2007年VOA标准英语-Analysts Say New Alliance for Mauritania Presid

By Kari Barber
Dakar
19 March 2007

Mauritanian presidential candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdellahi casts his vote in Nouakchott, 11 March 2007

The third-place finisher in Mauritania's first round of presidential polls, Zeine Ould Zeidane, has thrown in his support for frontrunner Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdellahi for Sunday's elections. While this could be a major boost to Abdellahi's campaign, analysts² say they expect the nation's first presidential election since a military coup³ in 2005 to be close. Kari Barber reports from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

In announcing his support for the frontrunner, Zeidane said the two had discussed a future government. Zeidane, a former head of the Central Bank, did not say what role he might play in it.

Local analyst¹ Racine Sy says Zeidane's decision to support Abdellahi was not a surprise. Abdellahi served as a minister in the government of toppled leader Maaouiya Ould Taya, which Sy says, was supportive of Zeidane's party.

"They are not surprised because they were thinking something like this could happen because they know that Zeine Ould Zeidane is very close to Ould Cheikh Abdellahi," said Sy.  "The former regime supported his party. That is why people are not really surprised about his decision to support Abdellahi."

Sy says the third-place candidate's backing is no guarantee his supporters will cast their votes for Abdellahi.

"People here used to act based on tribal⁴ decisions. If the tribe, for example, asked them to vote for a certain candidate, they would do it," added Sy. "This time, no one knows what will happen. It really depends on how Mauritanian's feel about change."

In the first round of voting, held March 11, Abdellahi took nearly 25 percent of the vote and Zeidane took about 15 percent. Ex-opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah garnered⁵ just over 20 percent of ballots⁶, putting him in second place. No candidate came near the 50 percent needed to win the first round outright⁷.

London-based analyst David Hartwell with Jane's Strategic Advisory⁸ Service says Zeidane's support cements Abdellahi's position as the frontrunner. But, he says, winning the votes of black Mauritanians in the ethnically⁹ diverse nation could be crucial.

"He has the support of the third-place candidate," said Hartwell. "He has the tacit support of the outgoing military government. I think unless he makes a major mistake in the next week of campaigning, or unless Daddah is able to secure support of other candidates, particularly the black Africans, then Abdellahi is in an extremely strong position."

In the first round, 19 hopefuls vied for the presidency¹⁰. The only two black candidates, Messaoud Ould Boulkheir and Ibrahima Moctar Sarr, garnered nearly 18 percent of the votes. Neither has announced who he will support.

This marks the first time in Mauritanian history that a presidential election has gone to the second round. The presidential polls represent one step in the military junta's pledge to steer¹¹ the country toward democracy and return it to civilian¹² rule after they toppled the government of long-time president Ould Taya in August 2005. The first round was widely regarded as free and fair by international observers.

1 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。

2 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。

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 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

5 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

6 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》

7 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

8 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

9 ethnically   

adv.人种上，民族上

参考例句：

• Ethnically, the Yuan Empire comprised most of modern China's ethnic groups. 元朝的民族成分包括现今中国绝大多数民族。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• Russia is ethnically relatively homogeneous. 俄罗斯是个民族成分相对单一的国家。 来自辞典例句

10 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

11 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

12 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。