VOA标准英语2010年-Rwanda Formally Welcomed Into Commonwe

Rwandan President Paul Kagame joined celebrations in England as Rwanda was formally welcomed into the Commonwealth¹ Club of Nations.

Rwandan performers opened the Commonwealth Day ceremony with a traditional dance and Rwandan President Paul Kagame addressed the media. "I am pleased to be here on this special [day] as my country, Rwanda, is formerly² welcomed into the Commonwealth," he said.

Rwanda was admitted to the Commonwealth in November 2009, during the biennial³ Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Kagame says he wants Rwanda's youth to benefit from Commonwealth educational and training programs, and hopes his country will gain financially by being a member.  "We hope to tap into the trade and investment opportunities that the Commonwealth offers, so that Rwanda can expand its economy and effectively participate in the global marketplace," he said.

The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organization of 54 independent member states.  All but two, Mozambique and Rwanda, had a British colonial past or constitutional link to Britain.

Rwanda's bid to join the Commonwealth began in 2003.

In March the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative voiced concern over human rights and freedom of expression in Rwanda and said it was deeply concerned at the level of threats to opposition⁴ parties before presidential elections set to take place in August.  But Rwandan officials said at the time the allegations were without basis.

Mr. Kagame said Rwandan rights will gain from being part of the international organization.  "I think the Commonwealth is a family where there are many failings, and failings do not come from only one part of that family.  Each family has its own failings, but when they come together then they share good practices to overcome those failings and that is why Rwanda sees it as very important to be part of the Commonwealth.  There is a lot we are going to gain from it, there is also a lot we are going to contribute to the well being of the Commonwealth," he said.

After speaking with reporters, Mr. Kagame witnessed the hoisting⁵ ceremony of the Rwandan flag.

Rwandans sang on the grassy⁶ lawn of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London as the flag was raised.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who is Commonwealth chairman, and Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma also witnessed the ceremony. 

Outside the ceremony, Britain-based Rwandans gathered to mark the occasion.

Many were singing in celebration.  Claude Rutsinzi said he thought Mr. Kagame had done much to improve human rights in his country.  "I do not accept at this stage really that the human-rights situation in Rwanda is bad, compared even to many many other countries in the Commonwealth," he said.

But others, like Ambrose Nzeyimana, said they did not think Rwanda should be eligible⁷ yet to join the Commonwealth. "We are not against Rwanda being part of the Commonwealth, but we are afraid that the regime of Paul Kagame cannot stand the democracy that the Commonwealth is expecting from its members," Nzeyimana said.

Mr. Kagame was also to join Queen Elizabeth for a multi-faith Observance in London.
 

1 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

2 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

3 biennial   

adj.两年一次的

参考例句：

• The workers were strongly against the biennial election.工人们强烈反对两年一次的选举。
• His is a biennial,and one of the most useful pasture plants we have.这是两年生植物，也是我们最有用的牧草之一。

4 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。

5 hoisting   

起重，提升

参考例句：

• The hoisting capacity of that gin pole (girder pole, guy derrick) is sixty tons. 那个起重抱杆（格状抱杆、转盘抱杆）的起重能力为60吨。 来自口语例句
• We must use mechanical hoisting to load the goods. 我们必须用起重机来装载货物。

6 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

7 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。