VOA标准英语2009年-Madagascar Political Crisis Deepens

The political crisis in Madagascar has deepened, after transitional government head Andry Rajoelina backed out of power-sharing negotiations¹ and named a former military officer as prime minister. Opposition² groups have rejected the move and say they plan to name their own transitional government as part of an accord reached several months ago.

Scott Bobb | Johannesburg 21 December 2009

 
Photo: AP
Andry Rajoelina (file photo)

The head of Madagascar's transitional authority, Andry Rajoelina, announced a decree Sunday naming retired³ army Colonel Albert Camille Vital as prime minister.

On Friday, Rajoelina dismissed Prime Minister Eugene Mangalaza who had been named two months ago as part of a power-sharing agreement with three opposition groups.

He indicated he was withdrawing from the agreement and announced parliamentary elections would be held in March.  The new parliament would choose a prime minister and draft a new constitution.

Rajoelina did not mention presidential elections.  Under the current constitution the 35-year-old former mayor of Antananarivo is too young to run for the presidency⁴.

The African Union, United Nations and Southern African Development Community have been mediating⁵ talks aimed at ending a crisis when Rajoelina, backed by the military, seized power in March after the departure of then-President Marc Ravalomanana.

The opposition groups, led by Mr. Ravalomanana and two other former Malagasy presidents, condemned⁶ the latest appointment as an illegal decision by an illegal power.

Vital, a former army officer who owns a private security company and heads the local chamber⁷ of commerce, said (in a nationwide broadcast) that the country was in a delicate, even frightening, situation and asked for the people's understanding.

He says a transitional authority is limited, unlike a presidential term, and it would be preferable to let the transition do its job in order to arrive at democratic and transparent⁸ elections.

He accused opposition parties of putting their own interests ahead of the national good and urged them to prove their popular support in a nationwide vote.

The opposition announced it would choose its own government this week and threatened to organize national protests.  Months of demonstrations⁹ one year ago caused dozens of deaths, paralyzed the economy and led to the Rajoelina takeover.

The latest confrontation¹⁰ erupted after the three opposition groups, meeting in Mozambique earlier this month, chose a ministerial cabinet.

They left some cabinet posts for the Rajoelina group to fill.  But Rajoelina, who had refused to attend saying the meeting was unnecessary, rejected the appointments and accused his rivals of seeking to undermine his authority.

He also rejected the appointment of two co-presidents agreed to at an earlier meeting by all four groups.

Analysts¹¹ said the latest moves were meant to shore up Rajoelina's power with his hardline supporters and the military.  But they added that they were also likely to alarm foreign investors¹² and further isolate¹³ the Rajoelina government, which has been suspended from the African Union and Southern African Development Community.
 

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 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。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 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。

5 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。

6 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

7 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

8 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

9 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

10 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。

11 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。

12 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

13 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。