2006年VOA标准英语-Madagascar Prepares for Presidential Elections

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
30 November 2006

In Madagascar, campaigning is winding¹ down and voters are preparing to go to the polls Sunday to elect a president. The process has been marked by boycotts², procedural disputes and a would-be coup³ attempt, but international observers say they hope the polling will be orderly. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg.

Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana

Some six million registered voters Sunday are to choose Madagascar's next president from a field of candidates that include President Marc Ravalomanana, who is running for a second term, and 13 opponents from various political backgrounds.

International observers say the process has gone relatively⁴ smoothly⁵ despite some notable disputes.

The Director of the Elections Institute of Southern Africa, Dennis Kadima, says a number of candidates have criticized what they say is a lack of transparency.

"They can't understand that the number of voters is only 200,000 more than five years ago, while the population has grown by 3.2 percent every year, so they should have at least 1 million more voters," he noted⁶.

Kadima adds that candidates are also upset that voter lists have not been published for public review. And they object to the lack of public funds for campaigns and to a law requiring the parties to print their own voting ballots⁷. They say these measures favor the party in power.

Other political groups are boycotting⁸ the elections, saying they are being held two months early, which favors the incumbent⁹ and is unconstitutional. However, the earlier date has been upheld by the Madagascar's Constitutional Court.

The election has also been marked by the government's refusal to allow an exiled opposition¹⁰ leader to return home to compete in the polling.

In addition, a soldier was killed two weeks ago in a clash that erupted after retired¹¹ army general Andrianafidisoa [one name] called for the president to step aside in favor of an interim¹² military regime.

However, the head of the National Democratic Institution observer mission in Madagascar, Kelley Jones, says that the incident does not seem to have affected¹³ the elections.

"It appeared to leave everybody's radar¹⁴ as quickly as it appeared," she said.  "And I don't think that there has been any lingering impact on the populace or the electoral process itself."

The presidential election five years ago resulted in a seven-month-long crisis during which Mr. Ravalomanana and then-President Didier Ratsiraka both claimed victory. The standoff ended when Ratsiraka went into exile in France.

1 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

2 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？

3 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。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

9 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

10 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。

11 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

12 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

14 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。