VOA标准英语2009年-Zimbabwe Political Confrontations Like

A public opinion survey in September by the Mass Public Opinion Institute revealed that the majority of Zimbabweans felt their life had improved over the past year and wanted elections within two years.

Scott Bobb | Johannesburg 16 December 2009

PM Morgan Tsvangirai (L) and President Robert Mugabe (R) are pictured at Zimbabwe International Investment Conference in Harare, 09 Jul 2009

In Zimbabwe, confrontation¹ between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai appears likely to continue, despite some progress during the year toward political and economic stabilization².

For Zimbabwe's long suffering citizens, the year 2010 appears likely to see more of the confrontation, stalemate and mediation³ that have characterized politics over the past months.

Southern African leaders in February were able to bring President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF Party and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change into a power sharing government.

"I, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Zimbabwe and observe the laws of Zimbabwe, so help me God," he said.

But disputes and rivalries⁴ continued to stall progress toward the ultimate goal of a new constitution and free and fair elections.

ZANU-PF held its party congress in the final days of the year and adopted a hard line toward its partner in government.  Mr. Mugabe urged the party to unite against what he called the enemy.

"The elections are not very far off, the inclusive government was given a short life, 18 months, 24 months, and so the remaining part of its life is very short," he said.

He said ZANU-PF had lost the elections of 2008 because of party in-fighting.

The MDC won a majority of parliamentary seats in the 2008 elections and Mr. Tsvangirai out-polled Mr. Mugabe in the presidential vote.  But Mr. Mugabe won the run-off election after Mr. Tsvangirai withdrew, citing a campaign of intimidation⁵ in which 100 of his supporters were killed.

Months of mediation by southern African leaders led to a power-sharing agreement in September and then to the unity⁶ government.

The agreement eased tensions and lessened⁷ political violence and human-rights abuses.  And the new government stabilized⁸ the economy by abandoning the inflation-battered Zimbabwean dollar and adopting the U.S. dollar and South African Rand as currencies.

Almost overnight, shortages of food, fuel and basic goods ended.  Economic activity picked up.  And the government at yearend announced economic growth could reach seven percent after a decade of decline.

Still political leaders found it difficult to abandon the rhetoric⁹ of confrontation when speaking to their supporters as during this rally by Mr. Mugabe in August.

"Never, never surrender.  Zimbabwe is mine.  I am a Zimbabwean," he said.

The continuing confrontations¹⁰ led Mr. Tsvangirai in October to announce that his party would boycott¹¹ ZANU-PF ministers and Cabinet meetings.

"It is our right to disengage from a dishonest and unreliable partner.  In this regard, whilst being in government we shall forthwith disengage from ZANU-PF, in particular from Cabinet and Council of Ministers until such time as confidence and respect are restored in this relationship," he said.

One-month later, after another summit by the Southern African Development Community and its chief mediator¹², South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, Mr. Tsvangirai relented.

"We have suspended our disengagement in the government to give SADC and the facilitator, who is comrade Zuma, that within the next 15 days the party representatives will meet to look at all the issues and how they should be implemented¹³, and it is all issues, and that within 30 days all issues must be cleared [so] that we do not have to deal with this dispute once and for all.  We are satisfied," he said.

Analysts¹⁴ said some progress, meanwhile, was being made on forming media and election commissions as called for in the political agreement.  And civic¹⁵ groups were mobilizing volunteers to prepare the population for a series of consultations¹⁶ on a new constitution due to be drafted in the coming year.

But progress was slow, hampered¹⁷ by a lack of funding and the confrontations within government.

Nevertheless, a public opinion survey in September by the Mass Public Opinion Institute revealed that the majority of Zimbabweans felt their life had improved over the past year and wanted elections within two years.

But the survey also showed considerable differences along party lines over the abuses that had accompanied the previous elections, how to deal with them and how to bring about true national reconciliation¹⁸.

 

1 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。

2 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

3 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

4 rivalries   

n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new government was torn by rivalries. 新政府由于各派对立而四分五裂。 来自辞典例句
• Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. 竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起争斗。 来自互联网

5 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。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 lessened   

减少的，减弱的

参考例句：

• Listening to the speech through an interpreter lessened its impact somewhat. 演讲辞通过翻译的嘴说出来，多少削弱了演讲的力量。
• The flight to suburbia lessened the number of middle-class families living within the city. 随着迁往郊外的风行，住在城内的中产家庭减少了。

8 stabilized   

v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The patient's condition stabilized. 患者的病情稳定下来。
• His blood pressure has stabilized. 他的血压已经稳定下来了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

10 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

11 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

12 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

13 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

14 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。

15 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

16 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

18 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。