VOA标准英语2010年-Kenya Referendum Also Proves Divisive

While Kenyans prepare to vote in a referendum Wednesday on a new constitution, the issue has also proved divisive in the United States. The U.S. government has played a major role to support the process, but U.S. evangelical groups have pushed for a "no" vote, mainly over the issue of abortion¹.

Nico Colombant 03 August 2010

The U.S. embassy and the U.S-based Ford² Foundation funded this photo exhibit and booklet called "Kenya Burning" in the run-up to the vote

Ethnic³ violence following Kenya's last general election in late 2007 underscored the need for reform in a country the United States has long considered a reliable ally in East Africa.

The U.S. embassy and the U.S.-based Ford Foundation funded this photo exhibit and booklet called "Kenya Burning" in the run-up to the vote.

"This is a booklet of the reform and a review of the reforms in Kenya since the national accord was signed.  We have constitutional reforms, legal and judicial⁴ reforms, police reforms, civil service reforms," said one Kenyan organizer explaining that the exhibit and booklet are for educational purposes.

 On a recent visit to Kenya, U.S. Vice⁵ President Joe Biden made clear the U.S. government was helping⁶ to fund the process for a new constitution, but that ultimately the document was for Kenyans and by Kenyans.

"This is your decision, your decision alone. The people of Kenya must make this choice, a choice for Kenya by Kenyans," he said. "And as you prepare to write a new history for your nation, resist those who try to divide you based on ethnicity or religion or region and above all fear."

In Washington, lawmakers with the Congressional Black Caucus⁷ accuse Christian⁸ evangelical American groups opposed to abortion of meddling⁹ in Kenyan affairs.

They issued a statement accusing the evangelicals of financing several Kenyan religious and legal groups to defeat the passage of the new constitution.

Rep. Donald Payne

"I think that those who are trying to derail it are taking the risk of having the blood of many people in question, by their reckless behavior of trying to defeat the constitution," says Donald Payne, a Democratic congressman¹⁰ from the eastern state of New Jersey¹¹.  "We are neutral on it but we cannot stand idly by when people are trying to abuse the rights of Kenyan people."

One group which has admitted opposing Kenya's constitution is the American Center for Law and Justice, based in Washington.

Jordan Sekulow
Jordan Sekulow, in charge of the center's international operations, says the proposed constitution allows abortions¹² in certain circumstances, in what is called the "health of the mother" exception, based on a doctor's evaluation¹³.

Sekulow says that can lead to what he calls abortion on demand, which he and his Kenyan partners find unacceptable.

"And so as a pro-life organization, who is battling abortion here in the United States, it is no shocker that our organization and our affiliates¹⁴ would be against this portion of the constitution," he said.

Other U.S. lawmakers point out that U.S. law prohibits the use of U.S. funds to lobby for, or against abortion, outside the United States, so the Kenya referendum may end up having legal ramifications¹⁵ in Washington as well.
 

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 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。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

8 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

9 meddling   

v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
• They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句

10 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

11 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

12 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

13 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

14 affiliates   

附属企业( affiliate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She affiliates with an academic society. 她是某学术团体的成员。
• For example, these security affiliates participated in the floating of 19,000,000,000 of issues in 1927. 例如，这些证券发行机构在1927年的流通证券中，就提供了一百九十亿美元的证券。

15 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》