflects the difficulties in prosecuting 15 human rights violations 16 in countries like Guatemala, where judicial 17 institutions are subject to pressure.
Via Skype, international law expert Paul Seils said, "What we have at this point are the forces who are basically saying: ‘We will not be subjected to the rule of the law in the country. The rules of the country are for other people. We will not accept a statement that we were involved in genocide or crimes against humanity.'"
Despite the legal limbo 18, putting the ex-dictator on trial was unprecedented 19, the first time a former head of state has been tried for genocide by his own country’s legal system.
“To go after somebody who has been the quintessential representation of unlimited 20 power, such as Rios Montt, and to charge him with human rights abuses, but not just any rights abuses, but with genocide, reveals tremendous courage but also some important change that the society has been going through,” said Jose Miguel Vivanco of Human Rights Watch.
The U.S. State Department calls the trial “historic," and Friday urged Guatemala to ensure this case fulfills 21 its domestic and international legal obligations. It also dispatched a top official to Guatemala City to consult about the judicial process.
- Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
- This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。
- 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。
- The time is past for guns and killings and massacres. 动不动就用枪、动不动就杀、大规模屠杀的时代已经过去了。 来自教父部分
- Numberless recent massacres were still vivid in their recollection. 近来那些不可胜数的屠杀，在他们的头脑中记忆犹新。
- She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
- They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
- 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。
- The Russians were going to suffer their bloodiest defeat of all before Berlin. 俄国人在柏林城下要遭到他们的最惨重的失败。 来自辞典例句
- It was perhaps the bloodiest hour in the history of warfare. 这也许是战争史上血腥味最浓的1个小时。 来自互联网
- He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
- He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。
- She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
- The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。
- There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
- He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。
- In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
- You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。
- They have the power to alter or annul inappropriate decisions of their own standing committees.他们有权改变或者撤销本级人民代表大会常务委员会不适当的决定。
- The courts later found grounds to annul the results,after the king urged them to sort out the "mess".在国王敦促法庭收拾烂摊子后，法庭随后宣布废除选举结果。
- The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
- The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
- 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。
- This Manstein did, with some brilliant maneuvering under the worse winter conditions. 曼施坦因在最恶劣的严冬条件下，出色地施展了灵活机动的战术，终于完成了任务。 来自辞典例句
- In short, large goals required farsighted policies, not tactical maneuvering. 一句话，大的目标需要有高瞻远瞩的政策，玩弄策略是不行的。 来自辞典例句
- The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
- Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。
- This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
- These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。
- He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
- Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。
- His life seemed stuck in limbo and he could not go forward and he could not go back.他的生活好像陷入了不知所措的境地，进退两难。
- I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead.I felt as if I was in limbo.我不知道家人是生是死，感觉自己茫然无措。
- The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
- A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。
- They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
- There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。