VOA标准英语2010年-Political Outreach Leaders in Zimbabwe

The people of Zimbabwe are in the process of drafting a new constitution that is aimed at bringing new elections and ending years of political strife¹. As part of the process, specially² trained leaders are consulting with citizens across the country in a process called the Constitution Outreach Program.

Hundreds of people gathered recently (July 24) in the farming district of Chinoyi, 100 kilometers northwest of Harare, to discuss a new constitution.

A new charter is required by the Global Political Agreement that Zimbabwe's leading political parties signed two years ago following controversial and sometimes violent elections. It is meant to lead to a new vote.

The agreement brought the former opposition³ Movement for Democratic Change into the government of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party which had dominated politics since independence 30 years ago.

The process is difficult. The Outreach team leader representing the MDC faction⁴ of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Severino Chambati, says some ZANU-PF members are trying to intimidate⁵ participants. "Maybe there was a hidden agenda. I don't know. But the idea behind it was to disrupt the process of this Outreach program."

Jacob Moyo, the team leader for the MDC faction of Deputy-Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, says ZANU-PF is telling people what to say in order to promote a constitution that preserves Mr. Mugabe's extensive powers. "That is oppression of the worst order because they are suppressing other people's minds and forcing them to say what they as a party, or representatives of the party, think people should say," he said.

The ZANU-PF team leader, Zacharia Ziyambi, disagrees. He says the main obstacle is the western sanctions imposed on senior ZANU-PF leaders because of alleged⁶ human rights abuses. "People are in harmony. They understand each other. They agree with each other. They are happy with each other. But what is a bone of contention⁷ is the sanctions. When (if) the sanctions are there I foresee no good election. The elections are going to be very bad," he said.

Farmer Alfo Muyesa says the time has come to replace the much-criticized charter drafted prior to Zimbabwe's independence. "This new constitution is for future generations and it aims to correct the previous Lancaster House Constitution which had many flaws," he said.

Many Zimbabweans fear new elections will bring new violence. But local farmer Ernest Chetse says the people still want change and a charter that guarantees individual rights. "If the people have incorporated the issues that they want in the constitution, the obvious outcome is it will be their own constitution and the resulting processes will be their processes and I think they will buy in (to it) in terms of outcomes," he said.

Some civic⁸ groups oppose the process. They say it is driven by politicians instead of the people. But Zimbabweans attending meetings like this one are showing that they want change and are willing to work for it.
 

1 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

2 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

3 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。

4 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。

5 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

6 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

7 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

8 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。