2007年VOA标准英语-Guineans Express Disappointment in Strike-Endin

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
28 January 2007

Guinean demonstrators protest the regime of President Lansana Conte, across from White House in Washington, 25 Jan 2007

Many Guineans are expressing disappointment in a deal to end a three-week strike, saying President Lansana Conte should resign. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar.

Conakry-based journalist Maseco Conde says, many people he has talked to, say the deal did not go far enough.

He says guarantees to lower the prices of rice and gasoline are not seen as sufficient. He also says Guineans now want the ailing¹ and erratic² president, Mr. Conte, out.

He says, many people stocked up on goods Sunday at an open market, fearing there will be a new protest march on Monday.

He says, people he has talked to in the interior of Guinea are also expressing disappointment.

Strike leader Ibrahima Fofana, who announced the deal on Saturday, tells VOA he understands the frustration³.

He says, it was not possible to change everything at once, but that important steps will be taken.

He also says, if Mr. Conte backs off from anything, union leaders are ready to resume their protest.

The diabetic, chain-smoking president now must follow through on his pledge to appoint a consensus⁴ prime minister with increased powers.

The deal also calls for capping the price of staple⁵ goods and gas, pursuing the prosecution⁶ of two of the president's allies in a corruption⁷ probe and making January 22nd a national day of remembrance for the dozens of protesters killed in a security crackdown.

A local analyst⁸ with U.S.-based Human Right Watch, Dustin Sharp, says many Guineans have the feeling, even though the protest was union-led, that union leaders are now, in his words, "selling out" to Mr. Conte.

"I think it is important not to forget the unions represent, in a very little way, a very small portion of Guinean workers," said Sharp. "The reason that it has turned into a much bigger movement is there has been a certain sense of solidarity⁹ and agreement with the general principles the unions were perceived to represent. I think it is possible that certain portions of the population will not accept."

One move that could placate¹⁰ angry Guineans is the immediate¹¹ naming of a popular prime minister, but an another analyst Gilles Yabi, with Brussels-based International Crisis Group, says that could prove difficult.

"I do not have the feeling they have a candidate. I think they just said that they want a prime minister who has not been associated to the corruption, to the financial scandals in the past of the country," said Yabi.

Mr. Conte has not had a prime minister since last April. Since then, prices have continued to soar, while government services have crumbled¹² even more. Mr. Conte has been in power since a coup¹³ in 1984.

1 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

2 erratic   

adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
• The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

3 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

4 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

5 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

6 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

10 placate   

v.抚慰，平息(愤怒)

参考例句：

• He never attempts to placate his enemy.他从不企图与敌人和解。
• Even a written apology failed to placate the indignant hostess.甚至一纸书面道歉都没能安抚这个怒气冲冲的女主人。

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 crumbled   

（把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏

参考例句：

• He crumbled the bread in his fingers. 他用手指把面包捻碎。
• Our hopes crumbled when the business went bankrupt. 商行破产了，我们的希望也破灭了。

13 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。