VOA标准英语2009年-Counting Underway in Equatorial Guinea

President Teodoro Obiang, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979 coup¹, looks set for victory in Equatorial Guinea's presidential election

Kate Thomas | Dakar 30 November 2009

President Teodoro Obiang is shown casting his vote for president at the Ministry² of Foreign Affairs in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 29 Nov 2009

"Today the U.S. imports up to 100,000 barrels of oil a day from the country. But the State Department, the IMF and others have repeatedly noted³ that the government of Equatorial Guinea does not spend enough money on its own people," says Arvind Ganesan, a researcher for Human Rights Watch on Equatorial Guinea

Incumbent⁴ Teodoro Obiang is expected to have the most votes in Equatorial Guinea presidential election count.  Final results are expected December 7.

With only a quarter of votes counted, President Teodoro Obiang looks set for victory in Equatorial Guinea's presidential election.  Voter turnout was reported to be low Sunday in the oil-rich yet dirt-poor central African nation.

Four candidates are running against President Obiang, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea since taking power from his uncle in a 1979 coup.

Among them is Placido Minko Abogo of the Convergence for Social Democracy Party.  He accused President Obiang of taking $22 million from state funds to finance his re-election campaign.
 
Equatorial Guinea is one of the world's richest oil-producing countries, with an annual oil revenue of $3 billion.  Offically, it has a per-capita income of about $50,000, but most of the population lives in dire⁵ poverty.

"Today the U.S. imports up to 100,000 barrels of oil a day from the country.  But the State Department, the IMF and others have repeatedly noted that the government of Equatorial Guinea does not spend enough money on its own people," said Arvind Ganesan, a researcher for Human Rights Watch on Equatorial Guinea.

Rights groups say living conditions have worsened in recent years, with 20 percent of the children dying before their fifth birthday.

According to the anti-corruption⁷ watchdog Transparency International, Equatorial Guinea is the 12th most corrupt⁶ country in the world.  The group accuses President Obiang of using public money on fancy cars and luxury homes, while most Equatorial Guineans struggle to buy food to feed their families.

A graduate of the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit, President Obiang, 64, owns houses in Maryland and Los Angeles, where his next-door neighbours include Britney Spears and Mel Gibson.

Though he is believed to be suffering from terminal prostate cancer, Mr. Obiang shows no signs of releasing his grip on the country.

"Under his rule, Equatorial Guinea has no free press, no independent judiciary or independent society and arbitary detentions⁸, torture and corruption are rife," said Arvind Ganesan.

In 2004, the government and international security forces thwarted⁹ an attempted coup by a former British special forces officer, Simon Mann, who was pardoned and released from jail in Malabo earlier this month after serving five years of a 34-year jail term.

If he wins this election, Mr. Obiang has pledged to pardon Severo Moto, who would have been installed as head of state if the 2004 coup attempt was successful.  Moto was sentenced to 62 years in prison.
 

1 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。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

5 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

6 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

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 detentions   

拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校

参考例句：

• Teachers may assign detention tasks as they wish and some detentions have been actually dangerous. 老师可能随心所欲指派关禁闭的形式，有些禁闭事实上很危险。
• Intimidation, beatings and administrative detentions are often enough to prevent them from trying again. 恐吓，拷打和行政拘留足以阻止请愿者二次进京的脚步。

9 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。