VOA常速英语2007年-Pakistan Opposition Leader Bhutto Leaves Door O

By Gary Thomas
Washington
14 December 2007

Pakistan opposition¹ leader Benazir Bhutto says she remains² open to working with President Pervez Musharraf, but only if next month's parliamentary elections are free and fair. President Musharraf has lifted the state of emergency he imposed in November. But as VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports, that is not enough to dispel³ Bhutto's concerns about electoral rigging in January's vote.

Speaking to VOA by telephone, Benazir Bhutto says she may still find it possible to cooperate with President Musharraf.  But, she adds, that will depend on what happens in the January 8 elections.

"It's very difficult to say anything on this matter at this stage," she said.  "A lot will depend on the elections themselves and what the mood of the people is following the elections, because if the elections are rigged, it's going to put General Musharraf on a confrontation⁴ course with the opposition parties."

Ms. Bhutto says Mr. Musharraf could still surprise people by conducting an honest vote, although she believes that is a remote possibility.

"At the moment the situation is not conducive⁵ to fair elections within Pakistan," she added.  "But certainly General Musharraf has taken some steps that surprised many people, including me.  And that included retiring as chief of army staff.  So if he surprises us all by having a fair election, that will be very welcome.  But the way things are going today, that would be a very big surprise."

Ms. Bhutto says that preparations for electoral fraud are already well under way, including falsifying voter registration⁶ rolls with what she calls ghost voters and intimidation⁷ of voters by local government-appointed officials.

Teresita Schaffer, a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia, notes that President Musharraf has laid down restrictions⁸ on traditional political party activity under an electoral code of conduct.

"Long processions are banned, and rallies can be held only if you get a non-objection certificate from the government," she said.  "And he [Musharraf] keeps saying 'I'm for a wide open election campaign, but there can't be any agitation⁹.' So he's obviously trying to set the standard that whatever you do during the election, you can't include getting lots of people together which, as you know, is the way elections are conducted in Pakistan.  That's how you spread the word.  That's how you energize¹⁰ the [political party] troops."

Ms. Bhutto served twice as prime minister of Pakistan in the 1990s.  After years of self-imposed exile, she negotiated a return home with President Musharraf under a deal that included the dropping of standing¹¹ corruption¹² charges against her.

The opposition parties had considered boycotting¹³ the polls, but Ms. Bhutto said her party decided¹⁴ in the end not to concede the field.

"When my father was in prison under an earlier military dictatorship, he had still told the party to go ahead and fight so we could keep my party political machinery¹⁵ well-oiled, and we could have an opportunity to meet the public, meet the voters, and communicate our message to them," she explained.  "So we thought it was better to have a political process than to leave the field open."

She will run for a parliamentary seat in the election as head of her Pakistan Peoples Party and hopes to once again become prime minister.

Another opposition leader and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has been barred from running himself but his party will contest in the polls.

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 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

6 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

7 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

8 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

9 agitation   

n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动

参考例句：

• Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
• These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

10 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

11 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 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。

13 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。

14 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

15 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。