45 维克斯岛对美国投弹演习的抗议在其中止后仍旧继续

Vieques Controversy 1 May Persist After the Bombing Ends

Michael Bowman

Miami

18 Jun 2001 22:05 UTC

Protests continued Monday on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, days after the Bush administration announced the Navy would 1)halt bombing exercises on the isle 2 by the year 2003. The Vieques 2)controversy has had a significant political 3)impact in Puerto Rico - one that may persist even after the bombing ends.

Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but pay no federal taxes and have no voting 4)representatives in the U.S. Congress. For decades, Puerto Ricans have debated whether to remain a U.S. 5)commonwealth, opt 3 for U.S. statehood or press for some form of independence from the United States.

Over the years, in elections and 6)referenda, Puerto Rico's pro-independence political party has had little success in convincing the island's voters to support breaking ties with the United States. But Vance Thomas, the party's secretary, says the battle over the Navy's use of Vieques has been an eye-opening experience for many residents.

Mr. Thomas says the fight over Vieques has had an important side effect, allowing people to see what he calls the true nature of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. He says, after the Vieques experience, no one can say that the territory enjoys any 7)autonomy or that the will of the Puerto Rican people 8)counts for anything.

At the University of Puerto Rico, political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says Washington's handling of the Vieques question has 9)played into the hands of Mr. Thomas and others who 10)advocate independence for Puerto Rico. Public opinion polls indicate the vast majority of Puerto Ricans want an immediate 4 end to the bombing of Vieques. Professor Garriga-Pico says, in recent months, even some longtime supporters of Puerto Rico's current status have reexamined their positions.

"It has had the impact of 11)radicalizing a certain 12)segment of the population," he said, "and making them believe that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. What you have is a segment of the Popular Democratic Party, the party that has favored the 13)status quo and has been very friendly to the U.S., has joined the groups of the "independents" who would rather have a different relation with the United States.

The most recent referendum on the idea of a different relationship with the United States, took place in Puerto Rico in December 1998. There were five voting options, including keeping things the way they are, asking the U.S. Congress for statehood, "free association" with the United States and independence. Surprisingly, a majority, 50.2 percent of voters, chose the fifth option - "none of the above."

46.5 percent of the voters cast 14)ballots for statehood and about 2.5 percent wanted independence.

Analysts 5 saw the outcome as a grudging 6 acceptance of the status quo and a strong warning signal of popular 15)discontent.

Political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says, even today, in the midst of the Vieques controversy, there is no indication that a majority of Puerto Ricans are truly ready to separate themselves from the United States. He said, "It is a small fraction of the population that is in favor of independence. We are talking, at most, 15 percent of the 16)electorate that really wants independence or some sort of free 17)association [with the United States]."

Even so, Mr. Garriga-Pico says Washington would do well to show Puerto Ricans that, in matters concerning their own island, their voices do not fall on deaf ears.

(1)      halt[hC:lt, hRlt]n.停止, 暂停vt.使停止vi.立定, 停止

(2)      controversy[5kRntrEv:sI]n.论争, 辩论, 论战

(3)      impact[5ImpAkt]n.碰撞, 影响vt.撞击,对...发生影响

(4)      representative[reprI5zentEtIv]n.代表adj.典型的, 有代表性的

(5)      commonwealth[5kRmEnwelW]n.共和国, 联邦

(6)      referenda[ 9refE`rendE ]n.(referendum的复数)普通投票

(7)      autonomy[C:5tRnEmI]n.自治

(8)      count for 价值

(9)      play into the hands of sb. v.干对某人有利的事

(10)      advocate[5AdvEkEt]n.提倡者, 鼓吹者vt.提倡, 鼓吹

(11)      reexamine v.复试

(12)      radicalize[ `rAdIkElBIz ]vt.使激进

(13)      status quo[steItEs 5kwEJ]n.现状

(14)      ballot[5bAlEt]n.选举票, 投票, 票数vi.投票

(15)      discontent[dIskEn5tent]n.不满

(16)      electorate[I5lektErEt]n.选民, 选区, 有选举权者

(17)      association[EsEJsI5eIF(E)n]n.协会, 联合

45 维克斯岛对美国投弹演习的抗议在其中止后仍旧继续

Vieques Controversy May Persist After the Bombing Ends

Michael Bowman

Miami

18 Jun 2001 22:05 UTC

Protests continued Monday on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, days after the Bush administration announced the Navy would 1)halt bombing exercises on the isle by the year 2003. The Vieques 2)controversy has had a significant political 3)impact in Puerto Rico - one that may persist even after the bombing ends.

Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but pay no federal taxes and have no voting 4)representatives in the U.S. Congress. For decades, Puerto Ricans have debated whether to remain a U.S. 5)commonwealth, opt for U.S. statehood or press for some form of independence from the United States.

Over the years, in elections and 6)referenda, Puerto Rico's pro-independence political party has had little success in convincing the island's voters to support breaking ties with the United States. But Vance Thomas, the party's secretary, says the battle over the Navy's use of Vieques has been an eye-opening experience for many residents.

Mr. Thomas says the fight over Vieques has had an important side effect, allowing people to see what he calls the true nature of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. He says, after the Vieques experience, no one can say that the territory enjoys any 7)autonomy or that the will of the Puerto Rican people 8)counts for anything.

At the University of Puerto Rico, political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says Washington's handling of the Vieques question has 9)played into the hands of Mr. Thomas and others who 10)advocate independence for Puerto Rico. Public opinion polls indicate the vast majority of Puerto Ricans want an immediate end to the bombing of Vieques. Professor Garriga-Pico says, in recent months, even some longtime supporters of Puerto Rico's current status have reexamined their positions.

"It has had the impact of 11)radicalizing a certain 12)segment of the population," he said, "and making them believe that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. What you have is a segment of the Popular Democratic Party, the party that has favored the 13)status quo and has been very friendly to the U.S., has joined the groups of the "independents" who would rather have a different relation with the United States.

The most recent referendum on the idea of a different relationship with the United States, took place in Puerto Rico in December 1998. There were five voting options, including keeping things the way they are, asking the U.S. Congress for statehood, "free association" with the United States and independence. Surprisingly, a majority, 50.2 percent of voters, chose the fifth option - "none of the above."

46.5 percent of the voters cast 14)ballots for statehood and about 2.5 percent wanted independence.

Analysts saw the outcome as a grudging acceptance of the status quo and a strong warning signal of popular 15)discontent.

Political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says, even today, in the midst of the Vieques controversy, there is no indication that a majority of Puerto Ricans are truly ready to separate themselves from the United States. He said, "It is a small fraction of the population that is in favor of independence. We are talking, at most, 15 percent of the 16)electorate that really wants independence or some sort of free 17)association [with the United States]."

Even so, Mr. Garriga-Pico says Washington would do well to show Puerto Ricans that, in matters concerning their own island, their voices do not fall on deaf ears.

(1)      halt[hC:lt, hRlt]n.停止, 暂停vt.使停止vi.立定, 停止

(2)      controversy[5kRntrEv:sI]n.论争, 辩论, 论战

(3)      impact[5ImpAkt]n.碰撞, 影响vt.撞击,对...发生影响

(4)      representative[reprI5zentEtIv]n.代表adj.典型的, 有代表性的

(5)      commonwealth[5kRmEnwelW]n.共和国, 联邦

(6)      referenda[ 9refE`rendE ]n.(referendum的复数)普通投票

(7)      autonomy[C:5tRnEmI]n.自治

(8)      count for 价值

(9)      play into the hands of sb. v.干对某人有利的事

(10)      advocate[5AdvEkEt]n.提倡者, 鼓吹者vt.提倡, 鼓吹

(11)      reexamine v.复试

(12)      radicalize[ `rAdIkElBIz ]vt.使激进

(13)      status quo[steItEs 5kwEJ]n.现状

(14)      ballot[5bAlEt]n.选举票, 投票, 票数vi.投票

(15)      discontent[dIskEn5tent]n.不满

(16)      electorate[I5lektErEt]n.选民, 选区, 有选举权者

(17)      association[EsEJsI5eIF(E)n]n.协会, 联合