VOA标准英语2009年-Afghan Vote Results May Be Delayed

Complaints about fraud in Thursday's presidential and provincial¹ council elections in Afghanistan may further delay the announcement of official results. Officials continue to issue statments saying claims that anyone is leading the presidential contest are premature², inaccurate³ and unauthorized.

Election officials here are cautioning that previously⁴ announced dates to post official returns in mid-September may be pushed back.

The hitch⁵ lies with an anticipated large number of complaints, including ballot⁶ stuffing and voter intimidation⁷. Many of these - and there are more than 225 and the number is growing - will have to be investigated on location in a country with rugged⁸ and hostile terrain⁹.

The Electoral Complaints Commission says 35 claims have been deemed "a high priority" since they could affect the outcome of election results.
　
Fahim Hakim, a member of Afghan Electoral Complaints Commission

ECC member Fahim Hakim tells VOA that looking into these alleged¹⁰ electoral abuses could be time consuming.

"We are trying our best to address all complaints that we are receiving and the soonest, the better from our point of view," he said. "We cannot in a way confine ourself that these are the ultimate dates that we may arrive to a final conclusion."

The law prevents the release of officials results until these complaints have been adjudicated.

A domestic independent news agency, Pajhwok, quoting sources, reports incumbent¹¹ President Hamid Karzai has 71 percent of the total based on 4.5 million votes counted.
　
Daoud Ali Najafi, IEC Secretary-General

The Secretary General of the Afghan Independent Election Commission, Daoud Ali Najafi, was asked by reporters about that figure.

"It is not accurate, I can tell you," he said.

The IEC says it will only begin releasing partial results from some provinces on Tuesday.

The senior project officer for Democracy International, Bill Gallery, tells VOA News, it would have been ideal to have some results out earlier.
　
Bill Gallery, Sr. Program Officer, Democracy International

"The results were coming in from provinces Friday, which was the start of Ramadan and that slowed things down a little bit," said Gallery. "Nevertheless, we think the IEC should be capable of publishing some partial results as they come in to help increase the transparency of the process."

Officials also still not have released any figures for voter turnout, which observers predict may be as low as 10 percent in areas where the Taliban insurgency¹² is active.

Voting was not conducted in nine districts but officials say that affected¹³ less than two percent of the electorate¹⁴.

Meanwhile, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, who is also claiming he has the most votes, is alleging¹⁵ "rigging" of the election by Karzai administration officials.
　
News conference of Afghan Independent Election Commission in Kabul (Daoud Ali Najafi, center)

"This is under his leadership that all these things are happening and all those people which are responsible for this fraud in parts of the country are being appointed by him. I'm sure that he has all those reports. He knows about all of this," said Abdullah. "This should have been stopped and could have been stopped by him."

The challenger contends that ballots¹⁶ marked for Mr. Karzai are arriving from districts where voting did not occur and turnout is being reported as high as 40 percent in areas where only 10 percent of voters cast ballots.

The Karzai campaign denies such charges and accuses the Abdullah camp of carrying out fraud on election day.

If no candidate receives more than half of the total votes a run-off between the two top contenders is to be held in early October.

1 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

3 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 hitch   

v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉

参考例句：

• They had an eighty-mile journey and decided to hitch hike.他们要走80英里的路程，最后决定搭便车。
• All the candidates are able to answer the questions without any hitch.所有报考者都能对答如流。

6 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。

7 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。

8 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

9 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

10 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

11 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。

12 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

14 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

15 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

16 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》