VOA标准英语2009年-Afghanistan Faces Many Challenges in Run-U

For the first time in four decades, Afghanistan will run its own election. But there will be outside assistance - the most important being the tens of thousands of NATO-led troops in the country backing the Afghan forces providing security and logistical support. The international community is also providing funding to run the election and voter education campaigns. But there will be many challenges, including the Taliban, which is determined¹ to disrupt the voting process.

This is an election unlike the one five years ago, in which President Hamid Karzai was declared the winner. This time, Afghans are controlling the process. And, there will be fewer international advisers² and observers.

Crucial election
　
Ahmad Nader Nadery, Commissioner³ of Afghan International Human Rights Commission

Ahmad Nader Nadery, of the Afghan International Human Rights Commission, tells VOA the security situation will not allow for the presence of more observers.

"Taking the security arrangement for each international observer deployed⁴ in an insecure polling station or province, it is practically not possible," Nadery said. "It was not possible. I would like to see more of the international observers to give more credibility and transparency to the process."

For Afghans, such as Nadery, there is no understating what is at stake on August 20.

"I think it's a crucial moment in the history of our nation, in Afghanistan, and also in the international arena⁵, as well," Nadery said. "If this project fails, if, through violence or other means, it loses the credibility and legitimacy⁶. Then the fate of the entire project of stabilization⁷ in Afghanistan and the region would fail."

Concern about safety
　
A man in Kabul passes an election poster of Afghan presidential candidate and current Pres. Hamid Karzai, 14 Aug 2009

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission plays a key role in attempting to ensure the fairness of the election. But commission spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor tells VOA the commission is in no position to provide security.

"That's not the responsibility of the Independent Election Commission. These kind of responsibilities are going to national and international troops which are in Afghanistan," Noor said. "That is the responsibility of them to establish a good environment for election."

At the gates of Kabul University, views vary on whether that is possible. Student Enyatulla Hameedi hopes the several 100,000 armed forces of Afghanistan and the NATO-led international troops together can ensure security.

"The role of international forces, they're important [in the election]," Hameedi said. "We are really grateful for them because they established massive peace and security in different parts of our country. We wish from them to accompany us in this regard up to the time the election is finished. We can say that if the international forces don't do their responsibility our people will not be able to vote as well as possible."

Some Afghans are not as hopeful

One of his fellow students, Mahmood Ullah, is more pessimistic.

Ullah says he thinks a number of factors will undermine the election -- particularly that the government does not have control over all regions of Afghanistan. He believes that will prevent people from having confidence that the outcome will be fair.

For law student Nila Ali, there is concern women will not be able to go to the polls -- not because of instability, but because of restrictions⁸ put on them in this conservative society.

Ali says women are half of the population and have the right to vote. She hopes all Afghan families will allow their women to participate in the election.

Will women be kept from voting?

The reality is some women will be prevented from going to polling stations. Some warlords will deliver votes wholesale⁹ to their favored candidates. And, in at least a few remote places, ballot¹⁰ boxes will not be delivered because of the Taliban or other anti-government groups.

Despite the obstacles, the Afghan government and the international community hope their cooperation will yield an election deemed credible¹¹ enough to be accepted peacefully by the people of Afghanistan.

 

1 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

2 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

3 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

6 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

7 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。

8 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

9 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

10 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。

11 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？