2006年VOA标准英语-UN Pushes Back Elections in Ivory Coast for Ano

By Franz Wild
Abidjan
15 October 2006

The United Nations' elections supervisor¹ in Ivory Coast, Gerard Stoudman, has said it will take another year to organize elections in the war-divided country.

The United Nations had already said elections would not be possible as designated by end October. Now, the top U.N. elections supervisor in Ivory Coast

has said they will not take place for another year.

In an earlier interview Gerard Stoudman told VOA creating electoral lists is a lengthy² process. "The problem is not so much organizing the election. The election could be organized in three to four months. The problem is the electoral list. The key question is to have a credible³ electoral list that can be certified⁴ and recognized, not only by the international community, but above and before all by the Ivorian contenders," he said.

Millions of potential voters need to be identified, updating the electoral lists used when President Laurent Gbagbo won disputed elections in 2000.

This process started earlier this year, but was blocked by Gbagbo loyalists.

The other major stumbling block is the disarmament of rebels, who are in control of the north of Ivory Coast since a failed coup⁶ in 2002 spiralled into civil war.

And so the U.N.-backed peace process, which extended President Gbagbo's mandate⁷ till end October has stalled. Mr. Ggagbo says he will not step down until elections are held, and the rebels say they will not disarm⁵ until his presidential mandate is discussed.

Stoudman said it is absolutely crucial that elections do take place in the coming year.

Despite the current deadlock⁸, however, he thinks the basis has been established. "In 2006 more progress has been made than ever before. In particular, by beginning the identification, by setting up the election commission, and by starting technical preparations for the elections," he said.

There is currently no plan for what is to happen after October, but the African Union's Peace and Security Council and the U.N. Security Council are meeting before then.

Last week, the Liberian government said the West African grouping, ECOWAS, would back Mr. Gbagbo to stay in power for a further year.

1 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

2 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

3 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？

4 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

5 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

6 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。

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。