VOA标准英语2010年-Voter List Still an Election Obstacle

Debate continues in Ivory Coast over the creation of a definitive¹ voter list, despite pressure from the United Nations Security Council this week to hold the country's long-delayed presidential elections as soon as possible.

The U.N. Security Council urged Ivory Coast Wednesday to hold presidential elections as soon as possible and expressed concern at the continuing delays.

But before elections can be held a definitive voter list must be published. The creation of that list has so far proven to be an insurmountable obstacle. Progress is currently at a standstill.

Political tensions

U.N. special envoy² to Ivory Coast, Young-jin Choi, told the U.N. Security Council Wednesday that political tensions that began in January following the production of a second electoral list have resulted in a "serious weakening of electoral momentum³."

"It is quite regrettable to see the elections once again delayed. Our disappointment is all the more acute as elections which have been prepared for so long appeared within our grasp at the time of the establishment of the provisional electoral list last November, which was highly credible⁴ and well-balanced," he said.

President Laurent Gbagbo (file photo)

The most recent delay came after President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the government and former electoral commission on February 12, sparking violent protests around the country that left seven dead. Mr. Gbagbo had accused the electoral commission of illegally registering as many as 400,000 foreigners.

His political opponents have accused Mr. Gbagbo of stalling elections to remain in power. 

A new electoral commission was put in place in late February but has not yet begun its work. Officials had planned on launching a 21-day review process March 1 that would have permitted them to publish a definitive voter list at the end of March, but that appeals process has not yet begun.

Eligibility⁵

The questions of who is Ivorian and who can vote were at the heart of the civil war in 2002 and remain sensitive in Ivory Coast, which has a large immigrant population. Of the more than six million names currently on the provisional voter list, the eligibility of one million voters is still being disputed, mainly on the grounds of nationality.

Affoussy Bamba is the spokeswoman for The New Forces, Ivory Coast's former rebel faction⁶ that continues to control the northern part of the country. Bamba says they were pleased with the U.N. Security Council's announcement.

Bamba says the U.N. Security Council, in its announcement, pointed⁷ to the fact that the more than 5.3 million voters currently on the provisional voter list have already been agreed upon by consensus⁸ in Ivory Coast and certified⁹ by U.N. representatives. She says they were pleased by Choi's statement that the provisional list published in November was highly credible and well-balanced.

The presidential camp is asking that the entire provisional voter list be brought under review, including the more than five million names already on the list.

Provisional list

New Forces' spokeswoman Bamba says they cannot agree with this plan quite simply because the provisional list has already been agreed upon. She says we are not saying that this list is perfect, but she says we don't see these ineligible¹⁰ people who are supposedly registered on this list. She says if there are indeed people registered dishonestly on the list, proof needs to be presented to remove them.

After briefing the Security Council, U.N. envoy Choi told reporters that the current situation is "not encouraging." He said some names on the list would be thrown out and others would be added, once eligibility factors, like nationality, were verified during the appeals process.

The vote is an attempt to find a lasting¹¹ political solution to nearly a decade of internal conflict, but voter registration¹² issues, particularly issues of nationality and eligibility, pushed back the election several times since President Gbagbo's mandate¹³ ran out in 2005.
 

1 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

2 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。

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 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？

5 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

6 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

9 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

10 ineligible   

adj.无资格的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The new rules have made thousands more people ineligible for legal aid.新规定使另外数千人不符合接受法律援助的资格。
• The country had been declared ineligible for World Bank lending.这个国家已被宣布没有资格获得世界银行的贷款。

11 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

12 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

13 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。