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VOA常速英语2007年-Zimbabwe Pro-Democracy Groups Give Mixed Respon

时间:2008-01-12 05:48:33

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By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
21 December 2007

Zimbabwe's parliament this week passed new laws easing restrictions1 on political dissidence and the news media. The laws, which are due to be signed by President Robert Mugabe in the near future, are to prepare for elections next year. But a group of pro-democracy organizations in Zimbabwe say that much remains2 to be done before a free and fair vote can be held. VOA Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

The Chairman of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Noel Kututwa, told reporters In Johannesburg Thursday that laws easing restrictions on opposition3 activity and the news media are an improvement over Zimbabwe's old electoral framework. But he said they do not go far enough.

"I don't think there's going to be a free and fair election in March 2008. There're still a lot of things that need to be changed before March," he said. "A fundamental issue that has to be changed is the mindset of the Zimbabwean voter."

Kututwa said Zimbabwean voters in recent years have been constricted4 by limits on political assembly, by one-sided information from state-owned news media and by a lack of information on electoral procedures. He said Zimbabweans need more time to understand the changes.

The new laws remove some restrictions. They were supported by the ruling ZANU-PF party and the two factions5 of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. The parties for months have been engaged in negotiations6 brokered7 by South Africa.

The talks are currently deadlocked8 over a new constitution and whether to postpone9 the elections.

Katutwa's network of 35 pro-democracy groups says one measure seeks to make the Election Commission more independent. But he says it remains to be seen whether the Commission, whose members are appointed by the president, will indeed be impartial10.

He notes that the commission is working on new voter registration11 lists and new voting districts. He says independent audits12 of these efforts are needed to assure there is no rigging.

Pro-democracy groups say most importantly the ruling party must stop using government facilities, such as transport and accommodation, when it holds political rallies like the Million Man March in Harare three weeks ago.

Finally, Katutwa says, intimidation13 must end by government supporters, including members of the security forces, veterans of the independence war and, in particular, the youth militia14.

"The youth militia has wreaked15 so much havoc16 and it is one institution that is used for violence and it is used for intimidating17 ordinary voters," he added. "So we want to see that changed."

Katutwa concludes that more time is needed to carry out these reforms. He says the elections should be postponed18 by several months at least.

The opposition also wants the elections to be postponed, but Mr. Mugabe has said they will go ahead as scheduled.


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1 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
参考例句:
  • 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
2 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
3 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。
4 constricted 6e98bde22e7cf0105ee4310e8c4e84cc     
adj.抑制的,约束的
参考例句:
  • Her throat constricted and she swallowed hard. 她喉咙发紧,使劲地咽了一下唾沫。
  • The tight collar constricted his neck. 紧领子勒着他的脖子。
5 factions 4b94ab431d5bc8729c89bd040e9ab892     
组织中的小派别,派系( faction的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
  • rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别
6 negotiations af4b5f3e98e178dd3c4bac64b625ecd0     
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过
参考例句:
  • negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
  • Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
7 brokered 34fcdb092f2087d98b80df4eb18bd6e1     
adj.由权力经纪人安排(或控制)的v.做掮客(或中人等)( broker的过去式和过去分词 );作为权力经纪人进行谈判;以中间人等身份安排…
参考例句:
  • a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
  • Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚,把生意都抢了过去,我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白
8 deadlocked 64307541978e39468a60c1da7fb7ba83     
陷入僵局的;僵持不下的
参考例句:
  • The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
  • The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。
9 postpone rP0xq     
v.延期,推迟
参考例句:
  • I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
  • She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。
10 impartial eykyR     
adj.(in,to)公正的,无偏见的
参考例句:
  • He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
  • Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。
11 registration ASKzO     
n.登记,注册,挂号
参考例句:
  • Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
  • What's your registration number?你挂的是几号?
12 audits c54379fa058a9ad836b60a32f9ceb5bd     
n.审计,查账( audit的名词复数 )v.审计,查账( audit的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Requires that use of all bond funds is subject to independent audits. 需要使用的所有债券基金是受独立审计。 来自互联网
  • Support the locations during customer-visits, audits and quality-improvement programs. 支持客户参观,稽核和提高品质等项目。 来自互联网
13 intimidation Yq2zKi     
n.恐吓,威胁
参考例句:
  • The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
  • The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。
14 militia 375zN     
n.民兵,民兵组织
参考例句:
  • First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面,其次是民兵。
  • There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。
15 wreaked b55a53c55bc968f9e4146e61191644f5     
诉诸(武力),施行(暴力),发(脾气)( wreak的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city. 地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
  • They have wreaked dreadful havoc among the wildlife by shooting and trapping. 他们射杀和诱捕野生动物,造成了严重的破坏。
16 havoc 9eyxY     
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱
参考例句:
  • The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
  • This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。
17 intimidating WqUzKy     
vt.恐吓,威胁( intimidate的现在分词)
参考例句:
  • They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
  • This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。
18 postponed 9dc016075e0da542aaa70e9f01bf4ab1     
vt.& vi.延期,缓办,(使)延迟vt.把…放在次要地位;[语]把…放在后面(或句尾)vi.(疟疾等)延缓发作(或复发)
参考例句:
  • The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
  • The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

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