2006年VOA标准英语-Nepal Braces for Controversial Election

By Patricia Nunan
Kathmandu
07 February 2006
 

Nepalese riot policeman walks past ballot¹ boxes inside the district election commission office in Katmandu, February 7, 2006  
  
Nepalese officials say they will push ahead with controversial local elections Wednesday, despite a boycott² by mainstream³ political parties and the threat of violence by communist rebels. The elections are the first step outlined by King Gyanendra for the restoration of democratic rights in Nepal, which he suspended a year ago.

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King Gyanendra says the people of Nepal are determined⁴ to hold successful elections Wednesday and will exercise their right to vote.

But not everyone agrees. Many in Nepal expect voter turnout to be light, because most political parties are boycotting⁵ the election, and because of the threat of violence by communist rebels intent on stopping the voting.

The king ordered the municipal elections as the preliminary step before parliamentary elections next year. Both are part of his plan to restore democratic freedoms, which he suspended last year.

The king has held nearly absolute power since he dismissed parliament a year ago and arrested scores of political opponents. He said he had to act because Nepal's constantly feuding⁶ political parties had failed to organize elections and had not stopped the communist insurgency⁷.

King Gyanendra is determined to hold the election, despite the boycott and his failure to halt the insurgency.

Rhoderic Chalmers is with the International Crisis Group, an independent research organization. He says those failings make it critical, in the eyes of the government, for the election to go ahead.

"When he took power in February 2005, he promised that he would put democracy back on track by carrying out elections. So for the king and his government this is a matter of prestige," he said. "And it appears they are tied so closely to the idea of forcing elections through at any cost."

"And in fact one of the king's advisers⁸ recently said, no matter how many lives are lost, they will go ahead," continued Chalmers. "It seems there is no space for the king to back down."

According to the election commission, there are roughly 4,100 seats for mayors and municipal council members across Nepal, but there are no candidates for more than half the positions.

Nepal's mainstream political parties have formed a loose alliance with the insurgents⁹ to push for the return of civil liberties and the holding of Constituent¹⁰ Assembly elections. 

Senate Shresta is a former minister in the government the king formed last year. He acknowledges that security could be improved, but says that is no reason to discredit¹¹ the elections entirely¹².

"In Afghanistan also, that also did not have a normal situation. But elections did go ahead. In Iraq also - that did not have a normal situation. Also in Iraq … bombs are blowing up everywhere, everyday. So, here also, this is a first step. In this first step, naturally these disturbances¹³ or these troubles will come," noted¹⁴ Shresta.

Security is expected to be high at polling stations. Rebels killed at least seven security officers Tuesday.

The rebels have called a nationwide strike this week, as part of their efforts to block the voting. Many businesses have been shuttered and drivers have stayed off the roads afraid of retaliation¹⁵ by the rebels. But many in the capital Kathmandu have chosen to ignore the boycott.

1 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。

2 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

3 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 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。

6 feuding   

vi.长期不和（feud的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Riccardo and Cafiero had been feuding so openly that the whole town knew about it. 里卡多和卡菲埃罗一直公开地闹别扭，全城的人都知道此事。 来自辞典例句
• The two families have been feuding with each other for many generations. 这两个家族有好多代的世仇了。 来自互联网

7 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

8 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

9 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

10 constituent   

n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的

参考例句：

• Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
• Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。

11 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

12 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

13 disturbances   

n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍

参考例句：

• The government has set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances at the prison. 政府成立了一个委员会来调查监狱骚乱事件。
• Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances. 已调集了增援警力来平定骚乱。

14 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。

15 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》