Daily English Vocab
PDF 31st Dec 2016
Peace on Track in Colombia
Colombia’s government now knows only too well that there is many a slip between the cup and
the lip. In October, a referendum (जनमत सग्रं ह) to ratify a painstakingly negotiated peace deal it had
signed with the long-time insurgent (विद्रोही/बागी) organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (FARC), was narrowly defeated. A more piecemeal, less ambitious and sequenced
process since then has helped Bogota notch its first significant victory in effecting the peace deal
with the rebels. Now, Colombia’s Congress has unanimously (सिवसम्मवत से) approved an amnesty
(क्षमा/माफ़ी) law granting immunity to FARC fighters from prosecution (अवियोग) for committing
minor crimes, clearing a major hurdle in effecting the revised peace accord. Those accused of
major crimes will be tried by a special tribunal. The main difficulty in passing this measure was
the intransigence (हठ/कठोरता) of the leading opposition, the right-wing Centro Democratico led by
former President Alvaro Uribe, who had led a vigorous (सशक्त/ओजपर्
ू व) campaign first against talks
between the government and the rebels, later during the referendum and also when a revised accord
was eventually signed and ratified by Congress on December 1. The party abstained during voting
both during the ratification and when the amnesty law was introduced. The law helps overcome a
key sticking point for those who voted “No” in the October referendum and who felt that the
government was being too lenient (उदार/नरम/मृदु) with those among the FARC commanders accused
of severe crimes. The law will reassure the rebels, who are moving to special demobilization zones,
marking a breakthrough in the five-decade-long civil war that has taken more than 2,20,000 lives.
Without doubt, the Nobel Peace Prize given to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos gave him
the necessary ballast (give stability to) and international support to carry out these steps. But there
are other laws to be passed, including those addressing FARC’s demands for agrarian (कृवि या िूवम
सबं ध
ं ी) reform and compensation to victims of the civil war. There is still some distance to go before
FARC converts itself into a political party to participate in the contested polity. Amendments to
the peace accord include requirements from FARC to share details about any involvement in drug
production and declaration of assets. But there is a clear commitment towards peace shown by
both the government and FARC, especially after the initial accord was signed. If things go as per
the government’s plan, the rebels should become civilians by May 2017, culminating (समापन
होना/पराकाष्ठा पर पहुँचना) in the end of a process that began with negotiations four years ago.
Courtesy: The Hindu (International)
1. Referendum (noun): A general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has
been referred to them for a direct decision/ a public vote on a particular issue. (जनमत सग्रं ह)
 Synonyms: Public Vote, Plebiscite, Popular Vote, Ballot, Poll.
Example: The employees were asked to vote on a referendum about the company insurance plan.
2. Insurgent (noun): A person fighting against a government or invading force; a rebel or
revolutionary. (विद्रोही/बागी)

Synonyms: Rebel, Revolutionary, Anarchical, Contumacious, Disobedient,
Insurrectionary.
 Antonyms: Obedient, Follower, Subordinate.
Example: Though he was publicly aligned with the controlling party, he was secretly funding the
insurgent movement.
Related words:
 Insurgency (noun) - विद्रोह
3. Unanimously (adverb): Without opposition; with the agreement of all people involved.
(सिवसम्मवत से)

Synonyms: Unitary, Concordantly, Collectively, Consensually, cooperatively,
harmoniously.
 Antonyms: differently, divergently, opposite.
Example: Hockey star Wayne Gretzky was the unanimous choice for athlete of the year.
Related words:
 Unanimous (adjective) - सिवसम्मत
4. Amnesty (noun): Grant a pardon to. (क्षमा/माफ़ी)
 Synonyms: Forgiveness, Reprieve, Absolution, Dispensation.
 Antonyms: Punishment, Penalty.
Example: Thousands of former rebels have returned to their homes as a result of the government's
declaration of an amnesty for all soldiers.
Verb forms: Amnesty, Amnestied, Amnestied.
Related words:
 Amnesty (verb) - क्षमा करना
5. Prosecution (noun): The institution and conducting of legal proceedings against someone in
respect of a criminal charge. (अवियोग)
 Synonyms: Incrimination, Charge, Imputation, Indictment.
 Antonyms: Defense, Safeguard, Preserve.
Example: The case was dropped because the prosecution had insufficient evidence to proceed.
Verb forms: Prosecute, Prosecuted, Prosecuted.
Related words:
 Prosecute (verb) - अवियोग लगाना
6. Intransigence (noun): A stubborn refusal to change/uncompromising. (हठ/कठोरता)
 Synonyms: Obduracy, Uncompromising, Inflexibility, Rigidity, Adamancy.
 Antonyms: Flexibility, Compromising, Shakable.
Example: When it comes to the safety of my children, I must always take an intransigent position
to protect them.
Related words:
 Intransigent (noun) – सैद्ाांवतक
7. Vigorous (adjective): Strong, healthy, and full of energy. (सशक्त/ओजपूर्व)
 Synonyms: Dynamic, Effective, Efficient, Intense, Potent, Robust, Strenuous.
 Antonyms: Delicate, Dull, Fragile, Impotent.
Example: The rough mountain hike wore out even the vigorous athletes in the group.
Related words:
 Vigorously (adverb) – उत्साह सवहत
8. Lenient (adjective): Not strict. (उदार/नरम/मृदु)
 Synonyms: Benign, Gentle, Mild, Emollient, Amiable, Affable.
 Antonyms: Merciless, Hard, Intolerant, Rigorous, Severe.
Example: When the principal is out of the building for a meeting, the teachers are more lenient
with their students.
Related words:
 Leniently (adverb) – नरमी से/ उदार तरीके से

Leniency (noun) – उदारता
9. Agrarian (adjective): Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land. (कृवि या िूवम सबं ंधी)
 Synonyms: Agricultural, Natural, Peasant, Rustic, Uncultivated, Predial.
 Antonyms: Industrial.
Example: An agrarian college prepares men and women for careers in land cultivation.
10. Culminate (verb): To come to a significant point such as the end of an event. (समापन होना/पराकाष्ठा
पर पहुँचना)
 Synonyms: Cap, Climax, Conclude, End Up, Terminate, Wind Up.
 Antonyms: Begin, Commence, Open, Start.
Example: At the end of the night, the concert will culminate in a huge fireworks display.
Verb forms: Culminate, Culminated, Culminated.
Related words:
 Culmination (noun) - पराकाष्ठा / चरमविन्दु
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