2007年VOA标准英语-Opposition Leader Koroma Elected President of S

By Kari Barber
Dakar
17 September 2007

Sierra Leone's National Electoral Commission says opposition¹ leader Ernest Koroma has won the nation's September 8 presidential runoff.  Kari Barber has more from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Ernest Koroma (file)

Opposition supporters poured into the streets to celebrate the electoral commission's naming of All People's Congress candidate Ernest Koroma winner of the nation's presidential election.

Final results show Koroma with about 55 percent of the vote and his opponent, Vice² President Solomon Berewa, with about 45 percent.

The declaration of Koroma as president-elect follows a move by Berewa's Sierra Leone People's Party to prevent the release of the results because of concerns about some of the electoral commission's procedures.  A judge has postponed³ the hearing.

All People's Congress student leader Bai Mahmoud Bangura says as president Koroma will fight corruption⁴ while trying to  mend divisions in the country caused by the election.

"Whoever misperformed in the last regime is going to be weeded out," Bangura said. "And whoever performed to the expectations of the people is going to be incorporated."

Civil-society activist⁵ Christian⁶ Lawrence has been coordinating⁷ election monitoring teams.  He says the city is tense with the announcement.

"The political landscape at the moment is very tense.   Security is really tight in the capital city and even in the provinces," Lawrence said.

The first round of voting, held August 11th, was essentially⁸ peaceful, but in the run up to the second round supporters of the two political parties faced off in violent clashes in several cities including the capital.  This sparked fear in the nation, still recovering from an 11-year civil war that ended in 2002.

Lawrence says he hopes the new government will incorporate the losing party to create a more peaceful country.  But he says he is not optimistic this will happen.

"This is winner take all, as they normally call it, one person wins and must take all for his party," Lawrence said. "That is the fear.  It would be fine for them to work with each other.  They normally say it diplomatically, but the reality is sometimes different."

Koroma, a former life insurance executive, has said that if sworn into office he will fight corruption and revitalize agriculture and the tourism and mining industries.

Koroma has led Berewa in the vote count since results began coming out in the first round, but the two were forced into a second round after neither got the 55 percent needed to win outright⁹.  For the runoff, third-place candidate Charles Margai threw his support behind Koroma - a critical boost.

The results can be challenged by petition to the Supreme¹⁰ Court within the next seven days by Sierra Leone law.

Observers cited some cases of fraud in the runoff election, such as ballot¹¹ stuffing, but said it was generally free and fair.

This was the first presidential election held in the country since U.N. troops withdrew in 2005.

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 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

4 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。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

7 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

8 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

9 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。

10 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

11 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。