Anti-Chen protesters undeterred by rain

时间：2006-09-11 06:45:30

（单词翻译:单击）

Tens of thousands of protesters sit in heavy rain demanding the ouster of Taiwan "president" Chen Shui-bian near the "presidential office" in Taipei yesterday. [AFP]
 
Sept. 11 - Pressure was piling up against scandal-plagued Taiwan "president" Chen Shui-bian to resign as tens of thousands of protestors braved bad weather to continue their round-the-clock demonstration2 for the second day yesterday.

 

Torrential rain fell throughout the day in Taipei but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, which marched through the city centre after a relatively3 quiet sit-in.

 

Although the turnout was lower because of the rain and cold, organizers pledged not to give up their non-stop campaign until the embattled leader resigns over a series of corruption4 scandals.

 

Under a giant red balloon with the Chinese character for "shame," protesters chanted "A-bian, step down," a reference to Chen's nickname, and gave the "thumbs- down" gesture as they walked along a broad boulevard next to the sprawling5 "presidential office building."

 

Many were clad in red to symbolize6 their anger at Chen's government, which for the past six months has been under fire for widespread charges of corruption and incompetence7.

 

Shih Ming-teh, the former chairman of Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), started the mass protest aimed at unseating Chen on Saturday afternoon.

 

Organizers of the anti-Chen campaign put Saturday's attendance at around 200,000, though police reportedly estimated the turnout at 90,000.

 

Shih began yesterday's gathering8 with a call to supporters to continue the struggle against Chen.

 

"This will be a long battle," he said. "It won't be easy to bring down Taiwan's most powerful man."

 

The campaign organizer warned that Chen would become a "prisoner" of his office and Taiwan "paralyzed" if he serves out his term which ends in May 2008.

 

"The people of Taiwan have the power to ask Chen to step down," he said. "We will not stop this protest until he does."

 

Chen's problems centre on allegations that his family and inner circle used their positions for personal financial gain.

 

In July, his son-in-law was indicted9 for alleged10 insider trading involving a local development firm and taking bribes11. Chen has publicly apologized for Chao Chien-ming's actions.

 

"First lady" Wu Shu-chen is also under investigation12 for allegedly profiting from the transfer of an upscale department store to new owners.

 

Prosecutors13 then began looking at whether Chen had misused14 funds intended for "diplomatic" affairs, and questioned him last month.

 

In June. he survived an unprecedented15 "parliament" vote to topple him, after the move failed to win the backing of two-thirds of all "lawmakers." If passed, it would have triggered a referendum on Chen's future.

 

Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of the opposition16 Kuomintang, and James Soong, chairman of the People First Party, joined the mass sit-in on Saturday evening.

 

In an open letter published in leading Taiwanese newspapers on Saturday, Ma said the DPP should not become "an accomplice17 to corruption," referring to Chen's alleged graft18 scandals.

 

"We will not be happy to see the DPP collapse19 because of its support for Chen, (as) this would be bad for Taiwan," Ma said in his appeal, and called on the DPP to launch a recall motion against Chen in the "legislature."

 

The latest Taiwan media opinion poll has found that 68.5 per cent of residents support the campaign to oust1 Chen.

 

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1 oust 5JDx2     
vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐
参考例句：
  • The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
  • The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。
2 demonstration 9waxo     
n.表明，示范，论证，示威
参考例句：
  • His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
  • He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。
3 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地，相对地
参考例句：
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
4 corruption TzCxn     
n.腐败，堕落，贪污
参考例句：
  • The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
  • The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
5 sprawling 3ff3e560ffc2f12f222ef624d5807902     
adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）
参考例句：
  • He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
  • a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇
6 symbolize YrvwU     
vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表
参考例句：
  • Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
  • Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。
7 incompetence o8Uxt     
n.不胜任，不称职
参考例句：
  • He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
  • She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。
8 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
9 indicted 4fe8f0223a4e14ee670547b1a8076e20     
控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
  • He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。
10 alleged gzaz3i     
a.被指控的，嫌疑的
参考例句：
  • It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
  • alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为
11 bribes f3132f875c572eefabf4271b3ea7b2ca     
n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂
参考例句：
  • It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
  • corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏
12 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
13 prosecutors a638e6811c029cb82f180298861e21e9     
检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人
参考例句：
  • 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。
14 misused 8eaf65262a752e371adfb992201c1caf     
v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用
参考例句：
  • He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 unprecedented 7gSyJ     
adj.无前例的，新奇的
参考例句：
  • 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。
16 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
  • 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。
17 accomplice XJsyq     
n.从犯，帮凶，同谋
参考例句：
  • She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。
  • He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。
18 graft XQBzg     
n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接
参考例句：
  • I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
  • The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。
19 collapse aWvyE     
vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷
参考例句：
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

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