VOA慢速英语2018--重建和腐败成伊拉克选举首要问题

Rebuilding, Corruption¹ Top Issues in Iraq’s Election

Iraqi citizens will vote for members of their national parliament on May 12.

It is the first such election since the government declared victory over the Islamic State group. Iraqi forces drove out the militant² group from the country’s north last year. Now, Iraqis hope that new leadership will fight another enemy: corruption.

Many consider corruption to be the cause of years of war and economic problems.

Some candidates sense this feeling. Iman al-Marsomi is a candidate for parliament. “I want to wage a war against corruption,” she said.

But some local people in Baghdad said that goal may be impossible to reach.

Nearly 7,000 candidates are seeking office. There are 329 seats in Iraq’s parliament. After the vote, the government will carry out a series of negotiations³. It is expected that one of the leaders of the Shia parties will be appointed prime minister. That position is Iraq’s head of state.

Iraq’s government system is complex and based on a quota⁴ system. It calls for several groups to hold leadership positions. They include Shia and Sunni Muslims, the two biggest Muslim religious groups in the country. Kurds, other minorities and women also are required to hold some of these jobs.

New alliances forming

Iraqi political expert Najem al-Kassab told VOA that new political alliances are forming in the country, even among different religious groups. As a result, he said, no party is likely to gain a majority. So, a long series of negotiations will take place before the choosing of top positions, he said.

“It will be difficult for them to agree on the leadership,” he said, “because party alliances are no longer based on sectarian blocks.”

The current Prime Minster is Haider al-Abadi. He oversaw⁵ the defeat of IS militants⁶ in Iraq.

But the upcoming vote and negotiations will be hard to predict, al-Kassab said.

For example, one political alliance in Iraq now includes well-known Shia leaders and non-religious parties, including the Communist Party.

Unlike the election in 2014, Sunni voters are more likely to vote for al-Abadi’s coalition⁷ because of the defeat of the IS. The militant group held mainly Sunni areas between 2014 and 2017.

The conflict destroyed or severely⁸ damaged many Iraqi cities, towns and villages.

Al-Kassab said rebuilding, improving the economy and limiting corruption are most important to voters. However, meaningful change will be difficult.

“The people don’t really care who is in power,” said al-Kassab. “They are looking to rebuild after all the wars.”

Protecting voters and the election

Security for the vote remains⁹ a concern. IS fighters have threatened to carry out attacks before the elections. The group said in an internet message that it has killed at least one candidate.

Iraqi officials, however, say they can provide enough security and protect voting places.

An Interior Ministry¹⁰ official told VOA that security forces have prepared a “careful” plan for Baghdad and other cities. “Everyone can be assured to vote safely. We will protect the polling stations, the transfer of ballot¹¹ boxes, and voters,” he said.

The government plans to close the country’s airports and borders for 24 hours during the election.

Security forces also will suspend travel between provinces and restrict movement of vehicles on Saturday.

The Popular Mobilization Forces in northern Iraq plans additional security measures in areas with political conflict between Kurds and Arabs.

A spokesman for the militia¹² alliance said IS militants had threatened villagers in southern Kirkuk and Hawija with kidnapping if they vote in the election.

“Iraqi forces will be deployed¹³ to Hawija and its surrounding areas on the election day to guarantee that everyone votes freely,” he told VOA.

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

wage –v. to start and continue (a war, battle, etc.) in order to get or achieve something

quota –n. an official limit or amount on people that are permitted or included

sectarian –adj. referring to religious or political groups

blocks –n. a group of people who usually act together in some way

assure –v. to make sure something is done or happens

polling –n. voting

transfer –n. an act or process of moving someone or something from one place to another

1 corruption   

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。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 negotiations   

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。

4 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

5 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

9 remains   

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。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

11 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

12 militia   

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。

13 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。