VOA标准英语2009年-US Targets Senior Kenyan Officials for Imp

By Alan Boswell
Nairobi
24 September 2009

The U.S. government says it sent warning letters to 15 senior Kenyan officials who are viewed as impeding¹ the implementation² of key governance reforms. The U.S. ambassador to Kenya further stated that travel bans would be issued against some of the 15 in the coming weeks.

 
US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger says the U.S. will impose travel bans on prominent Kenyan officials not backing government reforms, 24 Sep 2009
The letters sent to the Kenyan officials and signed by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson make no mention of a potential travel ban, but warn the targeted individuals that their "future relationship" with the United States is dependent on their performance in aiding Kenya's political reform process.

Although the names of the letters' recipients³ were not disclosed, U.S. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger said the list included cabinet ministers, government ministry⁴ permanent secretaries, members of parliament, and other prominent officials.

The announcement follows months of threats from senior U.S. officials that the failure of some Kenyan leaders to push for agreed upon reforms is causing a major rift⁵ in the two nations' relations.

Among key steps specified⁶ by the United States as crucial are the overhaul⁷ of the country's police and judicial⁸ institutions, fighting corruption⁹, the creation of a permanent electoral commission, the completion of a constitutional review process, and bringing to justice those responsible for the use of political violence.

The United States also said it will "more closely scrutinize¹⁰" future dealings between Kenya and international financial institutions.

The ambassador said the letters are proof repeated U.S. warnings have not been idle threats.

"These steps reflect the message President Obama and Secretary Clinton have clearly and repeatedly delivered: that we are deeply concerned by [the] lack of implementation of key elements of the reform agenda, and that, while we want to help the reform process, we will not do business as usual with those who do not support reform or who support violence to achieve political ends," Ranneberger said.

The so-called reform agenda was a core part of the agreement mediated¹¹ by former United Nations chief Kofi Annan that ended the post-election standoff between President Mwai Kibaki and now-Prime Minister Raila Odinga, bringing to a halt weeks of violent turmoil¹².

Ranneberger stressed these actions towards Kenya are directed from the very top of the U.S. government. President Obama, whose father was Kenyan, is widely viewed as a national hero in the country.

"And if you will notice, these letters come from Washington. It is a growing sense of frustration¹³ at the highest levels that despite all the rhetoric¹⁴ and commissions and talk and all that - not much has happened, Ranneberger said.

The ambassador reported that he had already received a couple phone calls from the targeted officials expressing a desire to sit down with the U.S. envoy¹⁵ to discuss their role in pushing for reforms.

Kenya's government spokesman, Alfred Mutua, dismissed the U.S. threats, saying travel bans will do nothing to help the reform process.

 

1 impeding   

a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的

参考例句：

• Fallen rock is impeding the progress of rescue workers. 坠落的石头阻滞了救援人员的救援进程。
• Is there sufficient room for the kiosk and kiosk traffic without impeding other user traffic? 该环境下是否有足够的空间来摆放信息亭？信息亭是否会妨碍交通或者行走？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

3 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 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。

5 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

6 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

7 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

8 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

9 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。

10 scrutinize   

n.详细检查，细读

参考例句：

• Her purpose was to scrutinize his features to see if he was an honest man.她的目的是通过仔细观察他的相貌以判断他是否诚实。
• She leaned forward to scrutinize their faces.她探身向前，端详他们的面容。

11 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

12 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

13 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

14 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。

15 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。