VOA标准英语2008年-Vietnamese Groups, Lawmakers Voice Concerns Ahe
时间:2018-12-16 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2008年(六月)
By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
19 June 2008
Vietnamese-American groups, human rights organizations, and members of Congress are urging President Bush to make human rights in Vietnam a priority in his talks next week with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill.
Nguyen Ngoc Bich, National Congress of Vietnamese Americans, Congressman 1 Chris Smith (left)
Activists 2 and representatives of human rights organizations joined members of Congress in a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol.
Nguyen Ngoc Bich, of the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans, reads a statement on behalf of nearly a dozen groups, criticizing Vietnam's communist leadership:
"The current Vietnamese government headed by Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung, being appointed by the Communist Party of Vietnam, does not represent the true voice and interests of the vast majority of the Vietnamese people since it is not a government voted into power through free and fair elections," said Nguyen Ngoc Bich.
Binh Nguyen, Non-Violent Movement for Democracy in Vietnam and Congressman Chris Smith
The White House has already said President Bush will stress human rights and freedoms of speech, religion and assembly when he welcomes Vietnam's prime minister, along with bilateral 3 matters and a key focus on trade relations.
However, as with the last visit of a Vietnamese leader, lawmakers are making the case that the president has not done enough to help ease repression 4 of political activists and religious leaders in Vietnam.
Representative Loretta Sanchez
California Democrat 5 Loretta Sanchez:
"The government of Vietnam has harassed 6, has put under house arrest, and has sentenced countless 7 peaceful democracy advocates to prison, all of whom were not afforded a legal and fair trial, and this is unacceptable," said Congresswoman Sanchez.
Republican Congressman Chris Smith joins Sanchez and others in saying Vietnam has not made the human rights and political reforms many hoped it would under PNTR, Permanent Normal Trade Relations, with the United States.
"It looked on the surface, as if some of the more egregious 8 government abuse was abating 9 and a season of modest reform [was] possible," said Congressman Smith. "That illusion, well meaning but naive 10 as it was, has been shattered by arrests and re-arrests of some of the most noble and courageous 11 Vietnamese democracy advocates on Earth."
In particular, Smith mentions Pham Hong Son, jailed for posting a democracy essay on the Internet, and attorneys Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong, sentenced for pro-democracy activities.
Maran Turner, Acting 12 Executive Director Freedom Now
Maran Turner, of Freedom Now, sums up the charges against Pham Hong Son, Nguyen Van Ly, and Nguyen Dan Que, serving jail terms of between 30 months and 20 years.
"Their crimes? Translating and emailing an article entitled What is Democracy? Sending an email critical of the government's restrictions 13 of media freedom from an Internet café," said Maren Turner. "And providing testimony 14 about religious freedoms in Vietnam to the U.S. government."
Leonard Leo is a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which visited Vietnam in 2007:
"We saw firsthand the backsliding which has taken place since Vietnam received the trade and aid that it so very much wanted," said Leonard Leo. "Problems continue to persist, it is very serious."
The commission says Vietnam should be designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) regarding violations 15 of religious freedom. Congressman Smith says it should be identified as Tier 3, among serious violators. He is also frustrated 16 that Congress has failed to pass the Global Online Freedom Act, dealing 17 with government's use of the Internet to suppress dissent 18, and the Vietnam Human Rights Act.
Sophie Richardson, Advocacy Director (Asia), Human Rights Watch
Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch says President Bush must also press the Vietnamese leader on Hanoi's cracked down on writers and journalists.
"By agreeing to welcome Prime Minister in Washington, the Bush administration assumes a particular responsibility to speak frankly 19 and publicly about Vietnam's ongoing 20 criminalization of peaceful expression," said Sophie Richardson.
Congressman Frank Wolf is a sharp critic of Bush administration efforts on Vietnam human rights issues:
"History is watching the Bush administration," said Congressman Wolf. "History is watching President Bush next week. History is watching Secretary Condoleeza Rice next week. And history is watching what the American ambassador [to Vietnam] does. As now they get an F, a solid F, without any question."
Congressman Frank Wolf
Democrat Zoe Lofgren is sponsoring a resolution calling for the end of PNTR unless human rights situation in Vietnam improved.
"I would beg the president of the United States to show some leadership when he meets with the Communist regime in the coming days," said Zoe Lofgren. "The status quo is not acceptable."
At the same time, members of Congress have recognized Bush administration help in obtaining freedom for some Vietnamese-Americans detained in Vietnam.
Vietnam and the United States held their annual human rights dialogue in May, with U.S. officials raising concerns about freedom of expression and religion, saying Washington was pleased with progress in several areas.
- He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
- The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
- His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
- Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
- There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题,两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。
- The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
- This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。
- The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
- About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后,他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。
- In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
- I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。
- When it comes to blatant lies,there are none more egregious than budget figures.谈到公众谎言,没有比预算数字更令人震惊的。
- What an egregious example was here!现摆着一个多么触目惊心的例子啊。
- The storm showed no signs of abating. 暴风雨没有减弱的迹象。
- The recent public anxiety about this issue may now be abating. 近来公众对这个问题的焦虑心情现在也许正在缓和下来。
- It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致,你未免太单纯了。
- Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。
- We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
- He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。
- Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
- During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
- I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
- a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
- The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
- He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
- 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。
- It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
- The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
- His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
- It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
- He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。