非洲－多哥已故的儿子宣誓就职

 

Son of Togo's Late President Sworn into Office

 

Faure Gnassingbe took his father's place as the president of Togo, swearing an oath before the country's top judges to fulfill¹ the duties of president, and uphold his country's constitution.

 

Ruling party officials and the army's leadership attended the inauguration², as well as several African diplomats³. Western diplomats were not present.

 

The ceremony took place at the presidential palace in the capital Lome, despite protests from the West African regional body known ECOWAS. The secretary-general of the 15-nation grouping, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, failed to prevent the induction⁴ ceremony from taking place.

 

The regional body, which includes Togo, will hold an extraordinary summit Wednesday in Niger to discuss the situation.

 

Mr. Gnassingbe, formerly⁵ a lawmaker and government minister, was named president by the military after his father Gnassingbe Eyadema died suddenly Saturday. Parliament made a constitutional change Sunday that allows the 39-year-old Mr. Gnassingbe to stay in power until 2008. The former constitution called for elections within 60 days in case of the president's death.

 

The international community has condemned⁶ the transfer of power, saying it amounts to a military coup⁷. The French foreign ministry⁸ called for swift elections in its former colony.

 

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the current head of the African Union, said African leaders should not accept the new leadership in Togo until there is a democratic transition.

 

Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou-Nguesso says African leaders should promote democracy, but also ensure peace and security. He said Togolese need help to manage what he called a very "delicate" situation.

 

Mr. Eyadema had been in power 38 years, and last won elections in 2003 said to be marred⁹ by fraud and intimidation¹⁰.

 

Togo's three main opposition¹¹ parties are demanding a dialogue with the new authorities in Lome. An opposition party leader, Leopold Gnininvi, said there have been no major protests, but there were reports that security forces prevented some university students leaving from their campus to take to the streets.

 

Mr. Gnininvi told VOA that in his opinion the president is illegal if elections are not held.

 

He said if the opposition's appeals for dialogue are rejected they will be forced to organize protests.

 

Gabi Menezes, for VOA news, Abidjan.

 

注释：

Togo [5tEu^Eu] n. 多哥

inauguration [i7nC:^ju5reiFEn] n. 就职典礼

Niger [5naidVE] n. 尼日尔(非洲中西部国家)

swift [swift] adj. 迅速的，快的，立刻的

delicate [5delikit] adj. 病弱的，脆弱的，微妙的，棘手的

intimidation [in7timi5deiFEn] n. 胁迫

1 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

2 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 induction   

n.感应，感应现象

参考例句：

• His induction as a teacher was a turning point in his life.他就任教师工作是他一生的转折点。
• The magnetic signals are sensed by induction coils.磁信号由感应线圈所检测。

5 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

6 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

7 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

8 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。

9 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

10 intimidation   

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。

11 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。