2006年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Opposition Politician Joins MDC Factio

By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
19 June 2006

The founding legal secretary in Zimbabwe's divided opposition¹ Movement for Democratic Change, David Coltart, has announced he has joined the faction² of the party lead by scientist Arthur Mutambara.

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First, David Coltart tried for reconciliation³ of the party he helped form six-years ago.

When he could not bring about reconciliation, Coltart offered his legal skills to establish a mechanism⁴ for fair and amicable⁵ division of MDC assets including a fleet of vehicles, and a high-rise building in central Harare, as well as the party name and slogans. His offer was rejected last month by founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Coltart, Zimbabwe's most prominent human-rights lawyer for more than two decades, said those who voted him into parliament, in second city Bulawayo, first in 2000 and then last year, asked him to remain in politics.

In a written statement announcing his decision, Coltart said that Zimbabweans had to stand on principle and for what was right, or what he described as the long and desperate night of tyranny would continue in Zimbabwe.

He said he could no longer serve Morgan Tsvangirai because of what he said was the MDC leader's lack of commitment to democracy and the culture of immunity⁶ that he had allowed to develop in the party.

 
Movement For Democratic Change, pro-senate faction president Arthur Mutambara, addresses party supporters in Chitungwiza
(File photo - March, 26, 2006) 
  
He said he knew he was joining the smaller faction, but was in politics for the long haul, and he said he believed faction leader Arthur Mutambara was committed to democracy and would be accountable to the party's membership.

He also said Mutambara had approved the establishment of a commission of inquiry⁷ to investigate violence in the MDC.

Tsvangirai dismissed Coltart's decision, saying his former legal secretary was paranoid about violence.

There has been little reaction to Coltart's decision as opposition politics is barely visible in Zimbabwe these days. Most political analysts⁸ say the split in the party last October marginalized any serious attempt to end President Robert Mugabe's 26 years in power.

Even the dwindling⁹ number of civil-rights activists¹⁰ have remained quiet about Coltart's decision, despite his high political profile and incomparable human-rights record.

In last year's general election the MDC lost a third of the parliamentary seats it had won in 2000 when it came within a whisker of defeating Mr. Mugabe's Zanu PF.

The next national poll is a presidential election in March 2008 and parliamentary elections are due two years later

1 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。

2 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

3 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

4 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

5 amicable   

adj.和平的，友好的；友善的

参考例句：

• The two nations reached an amicable agreement.两国达成了一项友好协议。
• The two nations settled their quarrel in an amicable way.两国以和睦友好的方式解决了他们的争端。

6 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

7 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》