Southern African Summit to Focus on Zimbabwe Elections

 

By Peta Thornycroft

The Southern African Development Community holds a summit in Mauritius next week that is expected to focus on the situation in Zimbabwe, and proposed electoral reforms that would apply to all the members of the regional group. The summit is the last scheduled African forum¹ ahead of Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections next March. Zimbabwe's opposition² leaders are hoping the summit will help reform an electoral process that has been widely criticized as unfair.

Zimbabwe's broad alliance of opposition forces, including trade unions, have been to Mauritius in the last week to lobby ahead of the summit.

Opposition leaders say they went to Mauritius because the SADC summit can support their efforts for the establishment of a fair electoral system for Zimbabwe.

Friday's edition of the weekly newspaper, The Financial Gazette, says a draft bill, still under consideration by the ruling Zanu PF party, contains several proposed constitutional amendments³.

One of them, the paper says, would lead to the creation of a new electoral authority, which would, in the final analysis, be appointed by Mr. Mugabe.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change argues that Zimbabwe needs an electoral system that is independent of politicians. The MDC wants a body established, which would have power to run all aspects of elections, including voter registration⁴.

The Mauritius summit will consider adoption⁵ of a protocol⁶ on elections, setting minimum norms and standards.

At two recent symposiums on elections held in Zimbabwe in the last month, Zimbabwe's electoral system has come under scrutiny⁷ from regional electoral commissioners⁸.

Zimbabwe's last two national polls were widely criticized by Western observers, the Commonwealth⁹ and the SADC parliamentary forum.

However, South Africa said the 2002 presidential election was credible¹⁰ and legitimate¹¹, but not all members of its observer group supported the final report.

Peta Thornycroft, VOA News, Harare.

注释：
Southern African Development Community 南部非洲发展共同体
Mauritius 毛里求斯
lobby 游说，疏通
Zanu PF 津巴布韦非洲民族联盟
opposition Movement for Democratic Change 反对党民主改革运动
protocol 草案，协议
norm 规范
symposium 讨论会
scrutiny 详细审查
legitimate 合法的

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 opposition   

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。

3 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

4 registration   

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？

5 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

6 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

7 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

8 commissioners   

n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官

参考例句：

• The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

9 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

10 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

11 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。