VOA常速英语:Pressure Mounts on Trump to Confront Saudis on Khashoggi Disappearance

US President Donald Trump has been reluctant to make any move that would undermine the US alliance with Saudi Arabia.But the pressure to place human rights above business interests has been increasing.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this week where he says the kingdom’s leaders denied involvement in the case.They also assured me that they will conduct a complete thorough investigation of all of the facts surrounding Mr. Khashoggi and that they will do so in a timely fashion.Rights groups say a Saudi probe cannot be credible and have called on the United Nations to conduct an independent investigation.They’ve already released contradictory information they said that he had left the consulate.So whatever would come out of the investigation that they opened only two days ago would not be credible in any way.Saudi royals are notorious for harsh treatment of dissent in the country they ruled with an iron fist.The authorities prohibit protests. They prohibit independent voices, trade unions.
美国总统唐纳德·特朗普不愿采取任何可能破坏美国与沙特阿拉伯结盟的行动。但越来越多的人呼吁将人权置于商业利益之上。美国国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥本周初出访了沙特阿拉伯，并称沙特领导人否认参与了此案。他们向我保证将对所有有关卡舒吉先生的真相所有进行彻底及时的调查。人权组织表示沙特的调查不可信，并呼吁联合国进行独立调查。他们已经发布了自相矛盾的消息称卡舒吉已经离开了领事馆。他们两天前才展开调查，因此无论结果如何，都是不可信的。沙特王室成员以严厉对待持不同政见者而声名狼藉，他们用铁腕统治着这个国家。当局禁止抗议，禁止独立的声音和工会。

This is how they have always been.Rights groups say the United Nations has not done much to change that.Member States even those who profess to be human rights friendly are very hypocritical when it comes to the subject of Saudi Arabia and shielding their main ally.Analyst Larry Diamond says Jamal Khashoggi has been a legal U.S. resident and Washington cannot shrug off his disappearance.I think it should be treated as an assault on the United States and on American democracy.Journalists have been among the most vocal in demanding justice for their colleague.
他们一贯如此。人权组织表示联合国并没有做太多工作来改变这种状况。为了保护主要盟友，会员国，甚至那些宣称尊重人权的会员国，在谈到沙特阿拉伯问题时都非常虚伪。分析人士拉里·戴蒙德说，贾马尔·卡舒吉是美国的合法居民，华盛顿不能对他的失踪不屑一顾。我认为这应该被看作是对美国和美国民主的攻击。记者一直是为其同事寻求公正，呼吁最强烈的群体。

I would like to see president Trump for example speak out forcefully for more information.Getting these Saudis to tell us exactly what happened.I think it’s important that we get that signal from the top of the US government.The Committee to Protect Journalists says independent and critical journalism is in a crisis globally.Currently there are more than 260 journalists in jail around the world and 44 others have been killed, 27 of them murdered.
我希望看到特朗普总统为获取更多信息而有力地发声。让这些沙特人告诉我们到底发生了什么。我认为重要的是我们能够得到来自美国政府高层的消息。保护记者委员会表示，全球独立而关键的新闻业正处于危机之中。目前，世界各地有260多名记者被监禁， 44人被杀，其中27人被谋杀。

Zlatica Hoke VOA news Washington.
兹拉蒂察·霍克 美国之音华盛顿报道。